Effortless and Cool

[PowderPants]

Please build me an outfit!
I’m off to London soon to meet a dearest friend for cocktails and dinner- will stay over. She is very London set and is very cool! I live in the country.
Can anyone build an outfit for me please which would be on trend and suitable. Not too “try hard” and one I can walk good distances in.
I have several large wardrobes, and lots of jewellery so may have elements in them already and spend a fortune on clothes but usually office wear, occasion wear or very casual nothing really for something like this (live in a Bretons, sezanne shirts and jeans at weekend)
I am 48, 5 ft 9 and a 12-14. I hate my arms so would prefer sleeves. Decent legs but I suspect trousers/top combo may be better here. I do love the Parisian (not London ) aesthetic.
Help!

Urgggh … At this time of year the very idea of ‘building an outfit’ is just way too much stress. Do you have anything like this in your wardrobe:

https://www.lemaire.fr/products/belted-rib-t-shirt-dress-women-bk998-squid-ink-lj1016-rib-jersey

Really easy to wear; add trainers or fisherman sandals or clumpy boots or whatever works for you. I invariably have a huge knit (Marni / Studio Nicholson / Margaret Howell) strewn somewhere about my body, but a sleeker dresser might prefer a silk bomber jacket or their vintage Le Smoking …

I’d start with what shoes you want to wear and build your outfit from there, do you have any in mind?

Midi dresses in black, white or a nice nude colour, chunky gold accessories, hair tied back or styled properly and some flip flops (simple leather), or ballet pumps. Avoid trainers, can look very shabby. Easy to take to evening with a pair of mules and statement clutch. A neat little cardi or structured jacket if the weather changes, and some cool sunnies. Easy as pie.

I’m immediately imagining wide linen trousers, vest top and a big necklace and bangle in matching metal (pick gold/silver according to your skin tone). Choose neutral block colours eg cream, black, khaki, stone, and good quality materials - linen, cotton.

Don't worry about having your arms out - it’s so hot! No one will care.

It’s going to be 32 degrees in London this week. And with the sun bouncing off the concrete it’s going to feel 40.
Im in town today and I’m wearing a white sheer silk parachute dress and sandals. I’m not carrying a layer as it’s too hot to.