How would you style this dress for an evening reception?

[NotDarkGothicMama]

DH and I are going to a colleague's evening do for their wedding in May. I have this dress that has been sitting in my wardrobe waiting for an occasion to wear it, but no idea how to style it. Makeup, nails, shoes, jewellery, bag... no clue.

The reception is at a very posh hotel in Scotland. I don't wear high heels and the reception involves a ceilidh, so comfortable footwear is a must. Looking at a budget of £200 for the shoes, jewellery and bag. I'm 5'4", size 10-12, mouse blonde shoulder-length hair, usually found in jeans and a hoodie. My hair is as flat as a pancake so will be pinned up in an up do to keep it out of the way.

Any help from people with an iota of dress sense would be very much appreciated!

Sorry but I think those shoes are Not Nice - although I agree that the navy ballet shoes don’t really work.

I’d lean into the slightly flapper style I think and pair it with ‘T-bar’ style shoes with a low heel, picking out one of the accent colours from the dress and then a silver fringed handbag. Something like these 🙂

I’d wear silver ballet flats, maybe something like this:

https://www.oliverbonas.com/accessories/alohas-luke-shimmer-silver-metallic-leather-ballet-flats-364782?utm_source=google&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=free_listings&utm_term=41-553-476-1213&srsltid=AfmBOorqPk-mQoK94EBgXILK3fsU-VPgPCiIP74WsnsMFaTVRKsdo7Gg8mU

I nearly posted that silver fringe bag! I like it a lot, but I decided it might stray too much into fancy dress territory, which I think needs to be avoided.

Yes I agree, and hair neat and tied back or in a bun.

This dress is gorgeous but they’ve strangely made it look a bit slutty with their styling. You can improve on this OP!

Slutty?????!!!!!!! Jesus… do people really still use that word?

I'd go for a pair of low or flat Esska shoes. I also don't do heels, but bought a pair of the Charlie sandals (mid-heel ones) for a 40th and there were insanely comfortable. I was on the dancefloor (an uneven marquee one at that) all night and my feet didn't even ache the next day. Which is some sort of miracle as I hadn't worn heels for about 5 years prior.

Anyway - they have lots of lower and flat options that would look great with that dress and will be an investment as will be the only pair of party shoes you ever need, especially if you get them in a neutral colour like silver or gold

https://esskashoes.com/products/aurora-vegan-embossed-platinum

It's such a lovely dress - I would only caution that to keep it calm on the accessories and let the dress and all its detailing speak for itself. No necklace. One piece of jewellery - like the green deco earrings posted by a PP or a similarly deco bracelet. One plain clutch in a colour from the detailing. And very simple dance shoes / Mary Janes - whatever the heel.

I think that rope necklace and a sparkly chain bag will have you veering into Thoroughly Modern Millie territory.

I'm not great at fashion advice but I have been to a lot of ceilidhs....
If you think a ceilidh is 'just dancing' then I don't think you've been to any good ceilidhs. Obviously how physical it is depends on the dances they play and who is dancing.
Personally I wouldn't wear a long necklace, there can be a lot of twirling and it would fly everywhere. Also make sure the soles of the shoes aren't slippy.

Definitely not. Those are old fashioned and too clunky and clumpy for that dress

I also think that you should be careful with jewellery. If your hair is up some simple silver drop earrings would be enough. The dress is is lovely but quite embellished.
I think a clutch might look nice
https://www.whistles.com/product/elita-double-pouch-clutch-36432.html

It's lovely!

Personally I would keep everything else simple and minimal to let the dress shine. Flat shoes, hair up, earrings and/or bracelets but no necklace and a nice bag - a lot of high street stores have nice evening bags for very reasonable prices.

I'd style with nude or silver pointed sling back kitten heels. I'd also choose a dainty necklace that rests just under my collar bone, small or huggie hoop earrings and a plain bag to let the dress do the talking.

So did my niece 🥰

No necklace, the drop earrings suggested would work very well with hair up, simple siver pouch and consider a nice pair of shoes to arrive in and something to change into to dance. Actual ballet shoes, or satin converse type shoes. Gorgeous dress.

I would suggest googling "embossed clutch bag mint green" and looking at pics. Something like these would look pretty. The hard cased clutches are great and IME can hold a light wrap if needed.

That's a stunning dress, so it needs no ornament really! The bags in the post above are perfect. I would wear ballet flats in the same turquoise colour or possibly in silver.

Silver jewellery if you enjoy wearing jewellery but I wouldn't buy any specifically - the dress is so lovely it doesn't require it.

Fairly natural, pale makeup I would say. If you do your nails, consider doing them in matching turquoise? Or a pale pink?

Have fun. I am SO jealous of this dress, it's lovely!

Agree entirely, @potas !!!

That was a funny thread you mentioned, @Oblivionnnnn - but it also had a lot of good advice on it. It was just very difficult - if you've never been to an average wedding ceilidh in Scotland - to pick out the good advice from the more nuts stuff!!! Must try to find it ...

The first ceilidh I ever went to here (I moved to Scotland at 18, so 41 years ago ...) was a very posh event. I wore a fab tulle vintage dress with huuuuge long Perspex chandelier earrings. I hadn't thought about either their weight or the fact that they were clip-ons - & during the first dance one flew off & landed in a man's big silver beard!!! He was lovely about it - just advised me to take the other earring off (along with my kitten heels!) & keep dancing!!

This is the thread you meant, @Oblivionnnnn ???

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5470998-dress-for-a-black-tie-ceilidh

I'm a big fan of Whistles bags & shoes (& Jigsaw). The quality is as good as some designer brands & mine have all lasted forever.

There are a few silver Whistles bags on eBay but absolutely loads on Vinted. Depends if you want a clutch, @NotDarkGothicMama , or one that you can put over your shoulder/crossbody, which might be useful at some points during the day/evening.

I have this one in three different metallic colours! It's really useful as it's not teeny-tiny (it's 30x21cm, which I like for its usefulness, plus I think will look more modern than a little beaded thing) - & you can tuck the chain inside if you'd prefer it as a clutch. There are other smaller clutch versions of it on Vinted too. Note most are a silver crackle-effect leather, but a few are more matte grained silver leather.

A bargain £10!!!

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/8090090713-whistles-sparkly-silver-zip-clutch-bag-with-removable-chain-strap

Very pretty, but as others have said, it's actually very important to be careful with jewellery at a ceilidh (see my cautionary tale on this thread!).

The dancing is fast & vigorous!! So long glass earrings, flapper-style necklaces or anything that could fly about & get tangled in your hair (or someone's else's), or hit your own cheek as you fly around the floor & cause cuts/scratches, isn't a good idea. And the dress doesn't need much jewellery as it's so heavily beaded/embroidered already.

Of course, @NotDarkGothicMama , you could remember to take off all that jewellery before you start dancing - but I'd be likely to forget ... Ditto with changing shoes for dancing. It's perfectly possible to find lovely AND suitable shoes & jewellery, & then you don't need to worry about taking someone's eye out - or breaking your ankle!

I can't keep slingback kitten heels on at the best of times, let along at a ceilidh! They'd be lethal - for the OP & the other dancers!!

That previous thread I posted had lots of discussion about shoes at ceilidhs. The consensus (if there was one!) was two kinds of shoe, broadly either:

• Flat/very low ballet pumps/Mary Janes - but always with some kind of elastic/strap/tie to hold your foot in; or
• Proper dance shoes like a tango shoe with a low heel & secure strap.

Both should have soles with a bit of grip that you can spin around in. Not sure that your pumps would cut it?

I love these - though they may not be quite right for your dress.

https://penelopechilvers.com/products/minnie-leather-pump-silver