Awkward outfit - help needed....

[MrsBadger]

Calling Style gurus... this is a tricky one:
Just been invited to the wedding of an old and dear friend. It's in Kathmandu, in May, in an embassy.Outfit has to cover knees and upper arms - no trousers. Weather will be about 27C and very humid
What on earth shall I wear? I would go ethnic... but in an embassy? I would go smart... but 27C after a 14-hr flight? Middle of the city, so no beachwear.
The men are wearing linen suits - wish girls had it so easy...

a beautiful sari would look great and cover all relevant bits
or a dress long enough with a pashmina draped over your shoulders?

frankly I'd love to get the chance to wear a nice sari....

monsoon has some lovely silky stuff which is nice and flimsy and looks gorgeous

arrive a few days early and have something made to measure in silk!

something like this?

the biggest sari shop ever, fabulous!!!

I take it MrsBadger you don't like saris?

sorry... been offline for a bit!

Sari is a great idea but I'm not sure if it's too white-girl-takes-the-piss, especially as he's Welsh, she's an Aussie, they're having an English civil ceremony and neither are Nepali at all...
I just have visions of a Ferrero-Rocher style ambassador's reception with lots of women in cocktail-type attire and me looking like I'm in fancy dress.

I like the idea of getting something made out there - my (v sophisticated) little sis has suggested this and this as styles to work from, and I must say I quite like the idea of something I at least might wear again.

gorgeous saris though - have spent quite a while oohing and aahing...

Love that first one your sister suggested. Personally I would not do a sari as it would look a little strange. I might go the dress/loose trs option (can't write the right word) but you said no trs.

I would defineatly get there a few days early if you can, and holiday/accusomise to teh heat, first

I imagine the Embassy will have aircon, so don't worry too much about the heat for the ceremony/party.

I'd go for a long loose summery dress (prob in silk because I love it but it does crease...) with spaghetti straps plus a sheer/crochet cardigan over the top.

What's your budget?

I would be worried about having something made without having a back up in my case!

I@m just drooling over the Monsoon website...

saris can be a bit ott, somethign more in the style of a punjabi suit is easier to wear. monsoon might have something similar. I have a couple of indian style tops from there.

Oh wear a sari, they're so flattering! Or a shalwar Kammeez?

I like your sister's second suggestion MrsB

fair enough about the saris if the couple is welsh-aussie....

how fantastic to go to Kathmandu, was there for several weeks years ago in a different life....
have a fabulous time

Have consulted my cultural advisors and they say a definite No to salwaar kameez - in Nepal it's only worn by little girls and hence the sartorial equivalent of the velvet dress with Peter Pan collar.

Sari is a maybe - depends what the bride is wearing (latest gossip is she's arriving on an elephant) so it may be an option after all.

DH came up with the (staggeringly) sensible suggestion that I should get a suit made out there like the men are, either in silk or linen, which I could definitely use again.
Considering my black linen Aquascutum dress has just done its seventh wedding, I like the idea of a new outfit!

Any inspiring pictures of chic suits much appreciated - I have small bust, small waist, great big badgery arse.

ooh, like the idea of a wrap-type jacket - my wedding dress had a very wide wrap-type neckline which, looking at it now, did a lot to balance my bottom half.

I've been looking at suits, but the only ones I've seen with this neckline are this one and this one - I like the jacket of the first one better, but, as you suggest, with a knee-length skirt

I love the "Georgia Chocolate Silk Linen Embroidered Dress" from monsoon which comes with a jacket. It's not a wrap style though (and if you have the jacket too it's a whopping £235). But it is in my favourite fabric (silk.linen mix) which seems to crease less than either silk or linen.

Soupy that's lovely!
Bit beyond my budget but just the kind of picture to take and show a tailor out there.