Help needed - clothes for posh weekend away!

[RobinEllacott]

I have a significant birthday coming up, and DH has just told me he's booked us a weekend at Cliveden (!!!) at the end of September. I'm a bit panicked about what to wear: I have work suits in quantity, but not elegant-but-casual clothes for a weekend in a posh hotel (in particular, I don't have anything to wear for dinner). I possess some quite nice skinny jeans, a couple of pairs of decent black trousers, and one or two respectable non-work pairs of shoes. What else should I get? I can spend £200 or so on a bit of a wardrobe update- I haven't bought anything other than work clothes for ages so feel I can justify it.

What can I buy, O stylish MN-ers? I'm 5'2", hour-glass shaped, size 8, wear a FF bra so wary of tight tops or things with buttons down the front. I look horrible in pastels and prints - I like plain, simple shapes and deep colours.

PS I never wear skirts - I need trousers, though I might consider a floor-length skirt. Basically I don't show my legs, ever.

Lucky you - sounds lovely!
What are you likely to be doing during the day? Indoors or outside?

Crew Clothing are very posh casual.

Indoors mainly, I think, LadyMud - might potter around out of doors a bit if the weather's nice but I'm not a hiker by preference!

Daytime: jeans and gorgeous knits (layer over a tee as September can still be warm enough for short sleeves). Boots.

Evening: trousers, heels & an elegant silk top/blouse with one piece of fabulous jewellery (ie either a gorgeous cuff or necklace). A fab clutch bag.

BTW. Very jealous. Cliveden is stunning.

Thanks, Ujjayi, that sounds just the sort of thing I'm looking for. Any suggestions for where I should get either the silk top or the statement piece of jewellery - pretty please? I haven't bought anything of that sort in years and years.

Majority of my statement jewellery comes from Topshop. I love their Freedom range and it is very much influenced by higher end jewellery (I have a beautiful cocktail ring which is a dead ringer for a YSL version).

Silk tees/tops I would try The Outnet, ASOS and you can also try searching via Shopstyle.co.uk. I'd also search on Etsy. Natural fabrics are quite often difficult to find on the high street these days but many designers who create hand made items (rather than mass produced) will focus on quality fabrics such as silk.

If you are looking for new knitwear definitely have a good look at your local TK Maxx as they have stacks of merino & wool items rather than acrylic . You can also buy online.

Try the White Company for daytime knits and sparkles tops for evening. Very Clivden.

I think you would also need a nice jacket to wear with either the black trousers or jeans to pull the outfit together -
this could work with either
Also Zara have some great necklaces
Here

Anthropologie and Zara are good for statement jewellery and silk tops too.

www.purecollection.com is good for silk blouses.

I would buy a pair of black ankle boots to wear with jeans and trousers, and a tweed jacket for daytime - in a neutral colour that you can wear with black as well as jeans, and a glitzy jacket for evening.

Mm, I know ankle boots with skinny jeans have been in for a year or two, but I have incredibly stumpy legs - couldn't I get away with longer boots for daytime and then ankle boots under, rather than over, black trousers for evening?

Really like that jacket, jimmybim - thanks.