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!

Find out about the culture/dress code of the city/country and company owner. Then if it's in a restaurant, what is that dress code. You can always wear flats -- ballet flats or sandals. Dress modestly if it's a company event. A black dress with a modest neckline and sleeves, midi length is always safe. You can glam in up with a sequined/glittery sweater,earrings a bracelet.

I like this!

You’re wrong. The age is very relevant and helpful to anyone trying to give advice and ideas. In any case, what difference does it make to you? Clearly enough to distract from the original question.

Of course age is relevant, particularly with formal wear.

I am early 50’s, DD is early 20’s, we are same height and similar in size, me 10 / 12 where as she is more 8 / 10 and we do share, by share I mean DD borrows from my wardrobe, a lot of day to day clothes, trainers, jeans, jackets.

But for more formal wear, we would wear entirely different styles. My style would be Reiss or Me and Em, whereas DD would be Self Portrait or Odd Muse.

if its a one of affair dont spend too much unless youre going to wear it again

^https://www.jasperconran.com/products/cyd-denim-shirt-dress?variant=43463076511978^

This one is more dressy?
https://www.jasperconran.com/products/betsy-kimono-check-dress?variant=44473080479978

I have 40GG boobs and find it really hard to find nice cocktail party dresses that arent too revealing!

https://www.boden.com/products/clara-cotton-shirt-dress-bright-blue-paisley-heart

My boobs would pop out of this one lol

The big difference in what I wore to go out to a party age 25 and now age over 50 is material quality (silk, linen, cashmere etc). Much more important now, as are skimming fabrics, rather than body-con, tight, synthetic fabrics which highlight every bump that I didnt used to have in the 90s. I refuse to wear a gstring these days. I also have sun damage on my chest which I personally don't like so no more getting the cleavage out to impress the boys sadly.

Anyone wearing the same stuff in their 50s as their early 20s was clearly not doing it right in their 20s!

I think the point is that we might indeed prefer different clothes to what we wore at 20 but that we don't all like the same things. So why this fixation, as if we all turn into some amorphous style blob when we reach 50?

If I want something that covers my arms and knees, in a fabric with a bit of structure then I can say so, thank you.

im 50 and I wear clothes of a teenage girl! am i weird

It's this weird idea that there's nothing between Top Shop, which everyone under 20 wears and JJ's House which everyone over 50 must wear.

There are loads of brands where the age of the wearer is completely irrelevant. The most obvious is Cos.

my motto is if it suits you wear it no matter what age you are

"Clearly not doing it right" ahh because we weren't wearing revealing clothes and thongs. Riiiight. 😂

I also have sun damage on my chest which I personally don't like so no more getting the cleavage out to impress the boys sadly.

I have no sun damage as I was lathered in Factor 50; getting my tits out to impress the boys wasn't ever a concern.

Apologies to any goths in the 90s!

I just think youth is wasted on the young and that's the time you can wear tight synthetic fabrics and look OK and not too inflamable. And why on earth weren't you wearing revealing clothes?? Did you not go out on the pull or were you too sensible??? I wore a long jersy or chiffon bias cut skirts (no vpl thanks so thong required although perhaps you went commando?! Racy) and low cut strappy vests. Like jennifer aniston or Caroline BK in my head. I looked pretty good but my ass is too wobbly and bumpy now to get away with a tight thin skirt and as mentioned sun damage means no boobage. So I have adapted. That's just life.

Well we all had to work with what we had and play to our strengths.

I've never worn tight, synthetic clothes. It's a look I find very unattractive on any age; nor felt the need to wear revealing clothes to pull- again it's a look I find very unappealing. Didn't seem to have any problems "pulling"

I've known all my life that tanning damages skin, causes wrinkles and cancer- to quote you "why on earth" would I do that to my skin?

Very well done you. You sound fun and are a good example to us all.

You seem to find it difficult to understand people have different tastes. I wouldn't have posted that last post had it not been for your previous posts about "not doing it right" blah, blah.

You sound like you were exactly like the typical teenager of the 1990s. Never wearing tight or revealing clothes in synthetic fabrics (only silk or cashmere presumably) and fanatical about sunscreen. What teenager wasn't like that in those days!? I don't know what you are worried about.

What an odd comment - you really do struggle with people having different tastes or lifestyles. I wasn't a teenager in the 1990s.

Ah..OK.. that's why the confusion..my earlier PP specified that time frame. On we go.