Help! What do people wear to go out for 'nice' dinners

[FlippertyTibbert]

Just that really - DH and I having been knuckling down to help our finances for the past four years and have got out of the way of going out for dinner to nice, but not necessarily v posh restaurants and I appear to have lost all sense of what to wear!

We are about to head off for few days touring around Ireland visiting some amazing and lovely restaurants and while DH can get away with a linen jacket and chinos or trousers for dinner, I am at a loss with what I should pack!

I'm 45, medium height, extra large build with dark brown hair and eyes and would have been a smart trousers and a silk blouse woman before but the world seems to have shifted so much in the last 4 years and while I am confident in my day wear I don't want to seem out of touch for dinner. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

We do go out to quite nice restaurants fairly often but probably dress a lot more casually than you have in mind. I would wear something like linen trousers and a top or a jersey maxi dress. My DH would dress a lot more casually than your husband too - smart jeans and a shirt.

There are probably people whose outfits are more expensive or formal than ours - but equally people who dress more casually .

My husband would wear chinos and a jacket (linen or wool) or maybe a casual linen suit or a cotton suit. He recently bought this. He never wears jeans.

Yarmouth Oilskins jacket
Yarmouth Oilskins trousers

I would wear a dress, because I always do. Likely to be something cotton from brands like Palava, Klements, Oska , Colenimo or Cabbages and Roses with flat shoes/ pumps or flat ankle boots. It wouldn't be dressed up and these are dresses I wear as everyday day dresses.

If it was a very dressy restaurant I have dressier dresses but I'd only wear a dressier dress in exceptional circumstances e.g swanky hotel.

E.g something like this

Klements
Colenimo
Palava

I don't think you can get a definitive answer as everyone will have their own preferences.

First of all nothing white. My next nice meal is a couple of weeks away and I intend to wear this
https://www.marksandspencer.com/cupro-blend-printed-midi-waisted-dress/p/clp60644509?prevPage=srp#intid=pid_pg1pip48g2r1c2

I agree with pp - smart casual midi dress or wide linen trousers and a top.

I don’t know what restaurant dressing is like in Ireland but you wouldn’t go far wrong with this approach I expect.

That's the ballpark I'd be in as well. Nice dress.

I always pack a plain black knee-length kaftan-style dress when I go on holiday. with a float scarf or a big necklace, I'm as"dressed up" as anyone else. Another alternative I've used if packing is thigh, is to take a floaty chiffon beach poncho (the one I have came from TKMaxx and cost £10!) Mine has sequins round the neckline. I bang it over black trousers and a black T shirt or sweater depending on the season. Hey presto!

I think you can’t go wrong with trousers and a silk shirt. It covers a multitude of eating events. Very classic and stylish.

This summer, to eat out at nice places I’ve worn:

Red linen wide leg trousers and a cream silk shirt
Same trousers but with a cashmere short sleeved sweater
And again with a 3/4 sleeve boxy cashmere sweater
A striped cotton Boden dress
A midnight blue silk Hobbs unfitted shift dress (ancient)
A black linen Albaray maxi dress with chunky gold jewellery

It’s worth knowing that, with a couple of exceptions, restaurants are much more casual at the moment. Most people in jeans, short sneakers etc. Loads of wide leg trousers about at the moment. I just still really love a dress.

What is your day wear? So we can get a sense of your style. I agree with @LesFlamandes that a shirt and trousers is fine. You could mix up the materials, so some silk, some linen, some cotton shirts. For trousers, wide leg silhouettes are in, but it may depend on your build whether this suits or not. It's unlikely you'll stand out in a bad way, anything goes really (within reason).

@GettingStuffed why nothing white?

I like a nice top. It may not be warm. Can find smart v neck jumper, well cut trousers. Jazz up with nice costume jewellery, makeup and earrings. Metallic shoes and bag can also elevate things.

DP tends to wear chinos and a short sleeved patterned shirt.

I tend to go with a midi dress and flat slingbacks, or clean trainers.

I've also just bought a linen suit though and intend to wear it as much as possible, with trainers and a camisole top.

@JudgeBurrito .why nothing white?
In my case because I'll spill something on it.

The standard 'crisp white shirt' and dark trousers/midi skirt tends to mean you get mistaken for waiting staff, even if the staff are wearing something else.

people tend to dress more formally in Ireland, so you’ll see a lot of dresses and heels, but like most places, anything goes.

I favour wide leg trousers and a silk blouse or a jumpsuit which I then regret 🤣

Any kind of loose dress. Got to have room for the eating!

Agree here, I’ve found people dress up more for events and smart places in Ireland.

Assuming fairly smart restaurants: In your shoes I would go with the trousers and tops you’d normally wear, but with a flat pointed sling back, or a midi dress and some kind of smarter but not too business shoe, maybe a wedge? (I know these aren’t fashionable but they’re comfy and make my legs look better which in turn make me feel good) Or, if a little more relaxed, some smart fitted wide legged jeans with a silk top, and perhaps a little boucle jacket ( Zara type rather than great aunt hilda type)

Always better to be a smidge too smart than a smidge too casual.

Wear what makes you feel good.

People wear such a variety, so choose anything that both (i) you feel attractive wearing and (ii) is comfy enough for you to eat a big dinner in. In Dublin recently I wore a silk top and elastic waisted wide legged trousers one night, and a midi dress with flat gold sandals another night

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie where did you buy your linen suit? I have been looking for a good one for ages.

I'm plus size and I have this which I love. I'm just under 5'5" and it's knee-length on me.

https://www.monsoon.co.uk/alice-embroidered-short-dress-1000238285.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtZK1BhDuARIsAAy2VztO3WOUS62Q_VMNVdi7O58H8onFIVkPsGpH8VEnkF-ezOFM9m-hJp4aAudFEALw_wcB

Agree and I would go for elasticated trousers in a fabric other than linen if sitting down half the night.

Focus on hair and make up (I sometimes get hair professionally blow dried before dinner when on holiday and then its ready for early start next day too).

And maybe focus on necklace and earrings as those stand out when seated and elevate a simple top that you can also wear in the day time too.

It's this one from M&S. I love it! And because it's linen mix, it doesn't crease as much as pure linen.

I need to try to find a couple of nice camis to wear under it.

That’s really nice @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie i need to keep a closer eye on m&s. Sadly their smaller sizes seem to sell out very fast.

What shoes would you wear with this?

The model is wearing sandals

Agree with this - in a smart restaurant, I don’t think you’d be out of place at all in a nice dress and heels. Although obv not necessary so you’d be fine in something more casual if you prefer!

@OhMaria2 Either trainers or flat slingbacks.