Naice Dinner in London - what to wear…?

[baggyleggings]

Advice needed please. I’m going to London for a weekend next week to meet up with some good friends whom I don’t see very often. One of my friends (lives in London, high earning man) has suggested that we go somewhere ‘special’ for dinner. Am trying to play it a bit cool and not ask for specifics! What should I wear?

I live rurally and generally dress up a pair of jeans to go out from home.

I have a flattering LBD which I could wear. What with though? Would silver ballet pumps and bear legs work? What about a kimono style shruggy thing over the top? Expect it will still be quite warm.

I have a green satin calf-length skirt or wide leg linen trousers. Or dresses in other colours.

Don’t really want to buy new if I can avoid it.

Thanks for reading.

Not really the attitude for S&B!

"YSL jacket and gym shorts". 😂
I like the sound of the wide legged linen trousers, with a plain T-shirt.
The green skirt is a good shout.
I live in Golders Green, which no doubt some will find horribly provincial, but people do seem to dress up a bit to go out.

‘Somewhere special’ covers a multitude- you need to ask your friend to be a bit more specific. There are so many different ‘scenes’ in London or any big city, it’s hard to adviae unless we know where you’re going.

Londoners can't win on these threads, if we say wear whatever you want as there are nearly 10 million people here so there is no one dress code then we are trying to be cool/sneery/make you feel like a bumpkin! If we say dress down the same. If we say dress up then we would be doing you a disservice!

I have no idea what sort of response people are looking for, presumably not an honest or helpful one.

If I were going out to a posh restaurant in eg Newcastle and I asked for advice about what I should wear, I would expect to be told by people from Newcastle what is the norm there and not get all chippy about it. (this is not aimed at the OP who seems the opposite of this and all the clothes she mention sound perfect)

@OldieButBaddie If I were going out to a posh restaurant in eg Newcastle and I asked for advice about what I should wear,

Wear what you like! Anything goes. There is no one dress code.

See, would that be helpful..?

Yes, if it were true!
I have never been to Newcastle so have no idea!

I am actually planning to visit Newcastle for the weekend next year so maybe I should be asking. DH was there for work and said people were quite glam so I was thinking I would take a nice dress and some actual shoes, not trainers, just in case.

Londoners can't win on these threads

Well for starters they could drop the
nonsense about "out of towners" and "
bridge and tunnel" or the supremely
unhelpful "I wear jeans everywhere"

Of course it's true. It's a city, not a members club, why would there be a specific dress code? Londoners might want to try going north of the M25 once in a while, expand their horizons.

Most places post-covid are a lot more casual than they used to be. People on here seem to think it's just London for some reason, and that the rest of us get dolled up to go to the local Di Maggios.

ETA - posted before I saw your edit. Shoes are fine, trainers are fine, dresses are fine, trousers are fine. I dress more for the occasion and the establishment than the city so it depends what you plan to do.

Agree with you about ignoring the opinions of people who use the phrase.

Am depressed though that you managed to sneak cultural wars into this. Bloody 2025.

Actually I went to Edinburgh last weekend on the train, the reason I wanted to visit Newcastle is how lovely all the train staff were (they were all from Newcastle) and they talked to me about the city and how great it is. We don't all just stay in London you know, we are let out from time to time.

Of course it's true. It's a city, not a members club, why would there be a specific dress code?

This. I just don't get it. I've never been in Newcastle, were I to be in Newcastle, I'd wear the same as I wear in Edinburgh, London, Paris , Amsterdam, Venice, Vienna et al, suitably adjusted for the weather at the time.

I don't like glammed up, blow dried hair, highly made up ever and I don't do jeans and trainers ever. I'm not going to change that just because of where I am.

I have to go to London once a week and I get the vibe that people there think they look a lot better than they actually do aka many seem to aim for insouciant but land on sad.

London has never been known for its effortless, casual style. That artfully unbuttoned thing is a continental thing. London style has always been about actually giving a fuck about pushing the envelope and having some goddamn sass about it. They should be glad the provincials actually come by and bring a bit of attitude with them while they're all wandering around in their macs and leggings hoping they look french

Yep the Geordies love a night out, dress and heels is still a thing up here, but there is also a crowd in wide legs and tops.
The youngsters are generally in skin tight dresses and bum skimming skirts, (my teen DS mates and GF.)
Usually trousers and a smart shirt or crisp T for the lads

Just why does there have to be this kind of attitude on here? 🤷‍♀️

These are just the type of trousers an out-of-towner might wear, in the misguided belief that anything goes in London. Totally inappropriate for August.

Apologies@jamnpancakes, just realised my hilarious comment comes across as needlessly aggressive without your pic!!

It's funny if you scroll back but without the picture, the "out of towner" comment seems twat-ish. With the picture it's clear you're making fun of posters who banged on about "out of towners"

Who cares if you 'stand out' for dressing up, wear what you feel comfortable in. There's nothing wrong with making an effort and if it makes you feel good, go for it.

Why be so dismissive of jeans?

There are jeans and there are jeans. Not all jeans are boring and dull. One can still take an active and passionate interest in clothes, fashion, style and still wear jeans to pretty much everything. I love denim, always have. Jeans for me are a great modifier. They can be dressed up and dressed down and with a fee exceptions, can be worn pretty much anywhere and for anything. If in doubt, I usually wear jeans these days. Some of the best-dressed women I know default to jeans too. Sometimes, wearing jeans can make as much of a statement if not more than wearing a dress or skirt.

Went for dinner last night in Soho. Was wearing denim, double denim in fact, with the denim being different shades of blue and weight of fabric. A denim top with huge sculpted sleeves, pleated wide leg Raey jeans, gold low-heeled Khaite sandals, a vintage Miu Miu bag and great jewellery. My hair was braided. Had several people ask if I worked in fashion, which I did once upon a time. Funnily enough, one of my party was wearing a beautiful Molly Goddard dress. I actually got more compliment than she did!

That poster's contribution was* *

I wear jeans to pretty much everything I go to. High end restaurants included. People who really dress up stick out more in my opinion.

Not helpful for what the OP was asking. Your own outfit would fail as clearly it did stick out.

People referring to being able to identify ‘out of towners’ by how they dress is making me cringe so hard I may never recover.
No one can spot where you’re from by how you dress!
Just wear what makes you feel good. Dressing up is great and everyone should do it if they want.
Ick though. The ick is strong for the professional Londoners who think they will spot you just from your outfit alone.

It's awful, isn't it? Such snobbery.

A small number of Londoners advocate for less is more as being most stylish. In fact not trying at all, “just wearing whatever they’re comfortable in”. It’s a wealth and privilege thing.

Some of those people used to look down on handbags and gladrags, print and up dos, heels and no coat, bright and tight materials. Saturday night no coat. Although I thought we left this behind in the 90s.

I did adapt to a London minimalist bland look when I lived there - never, ever, look like you tried - but I found it so BORING thankfully I eventually got over myself.

A London fashion era I’d love to visit is Carnaby street circa 1966. The colour!

Anyway this is all off topic really but I enjoyed the thread as I often do in S&B and wish you a lovely evening OP! Let us know what you wore!

I would agree with you, @EdisinBurgh . Good points. Although, if you read @bunnybunnybunnybunny , it's kind of the opposite - labels count. So it's kind of more is more.

Just catching up with the thread as I was at the beach and without signal all day yesterday. Some really great advice here - thank you.

Sadly, I have no vintage YSL to dust off and I don’t think that cycling shorts will suit my bear-legs - the fabric will get caught on my fur!

I’m heading to the shops today and will look for simple things that I can team with the green satin skirt I think. I’ve got a small silver shoulder bag, so that will work with my shoes. Will keep you posted!