What to wear to my husband's 30th HS reunion? (ETA Pics)

Hi YLF -
It's my husband's 30th high school reunion this coming weekend. I am joining him for the dinner event on Saturday, which is the larger of the two dinner events and will be attended by more people and more spouses.

Not having grown up in this culture, I'm not sure what to expect of a high school reunion, much less a 30th -- my husband guarantees that it'll be nothing like prom or Gros Pointe Blank -- and I'm writing to ask for your advice about what to wear. Since we don't live in the area, I won't know most of the people attending except two of my husband's friends that he's known since grade school.

ETA different outfit options than before and pictures:
1. Long black skirt with a t-shirt to casual it up a little
2. Salwar Kurta
3. Kurta with skinny jeans
4 and 5. black dress with flats and strappy sandals

My favorite - and what I feel most comfortable in - is #3. It has the added benefit of letting me travel light as the jeans will work with more casula options for other parts of the trip. The dress is one of my favorites, but I don't know if it's too gussied up for a HS reunion!

What do you guys think? Does the black dress still win? Or should I return to the drawing board?

Savitha

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13 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I'd probably wear the dress as long as it's something you feel really comfortable wearing of course. Unless your Salwar Kamiz is dressy, then it would be a good option too. The pants and Ikat blouse doesn't seem as dressy for a nice dinner.

Glory

What fun! I would go with the black dress as long as you feel good wearing it.

Sunita

Oh dear, it's so hard to say without seeing you *in* those outfits!

I assume this is a reunion of graduates from an American high school and not a reunion of graduates of a South Asian high school who have settled in the US?

In both cases, the black dress is a safe choice. If it is the latter, I'd probably wear a saree or a dressy salwar kameez. But you can still glam up the black dress with an ethnic shawl, dupatta, jewelry etc.

ETA: Forgot to say, welcome to YLF! You'll love it here.

RunnerChick

Active Member

Thank you for the suggestions! Looks like the black dress is the winner!

Sunita - Thanks for the welcome. You're right, it's an American HS reunion in a community that was not as ethnically diverse 30 years ago as it is now (I'll be surprised if I'm not the only South Asian at this gathering). Wish I could share pictures too - flying blind puts a serious wrinkle in feedback-sharing, I know! - and I promise to post WIW pics after the weekend.

rachylou

The dress. No question. Low heels.

Janet

Without seeing the options on you, I'd have to agree with rachylou on the dress. I just went to my hub's 30th reunion in rural east Texas, as casual a place as you'll ever see, and I wore a lightweight dress that felt special but not too evening-y. I was on the dressier side of the style spectrum that night (I kid you not when I tell you one guy was there in overalls and trucker hat), but I prefer being slightly overdressed to being underdressed any day of the week.

I edited the original post to add pictures (cool - thanks for making that happen!) and modify the outfit options. I'd love feedback on what works and what doesn't, and how I can improve the outfits (besides looking less sullen, of course!)

My pick is #4. It's an outfit both casual and dressy.

How far are you guys traveling?

I *do* like your salwar kurta a lot. I had this denim-colored kurta with cream salwar pants outfit I just loved. Lost a lot of weight tho and it got too big for me. I don't know it's milk toasty enough for one's husband's reunion, if you know what I mean. People get funny about and at reunions.

Sylvie

Since it's for dinner, definitely #4. I think dressier is better for an evening event. The other outfits seem too casual to me.

Kookaburra

You look stunning in #4! If having to wear leg and arm-covering clothes is not an issue, #4 is just perfect.

You look lovely in all of these but my vote for the reunion is #4.

shiny

I've been to a few reunions in last couple of years (college and high school, mine and my husband's). A lot depends on the venue. My 25th HS reunion was in a rented hall, a fairly casual venue. Women ran the gamut-- any of the outfits you have chosen would fit just fine. (I wore dress slacks -- it was winter, so they were velvet).

Whereas my husband's 25th college reunion was held in NYC in an uber-swank venue. Your dress would have been perfect; the other outfits too casual (but perfectly appropriate for the rest of the weekend's events).

So, I think it's not culture to take into account, so much as it is venue (is it an expensive restaurant? Or a rented hall?) and area of the country (a city such as NYC is going to be a lot different than a suburb in the midwest).

Hope that helps -- have fun and no matter which you choose you are going to be the prettiest spouse there.

Anonymous

Oh, number four is just amazing on you and shows off your fantastic figure in a modest way. I love the strappy metallic sandals too, this outfit hits just the right note. Have fun, you look like the perfect trophy wife!

Thank you, ladies, for weighing in. I do love that black dress so I like how this turned out.

Ania: bare legs and arms is not a problem. It's an indoor event and I'll have a wrap in case the airconditioning is on too strong.

Rachylou: The milktoasty comment really nails it. Reunions are funny things. I don't want to stand out -- well, not too much, anyway -- but I do want my outfit to reflect my style and where it comes from.

Shiny: Good point about the venue. The reunion is in rural western Washington (God's country! The high school has a view of Mt. Baker!), in a nice restaurant. I think the dress and sandals will be appropriate, if slightly overdressed (but I'm OK with that, it's better than under-dressed).

Claire: Thanks for the morale-boosting comment. Trophy wife, LOL!

Thanks, again, for your thoughts and suggestions!

I like #4 but I think you look great in #3 too and if that makes you more comfortable then you should go with it. I went to my 30 year reunion last summer and there was a wide variety of looks. I think by that age people are comfortable going as who they are instead of trying to fit in.

The dress in 4-5 looks perfect! Beautiful on you.

D'Ellen

I think 4 is perfect for the reunion! But I also want say how much I like 2 & 3. The kurta is lovely!

transition

I just missed my midwestern US 20th reunion, but based on the pictures I saw, I would have been quite underdressed if I had attended. It was held at a country club in a small town that's struggling economically, and most of the women were wearing flashy/sparkly evening wear.

Love the dress in 4-5

cjh

Love the dress #4-5, and one of the things my mom used to say was, "You should always dress up just a tiny bit more than you think is necessary." That has not failed me yet. She also used to say, "You should always leave the party while you're still having fun." (Does this have any relevance?? :-))

You look great, young, fit, and sweet in this dress. Have you asked your husband what he would like you to wear?

I also like the skinny jeans with top in #3. I'm not sure how it's really supposed to be made, but I think this top would work if you shortened it a bit and belted it, with the skinny jeans. Maybe an adaptation of a traditional garment that way? But that is more casual than the dress.

I'm not much help. I think you look gorgeous in all of them. If it's more casual, I like #3 a lot, neat blending of cultures. The dress looks like a safe bet for almost any venue though.

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