Help needed for an inveterate scruff who needs to look presentable for cocktails and a meal out with dh's new boss.

[LongTermLurker]

I'm 50, size 10-12, 5'6". Usually wear kinda frumpy cords and woolly jumpers. Was thinking of the same sort of garments but fancier....like a fancy jumper and, erm...nice cords? Also always wear sensible wide toe shoes like hobibear, and I'm unwilling to wear any heels. So maybe some nice looking comfy shoes?

Would prefer to get stuff on vinted if possible.

Pleeeaaase help 🥺

The skirt - yes, it's a Chinese skirt style that was the centre of controversy a while ago at Dior! They nicked the style & put it on the catwalk saying it was their design - cue lots of protests. But it did then become newly popular in China again, worn casually & for evening wear.

I am with your daughter on this one though ... the cultural appropriation thing can annoy me when it's closer to cultural appreciation, but the reason why I agree with your daughter is that it looks like fancy dress! It was worn as part of formal opera costumes originally - I don't think it fits easily into Western dress (unlike kimono-style jackets/coats).

Maybe if it was a loose interpretation/in the style of - but it's not, it's an actual Chinese opera skirt. (And I say this as someone who wore linen skirts embroidered with Celtic crosses & doves, that I'd had made from a priest's albs/robes, in my 20s ... That particular priest, my granny was housekeeper for & he was getting rid of them!).

I'm fine with brights, even garish ... but it doesn't go with the red jumper. And I can't think how to style it so that it doesn't look like fancy dress. Sorry - again ...!!!

Oh, & the L'Agence silk chiffon blouse. I love silk chiffon, but I'm afraid I think that blouse is drab too & I don't like the pattern ...

I didn't know the make & just looked it up. Very expensive, very conventional - & the styling 🙄!! They've somehow made £450 silk blouses look like polyester ones worn in a Littlewoods catalogue ... https://lagence.com/collections/blouses-tops

If your green paisley blouse doesn't arrive tomorrow, or your green jumper, then I'd wear your beige wide-leg trousers with the red jumper & the tweed jacket. Not sure what other footwear you have - not the high courts though. Do you have any smart trainers? Or time to go get loafers or flats from M&S as per ones above, or similar?

Ah but I thought that you ARE now wanting to be more "put-together" in terms of outfits that work?!!

I'm actually the same in terms of buying several of one thing - or variations on it. Off the top of my head I do it with:

• Whistles Annie sparkle jumpers ( I have about ten in various colours & fits!)
• Whistles Rosa cotton T-shirts
• Whistles flatform-style/chunky sandals
• Jigsaw "Crocus" (a silky satin fabric) skirts - probably have about seven of those ...
• Jigsaw trainers - several pairs, have three pairs of the Portand style
• Jigsaw double-face wool coats - my go-to ... I overheat a lot so like unlined coats!!
• Jigsaw plain silk-satin long-sleeved tops
• Jigsaw lace-trimmed camisoles
• Penelope Chilvers trainers - the velvet ones - & boots
• Levi 724 classic straight jeans
• Toast "Bryn" dress

Typing that out - & that's just the obvious ones - makes me realise what a creature of habit I am!!! I would say though that I wouldn't have as many of any of these if it weren't for eBay & Vinted. That's both a good & bad thing ...?!!

So, @LongTermLurker - how did it go? What did you wear? How is your "de-scruffing" your wardrobe plan going?!!!