A sweet lady has been invited to a big lunch at a fairly smart hotel. She's unsure what to wear as there is no clear dress code and asked what I would wear.
Now, although I make a big thing about dressing for the occasion, when I'm at an event I'm there to talk to people. To catch up or get to know them. I may occasionally compliment a lady on a pretty colour or a man on a nice-smelling aftershave but I don't really look at what they're wearing - and certainly I don't remember after. Others will have the same mind-set and thus I accept that getting the outfit right is all in my head.
So the first element of my response is that it doesn't really matter that you're dressed "appropriately" or that you got the dress code or the colour combo spot on, or whatever - it matters that you feel (and look) good in what you wear. Anything goes. The Dress Code Police are in the mind only!
But like my lady, I still deliberate for ages beforehand and on the day. So, secondly for peace of mind I suggest you keep your options open. With layers, to add or take away. For example in a dress and a cardi combo. The cardi can be buttoned up if you feel a little over-dressed, then it looks like a skirt and cardi, i.e. quite casual. If you feel a tad underdressed, take off the cardi. Leave it in the cloakroom, or rolled in your bag (I take a capacious bag!). An alternative is a jacket, but that may need "checking in" (and invariably I forget to pick it up, so best avoided!). Another pack-away option is a pashmina/shawl. It provides warmth (read cover-up for my fat arms) and it dresses-up/down the look. And wear cardi and jacket and pashmina and you've got all bases covered!
'Nuff said. A picture paints a thousand words so I've thrown together a few visuals based on my old classic, the ivory linen strappy dress, shown recently here. Now, before you peek in, I have some apologies. This is my first go with a remote, so technical probs abounded and I was flustered! I soon realised that buckling shoe changes was a faff, so you see flapping straps before I reverted to slip-ons. I would accessorise/groom better if these outfits were "for real". And I would normally wear this dress with a tan! So, having apologised profusely ...
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In summer, with a tan; and in spring without one! Dressed down in a Principles cardi embroidered in a complimentary colour to the jacket; Platinum silk jacket - the flowery cardi is an alternative.
Quite casual in a linen stripey jacket from La Redoute; the East shawl brings it up a notch.
Shades of light pink and taupe. Linen/silk Alexon jacket colours are echoed in the wool/silk pashmina and taupe shrug; each layer can be rolled into a handbag.
Well, this is embarressing! I meant to grab my Gap denim jacket for this casual look but being flustered I grabbed my H&M denim shirt instead. I spotted the "switch" when downloading. I think it still works ...
The beaded pashmina used as an over-shoulder shawl will bring the outfit up a notch.
The beaded pashmina used as an over-shoulder shawl will bring the outfit up a notch.
The fuschia cardi is from La Redoute, sooo old.
The East fuschia beaded wool pashmina dresses up the look a notch.
I can't read the make on the old heels, just "made in spain".
If this helps my Lady in a Dilemma or any one of you reading this just in some small way, then my post has not been in vain!
A la perchoine.
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