Naice weekend in London wardrobe help.

[PurpleNailVarnish]

DH and I have been asked to go to London in February, midweek 2 nights.

We're staying in a naice hotel.
I need:

• A suitable outfit for arriving at the hotel and afternoon tea - smart casual but not try hard.
• Black tie dress - cocktail dress is fine.
• Daytime sightseeing - must be warm but comfortable and again smart casual.
• Evening reception, not black tie - dressy but not necessarily a dress, evening suit with a good shirt.
• Breakfast and travelling home - again smart casual.

I've got hair & makeup covered.

I'm on 5ft tall, blues suit me. I like a plain, pared down style, no flounces or flowers. I'm sure I already own some maybe most of this but DH has just explained the itinerary so I'm in a panic and can't think straight.

I have to make an impression without looking like I've tried too hard.

Hotel dress code is if you can afford to stay here you wear what you like.
We aren't paying btw.

Also there is time for me to take anything for alterations.
I'll stop now, I'm panicking.

Plenty of time for alterations, many places will do it overnight (obviously quite expensive).

• A suitable outfit for arriving at the hotel and afternoon tea - smart casual but not try hard.

I would wear a trouser suit ......dark grey, high shoes, bright blouse, jacket.....funky jewellery.

• Black tie dress - cocktail dress is fine.
• Daytime sightseeing - must be warm but comfortable and again smart casual.

I would wear the grey trousers from the suit, jumper, boots

• Breakfast and travelling home - again smart casual.

Grey trousers, different top with scarf

Will look for links for others.

Book yourself an appointment with a personal shopper at Debenhams - you aren't committed to buy anything but they will fetch all kinds of outfits to meet your brief.

Personally I would go for a woollen/jersey dress thick tights and tall boots for arrival, departure and sightseeing, a black dress for the second night and a well fitting cocktail dress for the first - unless you are under 25 pick something with straps wide enough to cover your bra as strapless are just annoying. Don't forget a wrap or jacket. Borrow if this isn't a frequent thing for you and check out charity shops

London is a dress down place... honestly it is!

Be aware that even in the swankiest of places people will be more casual than you might think.

Arrival- I would do dark (black?) jeans or trousers, smart top (silk?) and blazer or cashmere jumper and heels either boots or shoes.
Wear the jeans or trousers again with a different jumper, and flat comfortable shoes, boots or trainers, for sight seeing.

Cocktail dress- lots of these still lurking in the sales. I bet you have a LBD that will be fine... re wear the heels you arrived in.

Evening reception- what have you got that you like to wear and is smart? Wear that.

Breakfast and drive home- jeans!

Honestly, don’t go to a department store and buy stuff in a panic. You will make a great impression if you are comfortable, confident and happy in your clothes.

I am a right scruff and am ALWAYS over dressed in London. Smart jeans will be fine for daytime. Boots, jackets, oversized scarf. Maybe a good quality jumper or two.

Black tie - is usually short or at least not full length.

Thanks all.

As I either spend my life in the garden or pottering around at home or very smart for work I've got the countryside scruffy and corporate environment looks sorted.

What I can't seem to pull of is that glamorous but scruffy nonchalance.

Another problem I have is that I've got coats but wool ones look smart but aren't warm enough and my padded ones are warm but aren't smart enough.

Although I have plenty of pairs of jeans I probably need to invest in some new, smart ones as my jeans spend a lot of their time tucked into wellies and/or covered in mud and being chucked in the wash on repeat.

I'll need a good silk/satin shirt, I have plenty of cotton shirts but the look is more workwear than casual.
I have cashmere jumpers, quality jumpers are covered I think I'll treat myself to a cashmere cardigan.

So that's arrival and return home sorted.

I've got plenty of pairs of tights, boots, knitted dresses and black dresses so that's all ok, I'll look for a smart blazer to go with the black dress for the evening as I'll always get plenty of wear out of a blazer.

The black tie dress should be easy enough to find as its cocktail, not gowns.

If you have any links or suggestions I'd be grateful.
As I say I'm petite that's the difficult bit and I like plain, pared down styles.
I'm trying to shop ethically so I'll look at ethical clothing shops.

As it's a slog to get to the nearest city I don't think I'll have time to go to the shops before we go to London.

Another thing is that I always look like an idiot in a hat but I'll probably need one for daytime sightseeing.

Why will you need a hat? London is rarely very cold

How about something like this from Dig for Victory for the first night (without the petticoat, of course). They can make it petite length. They use vintage or end of roll fabric.

Hermione I'd need a hat if I wore one of my wool coats because they aren't as warm as my padded coats.
My padded coats aren't very smart.

I went for a walk today and wore a hat, the temperature was 8c but the wind was bitter. I'll concede that I'm a person who feels the cold, conversely I love the heat.

That's lovely bigfat, have you ever bought anything from them?

Not yet - I’m waiting for the right occasion - but I’ve heard great things about them. Really good customer service.

Also Pure for a good range of silk and satin shirts and cashmere. Not sure about their credentials though.

the most important thing to make all of this look smarter is a wool coat. You can pick the tourists/non-Londoners by their waterproof/puffer jackets and their ugly shoes.

Trainers are fine - ideal even - but they should be smart ones rather than sporty ones. Wear those with smart jeans and a coat and you will be set for your travel and sight seeing days. Maybe a smart top from Zara?

Central London is often warmer than you think - you'll be walking a lot, in shops, restaurants, all warm. Take an umbrella but you rarely need a hat unless it's a cold snap. If you are worried about being cold get thermal vest from Uniqlo to wear under your clothes

Don't worry too much, London is mostly not dressy, it's mostly tourists!

Well I’ve lived in and around London for 20 years and I always want to dress up more than the locals. ( it’s my Northern roots! ) I would resist the urge to go too hot on the coats if you’re going to be getting on and off transport and in and out of buildings - plan to wear layers. So perhaps a knee length woollen coat with slim trousers / jeans, cashmere sweater and flat ankle boots. Smart cross body bag although a smart leather bag of any kind with be fine ( including back pack) Cool trainers will work too ( of the non glitzy kind). The reception I would wear a fuller skirted midi skirt with heels ( not too teetery) and a cashmere / merino wool top ( or simple shell top) & statement earrings & clutch bag, or how about tuxedo trousers with a simple silk shirt. Jewellery could be a cocktail ring or a couple of fine gold chains. Cocktail dress for the black tie as you say.

I agree wear the smart wool coat with either uniqlo extra warm thermal top underneath or one of their collarless lightweight jackets under the coat which works very well as they won’t be visible under your wool coat