Date Night outfit suggestions

[DeedlessIndeed]

Help!

DH and I are going to a nice, fairly relaxed michellin star restaurant for our next date night.

I am a SAHM to a toddler and DH and I only go out together child-free on a date once a month. I feel I always wear the exact same thing when we do go out, but want to feel a bit nicer.

Can anyone recommend?

I'm 5'10 and a size 16 at the moment, with wide shoulders and hips. Since DD I also have a bit of a tummy and my boobs have almost disappeared so I feel I'm not the easiest shapes to dress for right now!

Budget not a problem - I don't mind treating myself, but would like something I can re-wear.

Envious of your height!!

I love a tiered skirt.
www.allsaints.com/women/skirts-and-shorts/eva-tiered-midi-skirt/W010RZ-5883.html

You could wear this. I am too short 😔 love the pinky one.

https://www.allsaints.com/women/skirts-and-shorts/maxi-skirts/arlea-tulle-maxi-skirt/W031RD-5.html

Riffing on @ANagsHead 's suggestions, what about a leather maxi skirt, kitten heels/pointed flats, & maybe a silk or lace top?

This is a rather lovely skirt, & I think it will be much better quality than the TopShop one.

https://www.massimodutti.com/gb/nappa-leather-midi-skirt-with-seams-l05374694?pelement=59255132&colorId=800&style=0

And there's nothing wrong with that, when done well. But that outfit from Next looks like the stuff they used to churn out as office wear in the 80s & 90s.

A pair of heavyweight matte satin wide trousers & a loose-knit black mohair sweater (I have a fab by Malene Birger one, which I got from Vinted) would look simple & elegant. I find that wearing sensual fabrics like silk/satin/angora/suede that I love the feel of makes me feel more attractive!

Definitely do not do puff sleeves and shoulders with wide shoulders. I have broad shoulders and they look awful.
A drop shoulder, floaty sleeve, halter neck or asymmetric top works best.

I really like this Reiss camisole & It would look good with a leather skirt, or fine wool wide-leg trousers (or indigo denim ones if you're just wanting to diversify a little bit!!!).

In fact, I like it so much I might buy it & tell my partner to take me to a Michelin-starred restaurant too ... (he hates fussy food!!!)

https://www.reiss.com/style/su782319/w72750

Disagree (partly) about halternecks. They looked good on me when I was young & boney - they don't look so good now that I'm larger & my upper arms are slightly flabby.

Also (partly!!) disagree about puff sleeves. Yes they're not great for the broad-shouldered if there is a lot of material gathered at the shoulder seam & puffing out horizontally. Less so if they're cut so that they're only very lightly gathered at the shoulder seam, & then flare out & down before being ruched/gathered in - if that makes sense? More of a bell shape?

What about 80s-style shoulder pads though ... 😁?!!!

I wasn’t suggesting halter necks would look good on someone with flabby arms - flabby arms is a tough one, and hard disagree that any type of puff sleeve looks good on anyone with broad shoulders.
You’re spot on about the shoulder pads though 💯

some of these outfit suggestions are lovely but very mumsy/older lady. And as it’s a date night I agree something abit sexier would fit the bill better.
I love the burgundy silky/lace camisole somebody posted, either with jeans, wide legged trousers or leather trousers/skirt. With some kitten heels. Very sexy, flattering and on trend right now.

not sure why somebody suggested the OP is feeling body conscious, she didn’t say that in her post.

I'm currently eyeing up both of these pairs of trousers from Autograph, which I think would pair well with that camisole, OP. The first pair is a fine wool-blend & could be very loose & wide & beautifully swooshy - or they could look like a skirt ... not sure as I've yet to try them on!

https://www.marksandspencer.com/lyocell-rich-wide-leg-trousers-with-wool/p/clp60778404?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

https://www.marksandspencer.com/silk-pull-on-wide-leg-trousers/p/clp60737965?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

She said that she was 5'10 & size 16 with "wide shoulders and hips" & that since having had her daughter she had a "bit of a tummy and [her] boobs have almost disappeared ... so [she feels that she's] not the easiest shape to dress for right now".

To me, that didn't sound like someone who would rush to wear a long, fitted leather dress, which had been the suggestion of another PP. And the OP confirmed that in her last post, when she said that she was "definitely lacking some body confidence".

I love this dress.

The first broderie anglais navy one is lovely too, but screams more day wear / holiday to me than date night!

I thought Rixo had some lovely bits recently , really nice prints and colours.

I agree, it is more day time vibe.

The wyse dress is lovely. This shape is lovely - but the raspberry colour is a bit bold for me.

Love a wide leg trouser, but need a 34" inner leg at minimim, depending on the style.

Which to get in anything other than a poor quality poly-fabric is surprisingly tough!

I’d personally go for this option. Rather that than a dress you may not wear again. I do love dresses though!

Most importantly you need to feel like yourself. Rather than go out on a limb with a dress that's a big departure from what you'd normally wear, if that's wide leg jeans and a shirt or jumper, I'd just try to level that up a bit.

I'd stick a black 100% washed silk cami under a black fluffy mohair cardigan, my favourite jeans and nice undies, big chunky earrings, and a couple of big bangles. See how you go, and maybe keep your eye out for a gorgeous leather skirt for next time?

You've reminded me of another dress that's a bit similar in shape to the second pink Wyse one. It's still in the sale & the more I look at it the more I love it.

It's a cotton sateen maxi - with pockets - which would work for holidays or meals out or wedding guest attire, IMO, depending on accessories!!

All you'd need to think about is earrings & sandals & you'd be set to go ...!!

(I know you're veering towards separates, but I just wanted the excuse to post it again 😁)

https://joseph-fashion.com/products/bellan-cotton-sateen-dress-blue-jf0093721410

I'm tall too and my weight has fluctuated, so I have an understanding of the brief!

I personally feel most confident in slim fitting trousers, not wide leg. Being tall, and with a generous bum and having long legs, I personally find wide leg not very flattering on me, as it makes me feel dominated by them. An outfit I wore which did work for me was: slim fitting trousers, a v neck silk camisole (the kind with wider straps as I don't like spaghetti straps) and a ruched, 3/4 sleeve blazer.

The silk camisole added a hint of sex appeal (IMHO!) and the slimmer fit trousers definitely didn't swamp me like the wide leg. Silk camis are in at the moment, especially with lace on the neckline - that looks lovely. The ruched sleeve blazer looked dressy (not office) and showed off wrists and arms.

That would just leave shoes. I think something that looks dainty works well for an evening look. I think I wore black suede pointed kitten heel ankle boots as it was winter. As it's spring now, I'd suggest flat or kitten heel slingback shoes - there's lots of them around at the moment.

For a date night, I personally wouldn't wear a cotton broderie shirt dress type thing, even if you can wear it again. if you pick separates carefully you can wear them all again together or with different outfits.

Also, to add, I do have one pair of wide leg trousers that I like that I don't find dominating, they are very fine printed silk. Anything heavier than that (cotton, linen etc) makes me feel heavy. The fine silk ones are very draped and waftey. Although they are heavily patterned in muted shades, if they were plain/single colour it wouldn't work - the pattern kind of adds interest). So if you do like a wide leg for date night, I'd consider for something silky and drapey.

I can imagine. I'm tall but an inch or so shorter than you, OP - so I am generally fine with the upper end of high street brands - Jigsaw, M&S Autograph etc. Though, as the vogue right now is to have your wide-leg trews pooled around your feet (& covered in mud ... 😁!!), some of the "standard" versions may be cut longer than usual right now? Also, I find that an elastic waist gives a wee bit of leeway in terms of where the trousers sit on me. So it might be worth you trying the Autograph ones - maybe even going a size up?

Have you tried Me+Em? They tend to be longer than usual. And really well-cut & good-quality, even their synthetics.

Whistles also seems to often be slightly longer, or used to be anyway. Not bought trousers from there for a while. These are shown on a 5'10" model though?

I like the waist detail. Though elastic + Michelin-starred restaurant = the way to go for me!!!

https://www.whistles.com/product/textured-satin-pintuck-trouser-40374.html

Another dress option - in case you're considering one still! And because it is new in at Autograph & you said you liked mossy greens, & I think it's a lovely!! It's a slightly fuller & more forgiving variant on a slip dress. If the weather is less than spring-like, you could wear it with slim, knee-high black kitten-heeled leather boots & a black fine wool blazer?

https://www.marksandspencer.com/satin-ruffle-maxi-slip-dress/p/clp61215660?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

Or you could wear it with a loose black mohair, angora or cashmere sweater on top - a lacy or cobweb open knit, or off-shoulder, or fluffy - or all three ...

This is an oversized mohair V-neck one from H&M.
https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.1246187001.html

Or this more delicate alpaca-mix one from Jaki (no idea what they're like as a brand, though! But it is two-thirds alpaca & well-reviewed, & looks like a really nice shape).
https://jaki.co.uk/products/willow-boxy-sweater-black