What Do You Wear When Going For A Meal

[GreyRooted]

Help please! I’ve been looking for tops today and my head is pickled. I must have scrolled thousands.

I’m going for a meal on Saturday night with DH - country pub with restaurant so smart casual. I normally wear wide leg trousers with a satin vest top or a dress in the summer, but I’m struggling for winter because most stuff is either sequins (too early?) or long sleeved - peri and temp regulation issues mean I struggle with longer sleeves. I’ve recently lost weight as well so my previous go to tops are too big (had them taken in and they’re big again so can’t take them in anymore).

I’m currently approx 18/20 on both top and bottom. I’d say I’m an hourglass shape but with a tummy and boobs.

Any ideas would be gratefully received!

Is it something messy like lobster? Will you be wearing a bib?

Tops from Yours clothing are worthwhile.

I really need the laugh react back! 🤣 Not messy, no but that’s not to say I won’t need a bib!

I wouldn't think to change out of whatever I was already wearing for a meal in a pub

i’m not trying to do the whole competitive underdressing thing but for an evening meal in a gastopub I would wear a ‘nice’ version of what I would wear in the day time. So my smartest, best fitting jeans, a quality cotton tee, whatever shoes were weather appropriate. Maybe a biker jacket or cardigan over the top instead of a fleece, nice hair, make up, jewellery on.

I’d probably wear a short-sleeved tunic top from FatFace or White Stuff or Seasalt. I have several in the wardrobe to choose from.

I normally wear casual type clothes during the day - vests and stretchy trousers - and they’re not really suitable for going out. It’s a lovely pub, and the restaurant is nice so it’s more like jeans/trousers and a nice top. Nothing too fancy but not totally casual either.

I'd wear a day dress. The last time I went for a pub meal I wore a knee length dress from New Look, with full sleeves.

Get onto the M&S website or app and filter on sleeveless tops. Quite a few possibilities that would work well with jeans or trousers.

What about something like this?

Thw sleeves are sheer, it's dressy but not overly?

I’d usually wear either my seasalt corduroy dress or a suede skirt + knit top. But I’m terrible at the jeans-and-top combo.

I've just been out for my G D 21st meal in a pub, i wore wide leg jeans and lace long sleeve top with a thin strappy top underneath

So, I’ve just taken delivery of a few hundred £££s worth of tops and OMG, they’re mostly crap. There are a couple I like - one a satin vest but the fit of it is terrible. I don’t mean too small/big, I mean massive gapey armholes, and the v neck bit doesn’t even lay flat!

Back to the drawing board! 🙄

I'd probably wear a loose day dress or skirt with a jumper and my biker boots. And nothing white because I always seem to manage to spill food on myself when I wear white😳

For a gastropub I’d be in jeans and a high neck sleeveless top. No matter how naice it was. I wore the same for various Michelin starred gastro pubs in the home counties and London and all the other patrons were dressed similarly. No need to overthink it. I am a Londoner though; anything that’s looks too ‘try hard’ is always sneered at.

Definitely not sequins though!!!

I have lots of loose linen tops so would probably wear one of those at this time of year, with a jacket or cardigan if it was cool.

Why cant you wear the satin vest tops you said you wear. Or are they the ones you're saying are too big now?

I like getting dressed up to go out, its the only time I can wear my nice clothes

I try not to wear white though or anything where the sleeves might dangle in my dinner or the candle in the middle of the table, Im a classic for burning my own wrist

With kindness OP, you’re overthinking this. Ordering hundreds of £££s worth of tops to try and find something to wear to the pub is a little excessive. Just pop on a t-shirt and jacket, or nice cardigan. You’re going to upset yourself over this. It’s a pub, the weather is crap, people will be wearing comfortable clothing. Just enjoy the meal and your DH’s company 👌🏻

This. I think you are overthinking this OP.

Thanks for the input. I might be overthinking it but I like to try and look different from my everyday comfies. I don’t get out much and that’s the reason I like to have a nice top or something to go with my jeans. Like I say, the restaurant part is nice (as is the pub) and most people make a bit of an effort.

Yeah, they’re too big now. Though I’ve just tacked them to see if I can tweak them a bit without it looking odd and it seems to have worked so I’ve got them to fall back on once I’ve sewn them properly.

I’m the same. I’m housebound a lot and live in comfy, lounge type clothes most of the time, so I like to make a bit of an effort when I go out anywhere. It’s the only time I get chance really. And I’m not looking for anything ott, just the ‘jeans and a naice top’ combination we often read about.

Find a pretty thinnish cardigan to wear over the satin vest tops?

Absolutely no harm in making the most of an opportunity to dress up. Dressing up brings me immense joy (actually, wearing my favourite things every day gives me joy).

In terms of what I would wear: a cream silk shirt (or a cropped v-neck cardigan), jeans, ankle boots or slingback small heels and a standout coat (vintage brocade swing coat, tweed cape, billowy camel coat). Perhaps a leather clutch bag to make it dressier. Natural make-up.

Would probably add big earrings to the mix but that depends on how striking the coat is.

This isn't dissimilar to my day dressing, barring the clutch and heels.

The thing is though, there are pubs and pubs- I wouldnt wear the same thing to an after work boozer for a pie and a pint as to a country log fire type pub for lamb shank, as to a market town microbrewery. And if you have lost weight, like the op has, then I think ordering a load of tops and seeing what you like is probably a v good idea!

Exactly, not sure why people are asking why OP is wanting to dress up. Jeans and a top is what I would wear to the shops so I dont want to wear that out to a nice dinner so I would want to have a nice top and nice trousers.