How's this outfit for an 80s 2 Tone/Ska themed birthday?

[Flingmoo]

It's a relative's big milestone birthday. Vaguely 2 tone/ska themed although no strict dress code, I'd like to go along with the theme though. I must confess that 80s 2 Tone is before my time so I thought I'd get some second opinions!

My dress is a one-off I bought from a ska record shop in Brighton a few years ago, it's a bit like this but more fitted and has a big red stripe down the back. Should I pair it with my badass Doc Martens or would I be getting the wrong 70s/80s scene there?

Tights or no tights? Hairstyle?

Might sound like I'm taking this whole thing too seriously but I do like a good dress up Will I look like I'm trying too hard when everyone else will probably not be bothering much with the theme?

It's a bit hard to tell what your dress is like.
Where I lived all the dresses were much more fitted than that one looks, much more like a 60s shift. Most of them were quartered black and white.

If you want to do it properly then no to the DMs, unless you're wearing more of a boy style outfit with jeans, a Fred Perry and a Harrington jacket. Even then, girls were more likely to wear loafers.

With a dress you'd probably wear pointy flats or courts.
HTH. You're basically after something neat and 'mod-like'.

If it was me I would wear creepers rather than DM's.

If it's just for a themed birthday party then your outfit sounds fine.

There's ma dress! Pantsalive Yes, I guess the picture I shared initially wasn't that much like it... this one is more fitted. So just normal heels okay? Shall I straighten my hair or something... not about to shave half of it off!

Black or white winklepickers and a bob would go well.

For a bloke, a Harrington jacket with lots of badges on!

(Coventry girl, was a teen during two tone era...)

How's about these... bit clashy?

A lot of girls wore white tights as I recall. Don't know where you would get them from these days.

They're not bad but think people wore pointy shoes rather than round toed ones. Depends how accurate you want to be I guess!

More like these

www.atomretro.com/product_info.cfm?product_id=14470&d=LACEYS-QUILLY-KITTEN-HEEL-RETRO-60s-SHOES-BLACK

Hmm I am not sure if I've got anything that pointy!

I think the dress is great. Once you've got that on, it's not going to matter too much what you wear with it.

I think the check ones would be fun but any black ones would be fine. Just not the DMs. I don't think we did boots with dresses until pixie boots came in, remembering a pair of fringed ankle boots I wore with my school uniform.

More importantly, practise your rude girl dancing and have fun!

Pointy black shoes either flat or with kitten heel as per Nosy's post.

Or you could wear black or b&w loafers.