Inspiration for art gallery brunch

[LadyHester]

I’ve been invited to a launch party at a high-end art gallery. Other guests will be international and I suspect quite jet-setty: I’m imagining lots of Loro Piana cashmere worn in a ‘this old thing?’ sort of way.
I don’t think a floral midi dress will quite cut it. I like the idea of a big slouchy trouser suit, but at 5’4” and size 16 with enormous boobs I fear I’d just look dumpy.
Any suggestions, lovely wise people?

@botemp Thanks for this! I’m not really worried about ‘fitting in’, more enjoying the opportunity to build a fun outfit.
The jacket is quite rumpled linen so I wouldn’t wear it to a properly dressy event - thought the shoes and bag would make it a bit more serious? If I went for a less dressy shoe/bag combo what would you suggest?

As someone much in need of artistic patronage I admit a Chanel bag might make me suspect a person was not my person - but, I know IABU!

The Nancy Mac thing on MN is getting ridiculous!

In the UK? As others have said, the visual art world uniform is Cos and seems to be deliberately casual and actually not as dressy or interesting as music or dance worlds. So just wear something fun that you love. You could easily be the most stylish person there.

It'd depend on weather for shoes, it does tend to be the one area where some people let loose a bit (think Rejina Pyo linked above, or Reike Nen) but you kind of have to commit to that look and I'm not sure it's worth buying that for a one off event, if you want height go for a flatform or similar as opposed to heels.

For bags, if you want to get into the nitty gritty of it, exhibition cloth tote bags (the more obscure, the better) tend to be the powerbags as opposed to the big French luxury houses. If you have an Issey Miyake bag, that's a fairly safe choice. I think the thing to keep in my mind is that most people will just dress for their day and this event is just a stop in that itinerary. But don't let that rob you of an opportunity to dress up, as I said above, go for whatever your comfort zone is.

@Marmighty This isn’t a typical PV - more international monied than art world per se IYSWIM.

@botemp It’s true, I don’t get out much, unlike the extraordinarily wealthy and successful people in whose company I shall be pathetically grateful to spend an hour or so.

I think you'll be fine with anything other than a Nancy Mac jumpsuit.

And there was I thinking I wouldn’t be able to move for them.

I think I would head to COS for something that isn’t your average high street style but at high street prices.

With that budget, I'd be tempted by Toast or Cabbages and Roses. It's not high fashion but good brands with some English classics in great fabrics.

However, I'm not a fashionista.

Has Prostitutehair left the site? This would have been just her thing.

This sounds great.

What's all this about brunch? Has Mumsnet never been to a gallery opening? Or are they really laying on croissants with the installations? I've been to hundreds of openings and quite honestly OP, wear what you like and feel good in. Hopefully, most people will be looking at the art. Haha.

What's all this about brunch? Has Mumsnet never been to a gallery opening? Or are they really laying on croissants with the installations? I've been to hundreds of openings and quite honestly OP, wear what you like and feel good in. Hopefully, most people will be looking at the art. Haha.

Well it was more of a fundraiser than an opening hence the brunch. Mine was by no means the only Chanel bag, though I did spot an Issey Miyake. I was at the more boho end in my Dries jacket - as I suspected, many of the clientele were wearing nasty expensive clothes rather than anything particularly fashiony/stylish.

Speaking as an artist, I go to plenty of these of all kinds- commercial selling exhibitions, big formal venues with permanent collections, tiny community centre ones. None I've been to have any dress code. I'd wear what I liked and made me feel comfortable. Artists themselves often wear bog standard black at these affairs, because artists wear a lot of black anyway, saves us having to think about it. Wintertime, I usually just wear black leggings, plain T-shirt, and a plain shirt (or sweater if I know it's a big fridge type venue) on top. They are often very hot, overcrowded affairs, though, so for smaller venues and especially in summer, I wear either leggings and t-shirt if it's on the informal side, or a long skirt and a t-shirt, with a shawl just in case it's chilly if it's a really dressy do.
If it's a selling exhibition, the artist(s) and dealers won't give a hoot what you wear if you buy something.😏

Hang on... this is an ART GALLERY and there's a 'uniform'? WTF, surely an art gallery lunch is the place to wear whatever the hell you like? Sounds so bloody boring.

Quite captivated by this thread!
Tell us more about what the rich people were wearing and doing, OP ! Hope you felt good in yourself.

Oh heavens, of course it’s a place to wear whatever you like - as someone who enjoys having fun with clothes, it felt like an occasion to do just that.
And although I was very much not a potential donor, there were some networking opportunities for me, so I didn’t want to look as though I’d wandered in off the street.