Help me find some new 'going out' clothes - I need a new look desperately!

[Sadik]

I really need to broaden my wardrobe a bit & find some pub/party outfits that are a bit less monochrome - it's not so bad in winter, but I feel in summer I could do with a bit more colour.

My classic 'going out' outfits are skinny black jeans with a stretchy t-shirt ( something like this in black would be typical), or I have a dress very like this that I wear with tartan tights & black boots for gigs or parties.

Day to day I mostly wear greens/blues/soft greys - but I just always seem to end up with black for dressy clothes. I'd love some new more colourful things (even if just tops to go with my black skinnies). I'm 48 & small built (5'1", 7 stone, zero boobs) so skinny & fitted tend to be the best bet. Day clothes typically I wear combats + t-shirt, so very casual, and a lot of parties I go to are outdoors, so outfits need to be wearable with boots or other fairly substantial footwear.

Evidently there are no other options!

I try other things, but always go back to skinny jeans, heels, nice top and blazer.
So I'm following.

I'm even more typical than you, and just blend in with everyone else

It's the 'nice top' that isn't black but that I like and feels dressy-up that eludes me.

I think I'm better at everyday dressing in the summer, but my party clothes definitely work better for winter time!

Same problem and similar height and weight here so marking.

I tend to end up with more colour but it's the usual uniform of skinny jeans and a top. Do you think it's our age?

Are you looking for a more classic look, and/ or more mainstream? I expect the low response is because we're not sure what you're aiming for.

have you tried silk shirts? or silk sleeveless tops that are a bit floaty?

I think maybe I'm not sure what I'm aiming for, Bombardier, which might be the problem! Definitely not more classic. It's a description I hate but I'm definitely an 'alternative' dresser (more punk/cyber type styles than hippie/boho - hence all the bloody black!)

I used to wear a lot of rich crimson reds for going out when I was younger and mostly had my hair a darker shade. These days it's more of a streaked bleach blond through gold mix, which works with my day clothes, but not with the reds I used to wear.

The trouble is the 'alternative' clothing sites tend to more of a goth feel, which isn't me, I love steampunk but don't have the figure for most of it. Hmmm.

How about striped tops? Red and black would give you more colour. Or fitted shirt in a sort of linen in white? Or a very dainty floral blouse, which would go well with a leather jacket and boots. Or skinny black T-shirt with floaty skirt and boots? I think if you want to still pull off the Indy look then you need to do the "leather and lace" thing. Floaty and dainty top and skirt would look twee, so just have one or the other.

I was just thinking that maybe linen / cotton shirt with waistcoat over might be the way to go. I've got a very nice vintage suede fitted waistcoat, mostly wear it over a black 'pirate' type shirt, but white would go equally well. Lace is also a good call - but I just need to convince myself not to buy black lace...

River Island have some lovely cami tops in different colours at the moment. I've ordered a couple with a white denim pencil skirt to try and mix up my going out look.

I think all white, so white top with white jeans and bit of gold, would look lovely on you, you don't have to wear black. Or a friend of mine is a bit 'alt' and wears pink which looks great with her blonde hair. Pink with black nails, very striking.
I'm an ex-goth, and tend to wear things with a bit of lace, but a lot more mainstream than I used to be. Purple and black look good on me, but my hair is dyed blue black or black (when the blue fades). A bit of spikey jewellery helps, a statement necklace. It's just details that make the difference for me. Spike heeled boots and platforms are easy to find at the moment too.

Actually, if you do a google/pinterest search for 'corporate goth', that pretty much sums me up

White unfortunately is out because of my lifestyle (too much of it involves mud / campfires / sitting on logs ) which is a shame as it does suit me.

I think Slippery's suggestion of keeping the black tops & varying the bottoms might actually be a really good answer for me. I love bright pinks, but they don't suit my skin colour at all - wondering if moving it away from my face so say a cerise skirt with a black top might work very nicely. (I'm also deeply tempted to go back to my 80s alternative/punk roots with a pair of tartan skinnies / combat boots!)

I've also just been reading back through the 'I don't want to look expensive' thread from last spring, and following up a few things from there - not going-out clothes, but I'm very tempted with this summer dress, I just need to check the dimensions / length to make sure it won't be too long.

Love the corporate goth look - but there's a lot of black going on there again

Swap the black as your main colour with another base colour, so navy, grey, dark brown depending on your preference. So say you choose a charcoal grey top, this would go with some black, for instance a leather jacket and say a dark pink, red or purple skirt, then grey leggings/tights. A bag or necklace/scarf in the same colour as the skirt would bring the outfit together. Pop on a pair of dm's and you are good to go.

Staying with the idea of grey as an example of a base colour, it would work with the rest of your wardrobe, charcoal grey for example would suit your tartan leggings, or a lighter grey top would go with your jeans and could be mixed with another colour either in with the clothing (the top itself, waistcoat or jacket) or as an accessory.

There's a load of alternative dresses on lindybop though it's less goth and more vintage style . Collectif do a nice mash up of vintage / goth

I love the corporate goth look. I'm a bit goth, always have lived in black but I don't think I have a defined style. A bit fetish-trad(without the awful make up)- bit punk and if I have to look smart I'd probably say I look more corporate.

Sadik I think the tartan skinnies would look fab and I think you're right it's easier to add some colour with coloured skirts. I usually wear black tops, dresses and black skinnies, any colour I do wear tends to be a dark coloured skirts. If I want to glam up my skinnies and Dms(my uniform) I often wear silk shirts, or chiffon tops, and black off the shoulder tops that look very evening wear. I'll also add a choker or collar to dress up my day look for evening.

If I do wear couloured tops I tend to go for really dark petrol blue, dark green, charcoal

It's nice to know I'm not the only mid forties still doing the indie look.

Happy shopping.

I like the idea of silk shirts - Ana and Mini - where would you look for good ones?