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!

@NotDarkGothicMama If you're attending the evening part of the wedding OP, & it's at a castle in Scotland in May, were you thinking that the chiffon bolero would be what you'd wear to arrive in?

We might well have an amazing May, & it will be a balmy summer's evening - but I'm of the generation that was taught to always have clean underwear on & go for a pee before you leave the house!!

So I would assume that it could equally be a cool wet evening, or that the castle is draughty - or both - & have a light jacket as part of my outfit & possibly a shawl to throw over my shoulders later in the evening too.

I know some people have said to just carry a coat or jacket or shawl with you, but I would never pass over the opportunity to look for something to go with my outfit!

And this is why I don't usually dress up - the choices are overwhelming!

I chose the bolero because it's a short walk from our hotel to the venue and it would feel weird not wearing anything on top. I don't plan on keeping it on once there and it doesn't cover the beading on the dress, just the shoulders The shawl is fun but I'm mindful of the thoroughly modern Millie comment! Also, I'm not entirely sure how to wear a shawl. I bought a gorgeous one a few years ago but it keeps coming unwrapped/sliding off my shoulders when I actually use it, or I look like a Babushka doll.

The bolero really is awful and would you wear it again? If it"s cold enough to need a top layer just wear whatever coat, jacket or cardigan is right for the temperature. You'll take it off as soon as you arrive. The last evening wedding I went I wore a Barbour jacket on top to get there.

There are literally several gazillion better options in all styles, fabric and price ranges.

Ok, massive delivery today so here's the outfit with and without the bolero. Please ignore the cat toys decorating the background... The bolero's the wrong silver so sending back. Shoes are a bit too big and I can't walk in them - will swap for a smaller size and practice. I also realised that I'm about a foot shorter than the model wearing the dress.

Dress looks lovely on you, I like it longer. Definitely no bolero. I’m not a fan of necklace either I think it’s beautiful just dress on own.

Is it true to size? I’m tempted. Can I ask what height you are.

I'm 5'4" but got the dress from a seller on Vinted who'd had it shortened for her, so this isn't the original length. This is a size 12, a bit loose if anything but then I often find that with Phase Eight. I will definitely require some taping up on top of the built-in bra.

I'm not sure about the necklace either. I'm thinking about ditching it and going for full-on bling for the earrings.

The longer length on you looks much better than the mid calf length on the model.

It doesn't need a necklace. The bolero, if anything, looks even worse than on its website. On the no bolero picture I see an elegant dress; on the with bolero picture all I see is the bolero.

I agree. No bolero and I can steal DH's jacket and leave him to freeze if needed.

A man's suit jacket would go very well.

Vinted bargain. I had a look but nothing in my size.

I don't think the model is wearing the same dress as yours. If you're 5'4" the dress the model is wearing might be slightly longer but certainly not that much difference. If you count the sprays of flowers down the front of the dress there are more on yours.

The longer version is much nicer.

You're right, well spotted! It must have been an earlier version.

The dress is beautiful and definitely better in the longer length. I wouldn’t wear the necklace - it’s too much

I agree, wish it had longer sleeves

There is so much bling on the dress it definitely doesn’t need the necklace @NotDarkGothicMama and the top is definitely the wrong colour and “takes from” the dress.

You look fantastic, but I wouldn’t wear the bolero and the necklace is awful and distracting.

Agree. Ditch the bolero, and the necklace. The dress and shoes look great!

You look lovely in it.

Thankyou.

The necklace and bolero are going. I'm on the hunt for blinging earrings that don't dangle too much. And possibly a sparkly bracelet.

The dress is lovely & a very pretty colour.

The bolero just confirms my dislike of that particular style, I'm afraid!

I quite like shorter bolero-style jackets with certain outfits - the kind that are a proper jacket with a front - but this type of cut-away "shrug" makes it look like it won't meet across your boobs, & that your armpits are eating the fabric ...

I also like certain styles of kimono jackets/coats, capes etc for throwing on over evening dresses - & I LOVE opera coats! They're more 50s/60s though, whereas your dress looks 30s-ish.

You might already have something in your wardrobe (or your husband's!) that will do just fine if you need something for the walk to the castle. Do you have a lightweight (maybe grey or greenish wool or tweed) jacket or long coat or similar (as you mentioned about nicking your husband's jacket - poor man!)? I like a long coat or man's jacket thrown over a gown. Though a long coat worn over a long evening dress needs to be as long as, or longer than, the dress to look right, IMO.

The necklace detracts - it's for a plainer outfit. If you are going to go for blingier earrings, please check that they won't swing around too much! I liked the deco ones from Etsy that you posted as they were quite simple. Your dress is blingy enough (in a good way!).

Are you finding the shoes difficult to walk in just because they're too big? As if it's the height, then you'll be stuffed for dancing! If they seem fine in the size down, please wear them around the house loads beforehand - you don't want to have blisters at a ceilidh!

For the walk to the venue I have a plethora of jackets and coats to choose from depending on the weather, but if I hadn't and I really thought I couldn't wear anything I owned I'd go for a complete contrast rather than looking for something to match the dress.

Man's second hand dinner jacket or second hand tweed jacket. I mentioned a Barbour jacket - to get from A to B I'd consider that too.

I'm lucky enough to have a decent range of coats & jackets too, including a fair number of original vintage evening coats & jackets (which I often wear dressed down with jeans etc). The more ornamental ones would be too much with a blingy dress, so in this situation I'd probably bring one of my lightweight unlined wool wrap coats or similar. If it was warmish (which it might well be on a May evening), I think I'd just throw on my denim or leather jacket til we got to the venue!

If it's just for a ten minute walk though, I'd take one of three routes, in the following order of preference:

• 1: Wear something you or your husband already have, or borrow something from a friend.
• 2: Buy something you absolutely love, independently of this outfit, that you'll wear again & again (maybe that allows you to wear the shoes lots again too if you love them!).
• 3: Buy something cheap (though that option didn't work with the bolero). To me, that's the most wasteful - but it is more economical than Option 2.

@NotDarkGothicMama This is the sort of look I was meaning in relation to a coat or jacket you might (hopefully) already own?

The silver beading on the dress almost looks creamy white in the photo, @NotDarkGothicMama . So I think that's why darker greys look wrong - it would need to be silvery greys or even ivory/cream/white, if you wanted to coordinate what you are wearing on top?

I don't think you said what size you are, but if you did decide to go for something you really liked & you'd wear again, you would have a huge range of options open to you.

This one is along the lines of your bolero, but nicer, if you like that look & would wear again. Overpriced, but a dressmaker could make one for much less in silk organza. However, if the bolero was just a cheap cover-up option not to be worn again, ignore this.

Also wont keep out the chill if it's a cool evening ...!!

https://realry.com/en-gb/products/69a10741bd816d5fd007985a