“Dressy” dress code

[Monket]

Been invited to celebrate a wedding at a private members’ club in London in November. Drinks and canapés, and dress code for women states “dressy”.

What do we think? Floor length? Cocktail dress? Men are in suits and ties.

It's gone up €250 since I bought mine in 2017.

The OP said she didn't want navy but I've just pinched this from another thread, posted by @GettingStuffed.

It's not quite as awesome as Sarah Murdoch's dress but it's still very nice and a bargain for cotton velvet.

Monsoon velvet dress

It's a gorgeous dress but I just have to pipe up and save the poor woman from anyone thinking that old bastard is her father - he's her FIL.

Thank you. I realised after I posted but too late to edit.

That match with Jerry Hall was the oddest combination. Although so were Wendy Deng and Elena Zhukova. I don't think any of these matches fall into the Mrs Merton category of "what first attracted you to millionaire..". They're all formidable and , whilst not in his league, wealthy women in their own right. I'm curious about what they saw in him.

He has that kind of wealth that sees your name live on forever (through patronages, buildings etc) and sets up your descendants for generations. He also has influence and the ear of some of the world's most powerful people. It's a whole different league, they married into an empire.

I still wouldn't though!

It is curious, but I can imagine Rupert Murdoch being charming when he so chooses, and also very entertaining company. He's a newspaper man so he'll know how to tell a good story and he must have met everyone in the world of any significance. I've said this before but I'd have dinner with him (and then get my own cab home.)

Better overdressed than underdressed...

I am going to similar in November, a second time round wedding at the Dorchester. Have been to quite a few smart central London weddings and agree that it’s a very different style to country house weddings.

I know you said green doesn’t suit you, and so this might not work but I am the same height and size as you and this is what I’m planning to wear:

www.hobbs.com/product/charlize-silk-dress/0123-5571-2311L00-MEADOW-GREEN.html#q=Silk%20dress&is=false&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=0123-5571-2311L00-MEADOW-GREEN&pos=24

...this thread took a turn...

Ha maybe @DreadPirateRobots but I think it's an interesting question. I don't think people like Murdoch can get there purely by bullying. Anyway back to frocks...

And NO jumpsuits!

How old are you OP? I'm in my mid 30s and wouldnt touch some of these suggestions with a bargepole.

Yes, was going to say I absolutely love it in burgundy! Wondering if I'll have any Christmas parties to wear it to.

Just chiming in to say if ever you were going to book a blow dry mani and pedi (nothing fancy needed) and spend a bit of time thinking through great jewellery and accessories (costume/high street totally fine in my experience), this is a good time!

As I have been at a lot of these events and in my experience a simple dress bag and shoes with great hair and either fab necklace or earrings or similar works really well. If it’s afternoon or evening then I’ve seen a lot of black be worn (Inc at my own cocktail hour private members club wedding!) which bothered me not at all. It’s the pulling it all together angle not the £££ of the dress that makes it work.

The Reiss dress is perfect, might buy it in burgundy myself ... not so dressy that you'll never wear it again but fits the bill

I'm not saying it's not an interesting discussion. I just did not expect the sexual allure of Rupert Murdoch to come up on a wedding-attire thread. And now my brain is blown a little.

Sorry

Thanks - lots to think about here, including Rupert Murdoch…!

I’m early-mid thirties with a birthday coming up… I think my main issue with the suggestions so far is having my upper arms on display, partly due to the temperature in Nov but mostly because mine are pale and very flabby (sad) and it’s not a great look.

The velvet Monsoon option avoids that problem but might not be dressy enough…

What does that have to do with how old OP is? Surely that’s a matter of personal taste?

Because some of them look like something my 60 year old mother would love.

No judgement, and of course people can like all different things at different ages, but don't be obtuse and pretend that different types of clothes don't appeal to different ages.

Why don't you make a suggestion then?
You've now been told the OP is mid-30's

Sarah Murdoch was 44 when she wore that fabulous dress. Do please tell us what you think the minimum age to wear it is.

(The comment some of them look like something my 60 year old mother would love is however completely meaningless)

The Sarah Murdoch dress is a rich safe boring look AFAIC, like having a Clare Balding hair do. Nothing wrong with it but this is the Style section, we can do a bit better than a standard navy blue satin Debenhams type wedding guest by numbers look.

From eight years ago.

I was trying to not be rude about things that other people clearly like, but if you insist- I think that Sarah Murdoch dress is awful and old fashioned. Obviously people can wear it at any age (and she is well under 60 so clearly has) I was just giving my PERSONAL opinion on it. Is that less meaningless for you? @IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle

I'm not sure why you're jumping on me for asking the OP's age though, plenty of people do on the style boards to help steer the suggestions.

OP, I like Coast for things like this-

https://www.coastfashion.com/product/coast-satin-wrap-dress-with-flare-sleeve_bcc06965?colour=berry (either colour is gorgeous!)

https://www.coastfashion.com/product/coast-contrast-twill-pencil-dress-with-gathered-sleeves_bcc07090?colour=ivory- this covers up tops of arms, and is beautiful

https://www.coastfashion.com/product/coast-premium-embroidered-long-sleeve-midi-dress_bcc05745?colour=navy-

Love that first Coast one.

Those dresses, to my eyes are awful. Particularly the last one which is well into the dreary "mother of the bride" category.

The black and white one is terrible too. It's high street faux red carpet.