Parisian wedding?

[WildSwansatCoole]

My brother is getting married in Paris soon,so Im getting more and more anxious about the large contigent of hugely fashionable French guests who will be attending(she is French)... I have 3 children under 4 so am usually in jeans and well,really whatever is clean!! Trying to plan ahead I bought in the January sales this year the LK Bennet Davinia dress in fuschia pink/raspberry.After a month of frantic dieting Ive just gotten the zip up on an 8 so am hoping to wear it!

www.lkbennett.com/clothing/dresses/DRDAVINA2428WOOLMIX
(the pink is not on the website now for some reason).

Now-I would be so grateful for advice about accessories/hair options,etc,and mostly about what to wear over the dress.?Jacket?Pashmina?
I want to be elegant but not too boring!!

I do have black Dune shoes (high patent courts)and also LK Benett sledge shoe

www.lkbennett.com/shoes/courts/CCSLEDGE214PATENT

I also have access to for the day (v generous sister!) a black Chanel or cream/taupe bag
(the 2.55 quilted one).

Ive always been the one who at family occasions <span class="italic">never gets it quite right</span> (Im always a bit dishevelled or late or something!)and my confidence with clothes has really dropped since having the children.I would love to have the wow factor just once!
By the way Im 5 2 and have shoulder length mid blonde hair,and pale skin.Am 37 (so dont want to look like mutton!)

All advice will be so gratefully received!(and apologies for the essay!)

I love that dress and have it in purple. I wore mine in winter but I would have thought for summer to go with the nude shoes and taupe bag. I find less is more with the dress and would maybe just go for earrings and a statement bracelet of some sort. It doesn't really need anything worn around the neck. In Summer I would have though you don't need a jacket and a shawl needs to be worn with a certain je ne sais quoi which is great if you can do it but I can't!

Hair wise could you put it up? Presumably you wouldn't have access to a hairdresser so I guess depends whether you can do it yourself?

Have a great day. You will look fab. at size 8. Mine is a 10!

Wow, congratulation on the successful dieting!

I agree with QueenCadbury about the jacket / shawl situation TBH. Can you carry one off with the required je ne sais quoi?

I think black would be too harsh with the colour of the dress though, may well cheapen the colour too. Nude would work for the shoes but matching shoes and bag is pretty much old hat. How about a deep grey bag and your nude shoes, and a cream (or cream based patterned) silk shawl?

Myself, I think I'd go for these, this and maybe something a bit like this.

Thanks folks...yes I was worried that matching shoes/bag might be too much..

Im glad you are happy with the dress QC -it does seem to be very flattering on!You are right about the jacket,however it is a church weddding so I do think Ill have to have a look for some type of silk shawl so.

Anyone any ideas where I could get a reasonably priced one?

I do like the Zara one for starters-will have to pop in at the weekend Procrastination ,and I love the shoes and bag from LK Bennet you linked to!
Will have to check out also.Alas I couldn`t stretch to both I think,def.out of budget.

But thanks for all ideas thus far!

oh, there's absolutely no need to spend that sort of money. Most certainly not! It sounded like that was your usual sort of hauntIYSWIM

The dress is fab, a real classic but it's got a wee bit of an edge. THe pink sounds great. TBH I thought the ulta classic straight laced look was what you were after.

Shoe wise, what do you think of some of this pile?

silver sandals could look amazing with it
as could these
or a more classic shoe in teal
these? maybe?
green
silver but, erm, oops, this would work great with them and even thing out rather
these in the white

Anything interesting? I've seen loasd great bags on my travels, but I'll spare you those

Wow,Thanks so much for all the links!

I suppose I am trying to tread a fine line between classic elegance and a spark of something different -v difficult I know!Gah!

So...shoes wise...the silver Zara and silver KGs are gorgeous,I mean- really beautiful and Im considering abandoning the shoes Ive already bought now!!Gasp..The other shoes are great but I just don`t know if I would have the confidence ..well ,for this wedding anyhow..

Would you have any ideas for bags/scarves with that combo?at total cluelessness!!

Apologies ,just saw the Accessorise bag-that looks like it might well be an option certainly!

But ,to bring it all together,I think I`d still be stuck at the scarf(if I bought the Zara or KG shoes)(and I think I will need one,for the church at least anyhow)....

Long earrings ?

Im actually getting excited about this ,rather than the vague sense of dread Ive had for ages!

Well, in all seriousness, would you be able to make good and repeated use of the KG ones? I mean, they'd go with loads of things but how often do you get the chance?

But, anyway

Hows about the mostest beautiful shoes

with the snake bag, cream silk pashmina and simple, striking earrings

or

this bag, cream silk pashmina and these earrings

The Delightful and trendy shoes would work with the second, but not with the first, I think.

Anything like?

Ha. I bought the pink one in jan too.
I wore black heels abd clutch. Nude tights

Tbh the dress's colour is the star. Just go plain with accessories

Thank you so much all,especially Procrastination!

I am planning to go to Zara and KG this weekend to try on both silver beauties,and will report back.
Will def go with some all of accessories,have ordered the scarf this morning!

Oooh, glad you liked my ideas I'm sure you'll have fun trying thing on! Will you report back?

Just came across this so am popping you a link to this in case the other one looks like cheap tat IRL...

Keep it very very simple. Parisian women don't pile on the colours, textures and patterns. TBH, A Chanel bag, shoes and that dress in pink will be enough. I'd take a very plain, sharply cut classic jacket in case it gets chilly but avoid piling on the jewellery and accessories. The Chanel is more than enough.

British women tend to overdo it at weddings. They wear clothing in styles they'd never normally wear, they choose garish patterns, pile on accessories and end up feeling totally over dressed and unlike themselves.

As for your hair, think groomed and sleek. Either have a professional blow dry and keep it sleek and straight or have it put up in a 'fashiony' version of a chignon- Something like this? -

static.becomegorgeous.com/img/arts/2010/Jun/09/2221/frenchtwistupdodiy.jpg

Or this -

static.becomegorgeous.com/img/arts/2010/Mar/15/1896/messytwistedbun.jpg

Make up needs to be minimal; emphasis eyes or lips but beware of bright lipstick shades with that pink dress. Matching lipstick may look a little surburban, red may clash. I'd go for good eye make up with perhaps a flash of eye liner and smoke shadow then really go to work on getting your complexion looking fresh and dewy-no heavy face tone eliminating foundation here. A good cream/gloss blusher will look modern.

Really Really groom your eyebrows. Get them properly threaded or plucked and keep them quite full; not 'scouse brow' but really defined. Parisian women have good brows.

No fake tan beyond a light glow. Bare legs with a slight colour. Beware of wearing heavy dark coloured shoes- with that dress I'd go for quite 'fashiony' shoes to avoid looking too 'Summer Function'. No heavy black courts and avoid Wedges A La Middleton. Far too 'Boden goes to a wedding' at a wedding.

All of these would suit your dress-

www.kurtgeiger.com/women/shoes/bestinshow.html

www.kurtgeiger.com/women/shoes/tibet-sfad7-9.html

www.kurtgeiger.com/women/shoes/goingsteady.html

www.kurtgeiger.com/women/shoes/sunshynne2-2.html

www.kurtgeiger.com/women/shoes/away-1.html

www.kurtgeiger.com/women/shoes/venezia3-1.html

I was hoping Anna / Bonsoir would be along but I've not seen her about - not sure what she's calling herself ATM anyway.

WildswansatCoole

In my experience (Parents long-term residents in France), French women tend to dress pretty conservatively and stick to simple clothing and accessory choices especially regarding colours, prints and textures. I have noticed that they are prepared to invest significant amounts of money on their bags, shoes and other accessories in the expectation that 1) they will last wear and tear-wise and 2) the design is a classic one that will not date. They are often 'patriotic' in their choices preferring French designers and companies and the Hermes scarf, Chanel bag, Louis Vuitton bag remain eternal, aspirational purchases.

Block colours in clothing tend to dominate with pattern being restricted to scarves and other accessories. Many of my families French friends when asked, speak of the absolute importance of beautiful lingerie-even their 'utilitarian' lingerie is attractive. No boring flesh coloured maternity bras or mastectomy bras in France! Lingerie there has the colour, pattern and texture often missing from their outer clothing.

The philosophy is 'dress beautifully and well under your clothes and you will carry yourself in a confident and womanly manner'. So I would suggest you choose some new underpinnings for the Wedding Day.

Parisian women seem to be less obsessed over high heels and platform shoes. They will frequently favour a flat shoe of beautiful quality (See the eponymous 'Belle De Jour' flat pump made by Roger Vivier and worn by Catherine Deneuve in the film -

www.flickr.com/photos/8244748@N03/3481412220/

They look plain and quite matronly but are beautifully designed to render the foot narrow and elegant in shape. These would be considered as appropriate and stylish as a pair of high heels even at a wedding. You will see flat shoes worn a lot at functions by French women.

The American designer called Tory Burch has her own version of this flat shoe called the 'Reva' which is very very chic and is made both flat and with a heel. For a treat, Net-A-Porter stocks her.

I often use the sale site called TheOutnet.com which stocks designer shoes, clothes and accessories at really good discounts- Marc Jacobs winter jersey scarves for £24 and you can find the well made, classic separates that make up the French look.

Finally, do not forget a classic perfume on the day.

lol at that