WIW: The outfit wasn't bad, but wrong venue!

With two hour's notice, I was invited to our local university's foundation banquet. I accepted because of the interesting keynote speaker. I immediately thought of my navy EF wrap dress that I wore to the CASA appreciation dinner. My friend, who also found out at the last minute said she was going to wear black pants and a top. Also, it was chilly, breezy and a little damp.

Okay, let's see, what dressy pants do I have? None! What a time to discover a wardrobe hole. So, this is what I went with: charcoal Kut corduroy baby boot cuts, metallic leather jacket, grey suede booties (Blondo from NAS), and a patterned top. I felt a little underdressed. Most of the women were wearing nice dresses, or dressy pants. My friend wore black pants and a beautiful silk top (possibly EF?). I should have gone with my first instinct, the EF wrap dress. Oh well. This outfit would have been perfect for church or our community theater.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

8 years ago

lady

Active Member

Ahh. Well. Life is like that. At least you went and got to hear an interesting talk! I'm embarrassed to admit I've not attended events in the past bc I couldn't sort out an outfit. Last minute scrambling is frustrating.

This happens frequently as my husband is often the "absent minded professor". My now standard is to dress as if I'd had a full formal day in the office (I now work at home). I find I fit in well and more importantly I don't miss out on interesting speakers.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Ahhh...bummer about that! Live and learn I'm wanting to go to the DFS Sale that Angie posted--it makes sense to buy tickets for the preview and first-dibs shopping--but I subsequently realized that I wouldn't have anything to wear to a wine and cheese type evening. It's a wardrobe hole for both of us, I guess.

Jenn

File the outfit away for the next more casual event! It was a lightbulb moment for me when Angie wrote that she considered cords to be more casual than jeans. I had to rethink my categories!

Sara L.

Oh well, better luck next time. Your jacket is great and that's probably what people will remember from your outfit, if they notice anything at all. It's surprising how little people notice about other people's looks sometimes. I walked around my office for hours with one pant leg rolled and the other not. I questioned my co-workers on why they didn't say anything and they all said they didn't notice.

JAileen

Lady, thanks. Your strategy sounds good.

Emily, thanks. Well, I like your wardrobe for a reason - it's casual just like mine!

Jenn, I missed that about corduroy. These look almost (but not quite) like velvet so I was hoping they elevated the outfit a little. The top felt too casual.

Sara, thanks. I hope you're right. I left my jacket on the entire evening.

Style Fan

I like your outfit and the colour of the cords bumps them up a notch especially with the metallic jacket. I have gone to events and been dressed on the casual side (a wedding shower last summer). It is hard to get it just right.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Blast. Oh well. Next time you can wear one of your fab frocks. No worries.

Janet, the corduroy pants look a little long and big - are they new? I always seem to be sizing you down! Yes to Jenn - cords are more casual than unripped and darkish jeans.

I like how your wardrobe is a sea ion greys and blues, and it all works together.

karen13

It is a great outfit for a different occasion. I love the jacket!

It I is really rare to feel underdressed in our overly casual society, but I don't like it. I find it mostly happens when I'm traveling with just a carryon suitcase and this didn't pack many shoes.

Style Fan, thanks! It is very hard to get it right.

Angie, the pants are from last winter. They were too tight then, and feel good now. I hope you don't think they're too big! I do think they're too long. I was scrounging around for shoes with a slightly higher heel, to no avail. I will shorten them.

Karen, thanks! It is a casual society, but the people at this event were dressed nearly like they were at a wedding!

Anonymous

I once read that one should aim to dress a little bit more dressy or a little bit more casual than everyone else, so your outfit was probably admired.
I find that cord/corduroy does not hold its shape so looks disheveled and casual quickly. When it is new on the hanger it can look velvety but it doesn't last.
The jacket looks beautiful and elevates your outfit. All the different textures are fun worn together.

Thistle

Looks fabulous.

Honestly, I doubt anyone noticed. Most of us are far too critical of ourselves

I hope you had a fab time. How was the key-note speaker?

Joy, thanks! The jacket was definitely the best part of my outfit. At the table that was mostly what people could see.

Thistle, thank you! You're probably right about people not noticing. The speaker was Alan Alda. He talked about science and communication. He hosted a science program on PBS for over a decade after M*A*S*H.

LaPed

Re Joy's observation: "I find that cord/corduroy does not hold its shape so looks disheveled and casual quickly." I don't have any corduroys right now for this very reason. Most women's corduroys these days are *so* stretchy they're practically knits or leggings or something. They look waaay more casual to me than men's corduroys, and they completely lack durability (my toddler once tore out a seam on a pair of almost-new Kut cords; luckily we weren't out in public!). I really wish I could find the kind of sturdy straight- or wide-leg all-cotton corduroys without a ton of stretch and synthetics. Perhaps as the skinny trend wanes...

I also like the suggestion to aim a little over or a little under everyone else. I'm going to think about this all the time now...

La Ped, interesting experience with your corduroy pants! I hadn't had corduroy pants since the 70s. I assume they were all cotton back then. These do stretch. I just looked up corduroy pants at LLBean, and none were 100 percent cotton. Recently I thrifted an LLBean corduroy jacket. I don't know how old it is, but it's wide wale corduroy, all cotton. It has obviously been worn, but the corduroy is in great condition.

These probably aren't what you're looking for, but they are all cotton corduroy pants at Lands End:

https://www.landsend.com/produ.....t=corduroy

ETA: Never mind, they're practically sold out.

Brooklyn

I think the outfit would have been dressy enough with a dressier bottom. The jacket and top both read dressy to me. It's still a very nice combo JA. You can use it on another occasion.

Janet

Aw, I hate feeling underdressed, but I think the monochrome neutrals and dark bootcut pants "pass" for dressier than they might feel. Still, you look great in this.

Brooklyn, thanks! Actually, it was the top that stood out to me, because it was so light. You know how dressy clothes skew black or dark?

Janet, thanks! That's what I was trying to do, pass for dressier!

Laura G

I was debating whether to mention it, but since Angie did, I also think the cords could do with a bit of hemming.

Category