What Should I Wear? Help Please! - YouLookFab Forum

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What Should I Wear? Help Please!

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Hello Everyone! (~Big wave!~)

I am so excited to have a rare opportunity to go out and purchase a new outfit for a night out with my husband. (Yippee!!!)

The event I'm going to is a fundraising evening at my local school hall to celebrate the official opening of a local Community Art Show.

Whilst this outing will be held in the school hall, the event is an adults only, ticket entry, evening function (canapes, wine, jazz, the art, auctions etc,). I'm guessing that the evening will tend to lend itself to a slightly more formal occasion than just wearing casual jeans and flats.

I have to be honest and say the one thing I have worked out is that I'd feel uncomfortable and probably look out of place if I wore a dressy dress. Other than that, I have a feeling anything smart-casual could go - and this is what is really confusing me to the degree I have no idea where to even start planning my outfit!

Soooooo, do you have any thoughts that jump out as to what I should wear? Please? Pretty please, with sugar on top?

If you have managed to make it to the end of this epic request, bravo!

I truly hope you can help. x

Shopping

14 replies

Latest reply was from Queen Mum

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I have some questions for you...

So are all dresses out or just the one that you were planning to wear? Are you feeling that a skirt would be too dressy? What about black skinnies? Heels? Will there be dancing? What is the weather like?

Will hubby be wearing a jacket? Suit? tie?

Sharon

Veteran

Hi Kirstie, good to see you!
I had a similar dilemma this week - some friends and I were going out for a celebration dinner and I struggled to find the sweet spot between smart casual and evening dress. Unfortunately, I was away from home and had to make do with what I had. In the end I wore a tunic style dress with a jacket and a necklace, but I didn't feel quite glam enough.

I had a read through lots of Angie's posts on party wear when I got back home, and have decided that for me the key will be to wear something shiny. So jeans, shiny silky blouse and a structured jacket. Or a skirt with a top with sequins on it. Or a beaded jacket over the top. Or a very big, very sparkly necklace on a plain black shirt.

The other look I really liked was a suit that Angie had made into evening wear with a silk tie and long pearls. One common theme was the importance of accessories - heels, jewellery and an evening appropriate bag.

After all my reading I realized I don't really have a capsule for this level of dressing, so I've added a few things to my wish list (hehehe)
So anyway, that was a summary of what I took away from Angie's writings on the topic. My own advice would be: don't be intimidated by the yummy mummies-you more than own a place in their ranks! Have a great night!

RoseandJoan

Veteran

How about a sleeved knit dress with an arty scarf? It sounds like a fab night, or how about a polo neck with a pencil skirts and a pair of ballet falts for a touch of beatnik style.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

It is really important that whatever you wear is something you feel really comfortable as well as gorgeous wearing. I see two options: more casual pieces glammed up, or more formal pieces worn simply. A darkwash jean, top and jacket but with gorgeous shoes and a statement piece of jewellery or a very tailored simple skirt and blouse with perfect accessories - maybe pearls - for a classic look.

I usually try to err on the slightly dressier side for events that I am unsure about.

Whatever you wear, have a wonderful time.

Queen Mum

Veteran

Gosh, it is so tricky to try to predict the dress code of an event like this, isn't it?
I agree with Dianthus to err on a bit of the dressier side, but you're probably right that a dressy dress could leave you feeling overdressed.
I would probably have fun glamming up smart casual as much as I could. Something wouldn't wear during the day. Shiny, sparkly, sexy.....but without going formal. What that is, I have not idea.... LOL
I could see a LBD dressed down to smart casual for something like this. The others have some really good suggestions.

Anonymous

I went to a similar event last year at my niece's school. I was visiting from out of town and wasn't expecting to go. I wore white jeans, white wedges, a colorful tunic, and a colorful scarf. I felt fine in that.

I saw a lot of dresses at the event, particularly a lot of maxi dresses.

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

Hello KP. This is exciting!!!

Bear in mind that I don't have a very good "party capsule" myself, and that I always prefer to be on the casual, rather than the dressy end of the spectrum when I give advice.....however my vote goes to either dark skinny jeans, heels, a silky top and some blingy earrings, or a dress thats not super dressy (no sparkle here) with pumps/boots depending on weather appropriateness.

Either way you are going to look fab and I hope you have a great time! Do let us know what you decide on, won't you?

celia

Veteran

Now that I passed the envy stage from such an oportunity to go to that kind of event (wait, still a little bit green...no, it's all gone now)
As I was saying,
I'm a very informal girl and tend to think that if I dress up I won't feel confortable so I wouldn't do dressy dressy, but then I would arrive at events and realise that other people would be dressier than me and don't get that I didn't want to show of but entirely the oposite.
So, my advice(that other people already voiced) is to err on the dressier side.
A great fitting dress with a great pair of shoes and some jewellery or a scarf that brings the glam would be a great idea.
Also, if you have the oportunity to buy something for this ocasion pamper yourself and buy something you think is divine.

Have a great time.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yay, Katie!

I vote a skirt with heels, or a more dressed down dress.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I would probably do a day dress, but dress it up a bit. You could always do some fun combination of elegant/casual- like pearls and denim, leather or pleather and lace, etc. Carry a clutch purse and add some heels to make it look dressier.

taylor

Veteran

Ohh, I was going to suggest what R&J and Angie suggested. You should have a wonderful time...let us know:)

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Oh my goodness, you are all so incredibly fabulous - Thank you SO much for your wonderful suggestions! These are the three looks that I've narrowed down to target:

1) A longish sleeved, I'd say knee length, simple dress (maybe tunic, or sheath that skims past the lumps and bumps) - with some fun accessories.

2) A skirt and a top combo - more a pencil style skirt with top kind of combo - I would like it to be a little quirky though - not staid. Perhaps the pearls for fun!

3) I own a pair of red high-heels, so perhaps these coupled with a new pair of dark-wash skinnies and glitzy top and dangly earrings.

I do want to look a little arty, because I'm actually submitting two of my artworks into the competition. (I'm a total beginner, but I thought it would make it more fun to say I was an artist for the evening! Tee-hee. I'm already practicing saying "Daah-ling"... ;-))

I'm lucky to have made a friend with a similar lifestyle as me who loves shopping and clothes. (This is exciting for me, because I don't have any close female relatives who love clothes and most of my friends are not particularly into style.)

She has kindly agreed to come shopping with me - so I'll take this list with me and get her to help me pull together this outfit. Surely two heads have to be better than one. I think the biggest thing I worry is that this is the first time in a while I've had some money to spend on 'proper' clothes so I want to make sure I do well and don't mess it up!

I will go shopping within this next week and promise I will post pictures.

Thanks once again everybody!

Isis

Veteran

Sounds like you have the shoes covered: red heels will go with all three of your outfits!

I do like the sound of Outfit #3 !!!!

Have fun!

Queen Mum

Veteran

I actually like the idea of #1. Everyone will be in jeans, but you'll feel unique and untra fab in a dress if you can find one to fit the bill.