Cambridge black tie - help ?

[OneOliveZebra]

Formal dinner, nothing floor length fits.
Can I wear black strapless below the knee ?

Ill roast alive as its velvet but other options dont fit

I’d say yes. Most girls will wear full length, but if you look at photos of past events, there are girls wearing shorter dresses. Carry it off with confidence and have a wonderful time.
(Velvet will be fine, it’s not horribly hot at present.)

Cambridge is currently quite cloudy.

when you say formal, do you mean a college ball or a formal hall? They are quite different events.

college balls usually go overnight and can be bloody cold, especially around four o clock in the morning.

Formal hall, not a ball I will not be up at 4 o’clock in the morning. I will be tucked up in my bed. I am very old.

At my DC college, formal hall would involve smart clothes but definitely not black tie. Is this a special occasion? I would suggest checking the dress code or pics of previous events?

I've been to several formal halls at various colleges. None of them have been black tie and none of the women wore floor length dresses at them.

Is this a special occasion? Are you sure it's black tie?

What you’ve suggested sounds absolutely fine for formal hall. I never wore a floor length dress in all my time there (including for the various May balls that I went to).

I’ve only got a man’s word for this, But he says, formal dinner, black tie.
I’ve looked at lots of the photos and one Girls got a YouTube channel, but she isn’t particularly focused on the outfits which is annoying

Smart should be fine. I think what your bloke means is 'black tie not white' (which would be very formal).

Your black dress sounds fine you will
it be underdressed!

Anything smartish is fine, any nice dress would serve.

Oh OP, I went 2 weeks ago, for 40th college reunion.
I wore an old Gap, strapless T Shirt material dress, but it's elegant, with a black bolero over the top. It is simple but lovely.
You'll be surprised that it'll be more relaxed than you may think.

Quite a few smart jumpsuits...but people were just happy and relaxed.

It was lovely to see old friends, and there was no competitive dressing. It was just a thoroughly lovely evening.

Be prepared for lots of alcohol though!
Sparkly on the lawn/quad beforehand...glasses at dinner for red AND white, ( and topped up throughout, from behind your shoulder, unnoticed if you are turned to chat to your companion...Port and Burgundy with cheese...fabulous food!

Have fun!

They wouldn’t seriously send me home or anything if I got it wrong, would they?

https://www.sosandar.com/black-velvet-mesh-detail-midi-dress

I think you're overestimating "getting it right"!

Honestly, it'll be lovely, just wear smartISH...and leave any pretension or worry behind.
There are no Style Police waiting to turn you away.

That would be perfect; I didn't even go and buy anything new, but I was happy with my LBD.