Is this a party dress or ok for work event?

[GetOffMyDoorJack]

I love this dress but I'm not sure if it's too dressy for a work event. I will have to wear it during the day in the office before the event and I don't want to look like I am heading straight off for cocktails after! The event itself is a product launch and I am there as a guest but will probably be helping handing out drinks, hobnobbing etc. The men are expected to wear suits and ties (there has been no mention of what the women are supposed to wear!). I would be wearing black tights and shoe boots with it.

It does slightly depend on whether the OP works at Goldman Sachs or the B&Q down the road …

It's not dressy at all, I like it but would wear it more day to day.

Are there no females in the office you're friendly with and can ask what they're wearing? Even a plain black fitted dress with some jewellery would look a bit more appropriate for a launch and could be worn to work too (could add the jewellery at the end of the day if you feel too 'dressed up').

Although if you don't like dresses I agree with a trouser suit.

Seems fine to me.

Good luck with the product launch.

Quick look at just one middle of the road brand. Two versatile dresses, olive if less formal, black if more. Or a trouser suit. (Obviously you could pay less if you prefer the Vinted / eBay route.)

It’s very casual. I’d say it’s a popping for coffee with a friend (and toddlers) at the soft play centre dress.

I have got this dress and for me it is a 'going out' dress, because the gold print is too jazzy for day to day imo. I probably wouldn't wear it in the office, but nip into the loo to change into it to go for cocktails. I think it would work well with black tights and heeled boots (which is exactly how I wore mine at the weekend!).

And anybody who thinks it's frumpy and for 80 year olds can fuck right off, imho.

In real life, the gold thread is much more gold.

Sorry it’s frump city 🙈 my nearly 80 year old mother wouldn’t wear it in a blue fit and would accurately describe it as like a sack tied in the middle

Irs not dressy enough. It's schlumpy, and not in a fashionable way.

You'd be better to wear e.g. smart trousers, loafers and a shirt for the daytime and then swap out the shirt for a silk camisole and heeled.boots for the evening or something.

Yea even a smart blouse, trousers and the loafers would be much better than this dress. You will really stand out beside the suits. It’s just not an appropriate dress for the occasion.

That is an everyday normal dress. Probably too casual for an office, let alone a 'do!'
Not cocktail appropriate.

Agree its far too casual for the suit and tie event.

I think it’s fine. I like it. OP doesn’t want a cocktail dress -that’s the wrong look.

I think people are thinking 'cocktail party' rather than 'drinks in a bar' here.

OP - what's the venue? What are other colleagues wearing?

MN makes me laugh - people on here spend most of their time saying, 'Just wear jeans and trainers, because nobody ever dresses up anymore' and then suddenly you need a ball gown or a suit to be sufficiently 'corporate' whatever that even means these days.

Ok, misread - not a cocktail event. BUT it still needs to be smarter, a more structured dress. I think you will feel underdressed and out of place if you wear your original choice.

Structured dresses are out of fashion, surely. You’d look like a contestant on The Apprentice - it’s a standing joke.

I agree with the majority that's it's not dressy, but a casual dress that's a bit jazzier than usual because of the gold thread.
If you like it and it's comfortable then by all means wear it, but you may feel a little underdressed.

The OP has already said her male colleagues are to be in suits and ties. No one in their right mind would be suggesting jeans and trainers to a product launch would they??? Obviously the OP needs to look smart and professional. She has wrongly assumed she needs to wear a dress to do that. This dress is not in any way suitable. Too flouncy and to my make very frumpy. It’s too much and not enough at the same time

How about something like this? Wear it plain in the daytime, then put some nice jewellery on for the evening?

www.next.co.uk/style/ls185701/r91459

To think that's a worse option than the original!

Thank god you said it

My point was that people tend to be all or nothing on here.

OP - the fact that you like the dress and see it as dressy suggests it will be fine for the environment in which you will be wearing it to be a bit dressed up.

'Frumpy' is such a ridiculous word imo.

I think it’s really descriptive. Everyone knows what you mean when you say it.

Another one saying PLEASE don't wear this if men are in suits! I thought work do like drinks at a restaurant/pub, not dinner event.

Perhaps a black jumpsuit in silky fabric, or with a bit of sequin on it... Not in a floral print, which is very hard to get right for eveningwear.
Failing that, an actual suit! Preferably in a colour or cream, with a simple camisole underneath, glitzy clutch bag as well.

We will have to agree to disagree. I think it's lazy - and very probably age-ist and size-ist too. As far as I'm concerned, an item of clothing in itself cannot be frumpy.