You’re going to the Ivy Brasserie…. What do you wear?

[Poppyblush]

You’re going to the Ivy Brasserie with friends for lunch. What do you wear? I need inspiration to buy a new outfit! I’m tall and a size 14.

Whatever you feel like to make you feel good, it’s just an upmarket chain

Next up - why going to the Maldives is just like butlins

The Ivy is certainly something very special. The Ivy Brasserie though is a chain of restaurants. They're nice, but still a chain at the end of the day where people go for lunch in their normal clothes.

It’s a chain restaurant, so I would wear whatever I wanted and certainly wouldn’t bother getting dressed up. The last time I was at Ivy Brasserie was the one in the Lanes inBrighton last summer. It was roasting hot so I was wearing shorts & a vest top.

But you understand that even the lowly brassiere is something special for some people yes?

Or brasserie

whatever

I've been to the original in London. DH and I were wearing jeans and soaking wet clothes and a drowned expression as we were caught in the rain, dashed in and begged them to let us in.

Pretty much everyone was in a variation of jeans.

I've seen people dress up for the branches in other towns but honestly, the food is not that nice so I wouldn't see it as a huge reason to dress up.

I don’t think people are saying that - most people are saying it’s fine to dress how you like because there is no dress code or expectation. It’s not clear from the OPs post she realises that, that’s all.

I'd say it's one of those places where you get a real mix, OP - jeans and a nice top, to "day out at the races" type ladies that lunch. Our local one is in Cheltenham and there's always a really diverse crowd but I like to dress up as for me, going out is a rare treat. And incidentally, The Ivy is a favourite. The one in Clifton is equally amazing (think both are ex Bank buildings).

It's not posh. Wear what makes you feel good.

No it isn't. Zizzi make all their sauces centrally and the restaurants heat them up and cook the pasta.

Ivy Brasserie cook all their food to order.

But we did this thread a while ago and we had exactly the same thing. Some women really do seem inordinate pleasure in undermining other women and making them feel small

I think it depends on the city. In Manchester people definitely use it as an excuse to get dressed up.

However, if you prefer to go casual that also fine, there’s no dress code I don’t think.

We went for our anniversary (tip, if you book on line and it’s special, tick the box-we got a bowl of the salted caramel chocolates ) in York, I got fairly dressed up, there were people in shorts and tees. I was a bit sad.

Why are people being so rude?! It's a bit of a treat to go out for a nice meal.The only Ivy I've been in was rather nice and glam; I would have felt fine in jeans but lots of people were dressed up.

I'd wear a pretty dress and heels, because it would make me feel slightly glam after all the drudge of covid times when heels didn't exist, and I'd channel a slightly retro vibe, because that's what their decor does.

Have fun!

Whilst it is a chain restaurant, in our town people do dress differently to the Pizza Express, Zizzi etc. It does have more of a sense of occasion.
Last time I was in there, I had 3 ladies in their 70s at the table on one side and 4 ladies in their 20s on the other. They were both celebrating birthdays and all had clearly made an effort but were dressed entirely differently. Meanwhile, further down were a group of women in workout clothes and a mixed group in work wear.

Jeans and trainers for me

It's not a snobby thing. Op could turn up in jeans and a top , the ivy brasserie doesn't have a dress code. She can dress how she likes. Even Michelin you don't have to dress up. I saw people wearing Balenciaga trainers and shrug.

Yes but I don’t think OP was asking “is there a dress code?” I think she was saying she’d like a new outfit for the occasion and wants suggestions. Not that she feels obligated to buy a new outfit! Many of these responses have come across as sneery so hopefully those posters just misunderstood the OP’s question.

OP why not treat yourself to a new dress, something you can dress up or down easily so you’ll get further wear out of this winter?

FWIW I’ve only been to my local Ivy brasserie once, it is a cut above Zizzi and Pizza Express 🙄 though it’s not as expensive as I remember. Loads of people will go there as a special occasion to celebrate. Definitely the kind of place where you can put some thought into your outfit if you want to!

Of course it's a snobby thing.

All the posters falling over themselves to compare Ivy Brasseries to Pizza Express or whatever - they're just enjoying making the OP feel less special. And you are too - ooh, get you, you know the dress code for Michelin restaurants! Wow! Shall we genuflect now, or would you rather we just tugged our forelocks?

But we did this thread a while ago and we had exactly the same thing. Some women really do seem inordinate pleasure in undermining other women and making them feel small.

I remember that thread too.

When I went, the most dressed up people were groups of women who were probably celebrating birthdays etc. Couples were more dressed down.

Well the one we go to is pretty dressy. Even our teens dress up. You could wear jeans I suppose but seems a shame and you would be under dressed - in the evening anyway.

All depends on the city. In London it is de rigour to dress down and understated so things like jeans, a nice blazer, t shirt, scarf are the norm or business dress if it's a weekday.

It would be my worst nightmare to overdress for somewhere. Certainly a 'posh dress' would make you stand out like a sore thumb in what is essentially a chain restaurant.

Having said that outside of London people seem to wear a posh dress to chain restaurants and jeans would be quite eyebrow raising. I once got refused entry to a Chillis in Reading where a friend was having a birthday lunch because I wearing jeans. Having made my way from London I had to plead with the 'bouncer' to let me in who said I would need to sit in the corner of a banquette so no one saw my leg wear.

we went to our local Ivy for dinner to celebrate dd’s 21st birthday so all dressed up. Equally we have met MIL and FIL for Saturday lunch and wore jeans. I think it depends on whether it’s an occasion and whether you want to dress up,or not!

It’s not a snobby thing, she specifically asked what to wear; she said she was going with friends for lunch, not that it was a special occasion, it read like she thought it was a dress up place, but she’d feel really uncomfortable if she got all dressed up and was sitting there with everyone else casually dressed. Even if she went to the original and iconic ivy in west street it would be still quite casual. But she’s going to one of the brasseries, who they themselves call it all day casual dining.

the wrong thing would be to ill advise and try to pretend she was off the ritz for cocktails. Sure she can get all dressed up and buy a new outfit. But that should be personal choice not because she thinks it’s something it’s not. She will have a fab time either way

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