2 Michelin star lunch - outfit ona budget?!

[Neutralcat]

Me and my husband have a reservation for lunch at a 2 Michelin star countryside restaurant in a few weeks. I would like to find a new Summer dress for the occasion. I'm 45, 5"2, currently a size 10, but am losing fat and plan to be a size 8 by then. I am on a tight budget (the lunch is gifted, and we already know wine with meal will be expensive). I'm happy to buy from Vinted, but need some inspiration! It would also be useful if the dress could double up for a July wedding, but it's not crucial. Ideas appreciated, thanks 😊.

Trainers are considered smart casual now. Nice clean ones that don't look like what people wear to the supermarket.

It's a slap-up meal in a beautiful setting. Surely, you'd want to make an occasion of it.

Personally I think you’d only look good in this if you were exceptionally tall and slim. The OP is 5 foot 2.

I think this is really pretty Phase Eight dress ebay Though I don't know what colours suit you. If you look on eBay for a phase eight dress you will be bound to find something. If it's a dress I'll only wear a couple of times I resell it afterwards so definitely in budget!

@Wellretired . Too big for OP but very pretty.

I think that sort of dress would swamp a 5’2” 8-10. Nots good at all

I’d wear that and I’m 5’3. I’m a size 8. As long as a short person is slim the dress would look fine.

There is no ‘2 star’ generalisations one can make. Some are formal. Some are smart casual. Depends totally on the style of the restaurant

Then you should know one doesn’t dress for the number of stars but for the style of the restaurant. Some are formal fine dining. Others are modern smart casual.

I would definitely dress smartly. I knew jeans would be mentioned by some. Bit like the recent thread about funeral dress where someone wanted to wear leggings and a lot of posters said it doesn’t matter what you wear.

IMHO - if you cannot dress up for somewhere like this why not turn up in pyjamas or perhaps a onesie?? After all its best to be comfortable. Lunch is circa £200 plus wine and drinks.

Rant over!

From their website

Ok, I hold my hands up if they specify no trainers in a dress code.

Some people think jeans, trainers and the like are fine! Make an occasion of it.

That’s IMO a summer holiday dress for warmer climates than ours.

Yeah but so many people have this in their basket …clearly a success.

Is it the Boden one? I'd not buy it or wear it.
I don't like that style of sleeve.

Goodness. Is this the dress you’re all excoriating with such venom? It seems perfectly pretty to me, and entirely suitable for lunching and then strolling in beautiful gardens. Obviously we all have different styles - but I’d be tempted by this for the lining alone.

Don’t know if you’ve looked at the Last Chance section of & Other Stories, @Neutralcat? I’d say a good sale would be a worthwhile use of your money.

If you prefer Zara I’d look towards the upper end of your budget.

@PrimevalStomp , but nobody would see the lining, and although the dress might look lovely on you, it looks like a sized up little girl's dress on the model.

I love Cabbages and Roses. In real life Cabbages and Roses gets loads of compliments. I had a look back to see what DuchessOfNarcissexss suggested - it was a selection of dreary and drab John Lewis tea dresses.

I did say they weren't all to my taste. I'd wear several of them gladly. I wouldn't bother trying on the C&R one because it would not suit me and I don't like it.

There are 136 dresses on your suggestion. Apart from the ones by Ghost the rest are dreary, drab and virtually indistinguishable from each other. Quite a few of those awful angel sleeves too.

@MichaelandKirk , can I wear the onesie tucked into my sports socks, and should I wear fake Uggs, crocs or sliders?

😂 Not much point in a Style and Beauty board if the only advice is to have a wash first!

@Yogaandchocolate , you mean I need to shower and put on clean clothes before I go? Might as well go to Greggs in my PJs.

I'm more concerned that you are a size 10 and still talking about losing fat

I'm a size 8/10, within my BMI range, but could do with losing fat.