What to wear with sleeveless velvet dress?

[CardiOnCardiOff]

I have a dress I got from Vinted, pretty much like this one, and I’d quite like to wear it to an event - but I’m not sure that sleeveless will be warm enough. I feel like I might need to have something with me at least to start with to cover shoulders/arms. But the dress has a nice waist and fit, and any sort of cardi looks a bit frumpy, as do pashminas, somehow just not working with velvet or overwhelming me or just covering up so much of it that I could be wearing anything.

is it really only a dress suitable for indoors with lots of heating? (By later in the evening, it might well feel warm) Or is there anything I can wear with it that might look ok, that I can take off as it warms up. (I will have to wear some kind of black camisole/vest under, as it’s a bit too low cut for me - I’m only 163cm and short torso!). I guess I’d wear black low heels and maybe black tights.

Oversized black blazer?

I'd wear a little faux fur jacket with that. I'm wearing a tulle skirt and velvet top to a wedding in a few weeks and will be throwing a fur jacket over it for going from car to venue and until I warm up a bit indoors.

Fur jacket is an interesting idea, might look on Vinted. I will be wearing a coat though for the actual outdoors part of getting to the venue. This is more just inside, as it could be a little drafty in places and at times. I'd like to easily be able to take it off to show the dress as soon as I can, but I might feel a little exposed with nothing to have with me to put on my shoulders just in case. So a blazer might be too much covered up. I wondered about a little cropped sort of cardi that just covered my shoulders, but not sure it works with velvet and with the sort of ruching on the bodice. I guess I don't mind if I'm a little chilly really, would rather the dress look nice, but don't want to feel uncomfortably exposed if other people are more warmly dressed! (mix of ages, men in suits/DJs, women in a whole variety of things, ranging from not so smart to quite smart). I could look for a different dress but this was a good deal and I loved the colour and feel of velvet.

Yes I love a fur jacket. Glamorous for the evening and would go well with the velvet.

Definitely a cropped fur jacket.

Even if you’re buying from Vinted I would browse a few properly fashionable sites first to see what looks current and how they’re styled. Zara might be a good place to start.

I think the right kind of cardigan can work but finding The One involves a lot of trial and error in my experience. It would also probably dress down the whole outfit. If you don't want to do that, then I'd also go for a short faux fur jacket, or a stole if you want to glam things up further.

It's a shame I can't just put on the dress and wander around town trying on various jackets/cardigans, but I think I might get a few looks!! :)
Online ordering might be the thing and/or if I get a good idea of what works, I could then try vinted. I have a couple of weeks at least.

I don't think you would get looks. Not with a coat over it. I'd do that.

Also I'm not sure how far off the event is, but that style would look pretty with a sheer sleeve put into it in a near-match colour. So you still see the style of the dress and your arms through it, but it just adds a "draught" layer and also helps sort the appearance of any white, goosebumpy arms etc.

It's a shame I can't just put on the dress and wander around town trying on various jackets/cardigans,
I think that's a good idea actually! It's what we used to do before internet shopping.
I've still got some cropped cashmere cardigans from around 2008 that look luxurious (if a bit worn) but stop at the waist. Something like that might do the trick

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/black-faux-fur-cropped-jacket-o254961blk?variant=54729023816065&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Nobodys_Child-UK-PMax-All-DT%2BTA-SE-ePmax-Tier+4&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20969365384&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIVIq7oTxSFb2trU5m33rH65b&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoZDJBhC0ARIsAERP-F__8ssURAhv7o385PwWBPsGpyfT9VcSYMPhy40GlIbbtbyRrisNHxwaAtCcEALw_wcB

yes, something like this

oh, thanks for the ideas.

I was wondering about a sheer cardi/crop sort of thing or lace, but the fur or cashmere would look quite luxurious.

I hadn't thought about an underlayer, but that could be worth trying something on - maybe I will go in wearing the dress after all! or at least carrying it in a bag - as I do have to wear something under anyway in order to make it not quite so low cut. So maybe there would be a suitable top that does both things. I'd been assuming a black sort of camisole as actually matching would be hard to find, but teal is very in these days so there could be things that would work.

Sheer long sleeve bodysuit underneath

Or something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womens-Knitted-Cardigan-Crochet-EU36-38/dp/B00YZB2QK2/ref=asc_df_B00YZB2QK2?mcid=2630ee803cbe33f39f68078bc71b7aba&hvocijid=8539009487811673657-B00YZB2QK2-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8539009487811673657&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9209800&hvtargid=pla-2281435176698&psc=1&gad_source=1

Oh, @CardiOnCardiOff - please don’t ruin the dress by adding a visible vest underneath. Take it to an alterations service to have the V neckline slightly altered so it works for you.

Don’t wear a cardigan with it.

Oh do you think that would really spoil it then? I was thinking just some kind of panel/vest so that everything wasn’t quite so on show as I’m short and have a short torso. Maybe it isn’t really going to be the dress for me in the end, but it’s a lovely colour and style. I might have gone for a smaller size if I’d been buying from new though, but that might not have solved the deep-V anyway and might have made it tighter elsewhere.

I am not sure it could really be altered much. I just need to be taller!

I can see several points where it could be altered, and I’m no seamstress, just accustomed to having things altered. They might shorten the bodice from the shoulders - which would make the V less deep. Or unpick the bodice and resew with a closer joining point. Or (and I could do this myself) just draw the two side of the V together.

But anyway, if you’ve bought a bigger size than your measurements, of course you should get it altered to fit properly! Google ‘best alterations service in X’ (‘your town’ and look them all up. Choose one and book a time slot.

I agree I think wearing something under it will spoil the look. If you really must, something black and lacy would probably be the least worst, but given you bought it from Vinted and the cost of alterations (unless you can do it yourself), you'd be better to look for something that fits you better.

I’d never wear fur with velvet. I think for me they are both too similar in the way the light hits them, so would be thinking silky or gauzey finishes or a jacket. That Vnevk could be very easily altered.

Definitely a cropped faux fur jacket
maybe in white/cream if you want a wintry vibe

Maybe drawing the V together I could do myself, actually. I was thinking the whole bodice might need taking in to make it smaller but maybe just bringing the V together could be done. No sizes ever fit me perfectly so it’s always a compromise! It probably would look better if I could make it less deep instead of the lacy vest.

Hmm … If it didn’t occur to you before you’re probably not a seamstress - so I’d get an expert to do it. A second hand dress with clumsy alterations isn’t really what anyone wants.

Interesting point of view, @Ohthatsabitshit! I disagree, but have to say my very first thought was a cropped leather bomber jacket. Didn’t suggest it as the right sort of thing might be prohibitively expensive - and possibly not the kind of look the OP is aiming for.

A cropped translucent bomber jacket could also work - but wouldn’t provide any warmth.

I have a velvet jumpsuit that I have similar issues with (and it is also low cut)
The sheer long sleeve bodysuit underneath works really well and gives some coverage on the cleavage area without any alterations.

It has also gave some of my other dresses a lease of life in winter.

You can order one next day delivery from ASOS to try and send back if you don't like the look.

I also wear velvet and fur together! 😁

I have to confess, I'd sew it up myself. And, if I wasn't totally satisfied, I'd pin a brooch on top But I am a bodger by trade and I really shouldn't encourage you.

I'm not a seamstress for sure, but I don't mind having a go at things that don't require unpicking first, as then at least if it all goes wrong, I've not done anything too permanent! :) And yes, cheap is good. I do have other options if I can't get this to look right/feel comfortable.

I don't think I need a lot of warmth really, but just a little, and more that I want to have something with me in case I feel too exposed or it looks like I'm overdressed or whatever, or if it's really chilly and everyone else is covered up and I look like I'm trying too hard. But I don't want to totally freeze, either.