If you were 52 and invited to a cocktail party what would you wear?

[FrenchConnection1]

I have to go abroad for some work thing and at the end is a cocktail party hosted by the people who own the company

I am 52 and don't like wearing dresses that expose my neck/chest as it's all a bit wrinkly unless it's a dress that I can wear a scarf with

I also live in trainers or smart loafers and there is not a chance my feet can handle heels anymore.

I'm a size 12 but have a tummy - thinnish arms but big legs. I tend to wear long dresses that create a waist rather than having one of my own 😂. 34D boobs.

Any suggestions? In my normal life I don't go to things like this at all. I'm a drink in the pub person not a post event person so a bit clueless as to where to start!

Ok so maybe it is a style thing then, but I just used that as an example. The ‘silk nighty’ slip look a la Kate Moss was everywhere in the 90s. I’ve noticed it making a bit of a comeback recently but I won’t be taking part this time around!

But you must realise that a lot of teens and young adults do wear revealing clothes on nights out. I don’t know why you are pretending to not be able to understand why many women in their 50s and beyond would be unwilling to emulate the exact style of many of the youngsters they see around them.

IME there's always posters on S&B who want to flag that they aren't beholden to social pressures around fashion and age, or to trends, which is great - but some people are, and that's also fine. I think if the OP considers age to be relevant to the context of the outfit in question then it clearly is, and a few posters on here stating the opposite is unlikely to change that.

Replying again as you edited.

She didn’t say ‘work to evening’ outfit in the OP, just that it was a party organised by the owners of the company. I assume she’ll be changing for the event.
And yes, I did wear stuff like that to evening work functions. I was very skinny and flat chested so I ‘got away’ with that sort of thing and it’s not the same as actually turning up to work itself in something like that.

I was very skinny and flat chested until into my 30s. I never wore that type of clothing. Why do posters assume everyone did?

How about a shirt dress with a chunky necklace, and some ankle boots

No one is assuming anything of the sort. You asked me a question and I answered it.

We are talking about what a typical 20 year old might be expected to wear, not an outlier. you may have always dressed very conservatively for parties but surely you've noticed that many young adults don’t?

I’ve seen this in action for the past 20 years as I attend my former college’s May Ball (I work as a guest lecturer). Very different general trend between the dresses chosen by the students and those by the staff!

@upsofloating - 5"9 & a size 14ish. It was me, I'm blowing my own trumpet.

I'd wear this:

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/black-long-sleeve-a-line-midi-dress-d250079blk

(and then wear it every single day thereafter because it's gorgeous!)

Brilliant! That should happen more often 😃

I'm too short for it and they've only got colours I don't like left, but you've made me smile.

Actually I wear quite a lot of the same things for day to day wear. Wide legged trousers and boot cut jeans and a jumper or slim fitting t-shirt and boots or smart trainers.

I would just wear a smarter work outfit if you are going straight from work.

I think it's accepted in the fashion world and beyond that 20 year olds don't generally want to dress like 50 odd year olds and vice versa, which is why there are teams of marketing and branding people sitting around tables right now working out how to sell what and to whom.

There is some crossover, of course, but it's not at all out of the question to be able to understand that most fifty odd year old women won't want to go to a work cocktail function dressed in the same clothes as most 20 year olds. I'm not sure why this is even a point anyone's getting stuck on.

A cotton dress like that nobody’s child one is just not cocktail wear though, no matter what your style.

And nor is a shirt dress and boots

Because some people on here talk like they talk for everyone. Many people wear the same things they did when they were 20. Stop acting like it's unthinkable.

There is some crossover, of course, but it's not at all out of the question to be able to understand that most fifty odd year old women won't want to go to a work cocktail function dressed in the same clothes

There seems to be an assumption that younger women are all about showing flesh and older women should be happy with "tasteful" stuff from the likes of Phase Eight, JJ's House or Mint Velvet. Why is it so difficult to understand not everyone falls into those categories? There plenty of brands which aren't flesh baring or the dismal JJ's House stuff. Issey Miyake, which was mentioned.

It's not just about the clothes - it's also the mindset.

In my 50s I still wear basically the same stuff as I did in my 20s, especially work wear, because the goal is the same: look presentable at the office. But a work drinks do is different. In my early 20s my goal would have been to get rat-arsed on the company's dime, flirt with the office boys and end up at the club down the road ... so I dressed accordingly. Now I'd rather die than do any of those! So a sensible shirt & linen trousers it is.

@zaxxon I get you.
But I wear the same styles for nights out that I did then.
Everyone is different.

Steer clear of anything sparkly. Naff nowadays.

Me + Em is a safe bet for your brief.

Not to everyone's taste I'm sure, but I'd wear something like this onehundredstars.co.uk/collections/kimonos-one-hundred-stars/products/grande-kimono-acer-red over black top and cigarette pants,or sheath dress. It's a print I love, and nicely dressy, but not too 'Abigail's party' either.

Wide legged sequin trousers, a plan top and a smart jacket. You can wear flat loafers.

Or smart trousers and plain smart top with a relaxed sequin jacket.

Pleats Please Issy Miyake,
on Vinted if not new

If it's a work related event you really shouldn't be showing flesh anyway - it's just unprofessional. A sparkly long sleeved top and palazzo pants with gold flats would be fine.

This is not cocktail wear

It would be completely fine.

The @FrenchConnection1 asked for advice on cocktail wear, and advising something that’s not cocktail wear on style and beauty seems odd.

Colleagues won’t be impressed by a weird take on the generally accepted dress code