Pls help me dress for the Savoy Grill

[OverToYouTony]

It's my husband's 50th birthday coming up and I've booked the Savoy Grill as something special for him. Their dress code is confusing for me. It's something comfortable you feel elegant in (or similar to that). He will be wearing a suit which I'm not sure if that's a good choice or not. I think men are expected to wear jackets.

I have ordered this dress: https://www.debenhams.com/product/fs-collection-velvet-wrap-style-long-sleeve-mini-dress-in-blue_p-3641b244-c25d-4fc7-b123-f8c16e2644e5?colour=Teal

His birthday is in January. Do you think this will be ok?

I also need shoes. I have size 8 (EU42) feet and I'm tall so ideally flat or low heels are needed.

For context I'm 36 size 14/16 (chubby hourglass), and 5'9. I'm not very good at dressing up. What else should I be thinking of?

The key is how you feel in the dress op. You are young and have an hourglass figure, how bad can it be?! ;)

If you try it on and it feels and looks good, find some comfy boots to go with it, put on summer lippy and go for it. Londoners are casual but that means they don't really look at you (and all this simple elegance stuff is nonsense it just means have a trust fund so you can dress expensively, which is impossible to fake).

It sounds like a lovely twinkly plan and I bet you have a great time.

You are going in the evening aren’t you op? I think a lot of these comments are assuming lunch. For evening for a special birthday this is going to be lovely.

If you like how it looks it on you when it arrives just go with it and you will look beautiful because you will be happy and because it’s a really special occasion.

Phew - Not just me thinking the same.

Some posters are recommending boots with the dress.
I'm not so sure.🤔
What type of boots ?

The shape is nice- but the fabric is too Christmas party or winter wedding guest.

I would go for black, or a dark brown or olive if you think black doesn’t suit you. Nice shoes, great earrings, relaxed hair.

You can certainly dress up and look chic- I’m not a competitive underdresser. But that dress in that shade/shiny fabric is not right for a midweek dinner at a smart casual restaurant.

https://www.asos.com/prd/204822295?acquisitionsource=pasteboard

Just had a quick look on ASOS. Has a bit of sheen to it, but less fussy. This would look nice with boots and opaques in case of bad weather.

@OverToYouTony you should wear whatever you like. I’ve been to the Savoy many a time for both lunch and dinner. Absolutely no one pays any attention to what anyone else is wearing. If you want a lovely time, arrive early, go to the American Bar for a leisurely drink and then move to the Grill when you are ready. Personally, I wear jeans, fancy shoes/bag and a blazer for lunch there and sometimes a dress/trouser suit for dinner. If you like the dress, wear the dress!

I wore good dark jeans and a shirt when I went there

People were dressed more casually than us too, it's not very smart though some in business attire (suits for men, knee length dresses for women).

Dress up if you want though! I just hate looking like an out of towner.

Wear whatever you like - I went for DB 50th lunch and wore a smart ish day dress, cashmere cardigan over top and ankle boots (was Nov) - most people were casually dressed - all sorts - wear what you feel good in - it's nice to make an effort for a special occasion / I hope you have a lovely time

Hi op :) I went to the Savoy Grill in July and honestly I wouldn’t overthink it. I am pregnant and just wore a normal maternity tea dress from New Look.

A simple dress, with maybe a bit of jewellery if you want and normal boots is fine.

OP it's a real mixture of dress codes I found - smart jeans and more dressed up sweatshirts to full on cocktail type wear (for ladies, didn't see any men in black tie) Elegant glamour rather than overstated.
As you are going for a special celebration, part of the enjoyment is getting to dress up & feel like you are making more effort than normal so I would go in something that makes you feel fabulous (but not tight around waistband so you can enjoy the food!)
If you can book The American Bar as well that's a lovely extra. I've been before & after the meal (different occasions not on the same day!) and personally prefer after the meal to end a wonderful experience, enjoy the piano playing & a bit of people watching.
Have a fabulous time!

Thank you all for the input. I have other things planned too before. Nothing much after yet. But maybe I ought to book a table for drinks somewhere.

I'm going to wait for try dress. I have seen some other things and I loved the black ASOS dress. Unfortunately it is sold out in my size.

When I went the food was quite good but I felt overdressed! There were loads in jeans and trainers. The Americans on the table next to us were all in tracksuits! I was surprised to be honest!

The OXO tower restaurant is better for a special occasion IMO.

The Beaufort Bar at the Savoy is awesome!

I'd wear something like elegant trousers - whatever style suits you best - and a silk shirt or nice blouse under an elegant sweater to remove in the restaurant, with your favourite jewellery, and even a silk scarf if that's your vibe, and some smart heels, be they court shoes or elegant ankle boots etc. It isn't a party, it's a restaurant.

With a short dress like that one, unless you're Alexa Chung legs-wise, you need to wear heels and then you're into proper party outfit territory. Plus you enter the world of the tights dilemma - it'll be cold in January without them, but I think they look inelegant with heels.

@OverToYouTony Im afraid that a sub £50 dress from Debenhams is cheap. Well heeled people wear decent fabrics. You can tell what’s expensive and what isn’t. Decent trousers and a silk top will always look good. Colour blocking is great too. Make something look classy with jewellery. In the end don’t assume anyone will look at you but if you don’t spend more than £50 on a dress it’s fairly obvious it’s not effortlessly expensive looking.

I was the same. It's ok for the people saying dress up but then if the op does go full glam she may feel out of place.
Op you say you don't want to look cheap. In this case , as I said earlier, it's the ones who over dress who stand out as being the 'cheap' looking ones.

@TizerorFizz you did make me laugh. Brutal honesty! I do understand what you're saying. I'll maybe have a rethink for both of us.

@OverToYouTony Sorry! But you wanted to look your best and wondered how. It’s not rocket science but it takes a bit of cash! Apologies for the age faux pas earlier. I assumed you would be nearer DHs age. Don’t know why! As it is, you are nearer my DDs age. She’s into well cut trousers and a lovely shirt/blouse.

I love the dress OP. I have a very similar dress in green - it is shiny, but it still looks new after 40+ washes and I've had so many compliments on it wherever I've gone. If you like it and you think you'd be comfortable in it, then go for it!

I am really glad I’m not a Londoner as it must be sooo boring only being allowed to wear tasteful taupe trouser suits with £500 trainers 😁

I wear that kind of dress with tights and ankle boots with a small heel op but I’m a northerner so it might as well be accessorised with clogs and a whippet if you take my advice 😁

It’s not that you’re ‘not allowed’, it’s that mostly what you wear is in part dictated by travelling across London by public transport/ on foot in various weathers, and a week night dinner meaning that you’re unlikely to have time to go home between work and going out for dinner.

Hence what you wear needs to be walkable in (or you carry another pair of shoes), practical enough to deal with weather and getting on and off tubes/buses without spending the working day drenched, and something that works for your workplace as well as a night out.

The OP, to whom some or all of this doesn’t apply, is obviously under no obligation to dress as though she was commuting in on the Piccadilly Line to do a day’s work in Soho before heading to dinner. Just pointing out that London ‘dressing down’ is in part fuelled by the practicalities of getting around.

The OP can and should dress up in her party best if that’s what floats her boat, and she’s just stepping from a cab into the Savoy.!

I went last year in the height of the heatwave and wore a floral wrap dress and heels. DH wore jeans, shirt and jacket (he was a tad warm 🤣). Most people were surprisingly casual, though this could have been because it was a Saturday night at the height of tourist/holiday season. I think you'd be fine in that dress, possibly slightly overdressed, but less so with flats or a small heel.

Londoner here I don’t wear taupe trousers or trainers, I wear a lot of dresses. But I don’t wear cheap velour dresses as they’re a bit grim.

I don't think the OP asked how to look like she was dressed expensively. She asked if the dress she's bought is ok for the venue. Lots of people told her she should just go casual. So it's pretty confusing for her to have to look (a) not dressed up but also (b) spend a lot of money to look that way.

OP wear what makes you feel good and happy.