Help! A surprise visit to Glyndebourne

[SpanielsByTheSea]

As a surprise for DD14, who is studying classical singing, my fabulous ( also well off, and infuriatingly commitment-free and spontaneous) in law has wangled four seats at Glyndebourne next Saturday.

She has already made her dressing plan (retro Collectif dress with net skirt and DM’s) and will obviously look amazing. The boys will just wear black tie. But I haven’t worn evening dress since before Covid (and pre-peri lumps and bumps) and am panicking.

Any ideas for an elegant evening outfit ( I feel the cold!)? I can’t make it to London but could get to Cambridge at a push. Was thinking about ordering half a dozen from John Lewis and picking the best one.

I am going for the first time this weekend as well and currently deciding between this Hobbs midi dress and this Phase Eight maxi dress. The latter is gorgeous but I’m not sure if it’s a bit much!

Both gorgeous! I would choose whichever you will wear again. You won’t be overdressed in either - some people really do go all out (I’ve seen someone asked if they are a performer because they were wearing such a bold outfit!) but in general it’s a lovely relaxed mix. You will want a wrap/jacket and shoes for the lawn, whichever you wear. Not sure if that influences your choice.

@QueenOfWeeds thank you! I’m going with all blokes and their choice of outfit is so much easier, I’m very jealous at times 😂

Hopping onto this thread as I've just booked tickets as a 40th birthday treat for me and DH.

I haven't been to Glyndebourne since I was a student and really want to get the dress code right.

Any tips on what men should wear? Sounds like it isn't black tie anymore? DH is in the Forces and usually wears his Mess Dress to anything eveningy but sounds like nice wedding type clothes would be more appropriate?

Any tips would be amazing!

When are you going @SussexLass87 ?

You've probably looked at the Glyndebourne site but it says:

During the Festival(May–August)Black tie and Glyndebourne are often synonymous – but they don’t have to be if that’s not your style. Dress up in a way that suits you. There are no rules.

There are photos of people looking dressy and men in black tie but also someone in a t-shirt. So quite honestly, I think smart casual is fine (and I haven’t been for years either!)

The link is here if it’s useful at all.

edited as I tagged the wrong person, sorry!

99% of men were in black tie when I went last year. Black tie/mess dress def more the norm than lounge suit, nobody in anything less than lounge suit level of smart

I went last year. It was fabulous! Lots of ladies in huge jewellery peices that looked like heirloom!
I wore a long summer dress with block heels so I can walk and the gents wore black tie. It was fabulous!

Ah thank you ladies!

We are going in July so sounds like we'll need the more formal dress code.

I think half the fun is going to be all the outfit planning 😄😄

And you need to decide if you are going to take a picnic, book one of theirs or eat at the restaurant! What are you going to see? @SussexLass87

I usually go twice a year during the Festival. I would say that the last 5 years or so people have started to dress a bit more formally again. I think the last time I went it was roughly 60:40 long to short for the ladies and almost no men in lounge suits. A few men in formal but not black tie - eg longer frock coat style often from an Indian silk and there are always a few in kilts or tartan trousers.

If you have a long dress I'd wear it as it is nice to be able to do so. There are also changing rooms next to the car park if you prefer not to travel in formal clothes. We usually come down in normal clothes in order to pay a trip to Waitrose in Lewes to pick up refrigerated champagne and nibbles and set up our table and picnic before getting changed. Changing rooms are usually very friendly with strangers zipping each other up and lending toiletries if someone forgets something.

Ah fab - thank you for the tips and advice. The whole thread is so useful!

Going to see The Merry Widow. DH will definitely be in his Mess Dress, and I'm trawling the thread for long dress ideas now 😍

Much as I love the idea of the restaurants, I think we'll take a picnic. Love the thought of raiding Waitrose and stuffing it all into a picnic hamper.

Definitely channelling Brideshead Revisited if we can!