To ask what to wear?

[Springhasspung]

Have just been asked to to high table dinner at Oxbridge, but have no idea what to wear, suggestions please ladies
Regards
A fashion disaster

Spring I would have too! I think it's a lovely style and colour. It will, as you say be good for all kinds of things. AS Drove says, I think you'll find that the company is the very opposite of snobbish. Extra-bright, extra-articulate and interesting...you will have a lovely time.

Spring MrsW has good taste - lovely dress. I like black, but it's good to wear something different.

By all means buy that (very nice) dress, but Granita is right about the dress code, assuming this is an ordinary high table, not a fancier gaudy or something. I suspect the photos you've seen were taken precisely because it was a special occasion/gaudy/guest dinner.

At my old college, it was typically full of elderly men and clerics with egg on their gowns, and the occasional postgrad/junior research fellow. This was, though, a college that had high table at formal hall every night during term - some newer, less formal colleges might only have it once or twice a term, so it might be somewhat more elaborate, as it's a one-off. You can expect a Latin grace, some often rather strange food, but good wine and port, and to have the people either side of you talking either to you or the person on their other side and switching over when the next course is served. It's often also deafeningly noisy if there are undergraduates also eating in Hall. Don't be alarmed by oddities such as being offered snuff, as you were at my old high table.