Help - party with architects - what to wear?

[SparkCherry]

Going to a party soon with a lot of architects. Bit terrified as architects tend to be far richer and more stylish than me (though the hosts are lovely etc). I'm 43, about 5 feet 9 in and a size 14. Ideally thinking of a chic black midi or maxi dress. I shop a lot in Cos and Arket, Me&Em or Sezane when feeling flush. Any ideas?! Hoping for something that is simple but won't make me feel like a frump!

Any thoughts much appreciated, especially from architects or those who have had recent contact with them! Much respect for the profession :)

Architects definitely shop in Cos and Arket 😁Many of them are also rather badly paid, considering how much it costs to train.

What's the occasion - drinks party at someone's house, dinner out? How formal are you thinking? I'd probably wear something aggressively minimal from Cos and couple it with one piece of oversized statement jewellery.

Go dressed as a house. They’ll love it 😁

My architect friend is a jeans and sparkly top type knackered mum. They're just people !

Do you have anything currently that you love to wear? To give us an eg.

This gold dress caught my eye from the current Cos collection - it's lovely and you have the height for it. And it's nice to have a change from the ubiquitous black sometimes.

Ooh thank you, I'm not sure that dress is right for my colouring @donkra but it's bang in the right territory!

Party is to celebrate a new building some of them designed. It's quite glam I think. Part of my problem is I don't go to glam things very often.

@ohcrums I'm inseparable from this at the moment but obviously too casual for this occasion....

What's your colouring? Do you actually suit black? It is a cliche of architect style for a reason, but it actually washes a lot of people out!

@ohcrums I also had a dress like this but without the broderie that I loved but I left it on holiday 😭

How about something like this?
Ignore the yellow highlight!

@donkra blonde, blue eyes. I reckon I can do black but with a coloured necklace...

I've worked with architects for decades. They're just normal people. And rarely glam.

@SparkCherry that cos dress is really lovely, I'd give it a shot.

Yep don't worry at all....my architect BIL wears built up platform shoes to look taller! And very very tight shirts! Your style sounds lovely.

@AncientBallerina thank you, that is really cool, where's it from?

www.massimodutti.com/gb/flowing-vneck-midi-dress-l06660630

How about this Op?

www.stories.com/en_eur/clothing/dresses/midi-dresses/product.ruched-shoulder-detail-midi-dress-black.1138829001.html

I once saw a book entitled “Why Do Architects Wear Black?”, so sounds like a black dress will fit right in.

It’s actually from a post by a fashion influencer called zeopatra but I picked up similar waistcoats from Zara and linen trousers from Massimo Dutti. MD had sold out of waistcoats (they are back in now though) but the Zara ones are lovely. And cheaper. I bought four different ones and returned two because I couldn’t close them!! The white and beige were more generous sizing.
I wear them with one gold ´statement ‘ piece of jewellery either bracelet or necklace and the rest is small gold jewellery. Also with a brown leather bag like the model here. And either flat sandals or beige trainers.
Its a very ‘wearable’ look.
Good luck - hope you find something test works for you!

Dint try and be something you're not just to fit in with what you perceive them to be. Just be yourself.

Ask them to invite their IT manager along. Compared to the bloke in black 501s, a Metallica T-shirt and a bandana glowering at the notifications from the server on his phone all evening, you could wear anything up to and including a Tesco's binbag and be perfectly at home.

:(

Ok thanks for hints I'll see if I can see anything

😂 maybe I could simply pretend I am the IT manager?

My ex who us an architect, and his current wife, who is also an architect, both wear black all the time. He wears black trousers and shirts- often linen or jeans. She wears black dresses or trousers and black tops. Birthdays, nights out, 'events'- that's what they wear. Holidays - I know because we bumped into them on holiday- she wears black 'sundresses' and he wears what he does all the time with a black straw 'pork pie' hat and sunglasses 🤐

This is funny. My partner is an architect and also always wears black. He also likes it when I wear black. Black doesn’t even really suit me! Enjoy the party I am sure you will look fab whatever you wear.