Help please! What to wear with this dress?!

[Cheeseandonioncrisp]

Hello,
I need some help please! I am going to a garden party for a big birthday next week and have no idea how to style this dress for it. What colour jacket/coat/cardigan would you suggest? And what shoes would go? I have nude block strappy heels but feel a bit bored of them...and like I could do something a bit more interesting. I am late 30s and suit neutral/warm toned colours if that helps, so gold rather than silver.

Would you do a long wool coat? A cropped jacket? Don't want to look too formal/mother of the bride! Thank you 🙏🏻

Nice dress! Nude sandals sound good if you already have them, or some in brown?

do you have a lightweight , light coloured jacket or blazer to wear?

Id be picking up the red flowers on the dress and looking for a stunning strappy red shoe. And maybe a wrap/ shawl type thing? It's a lovely dress.

From the pics the flowers look an orangey red so these from marks might work
www.marksandspencer.com/satin-ankle-strap-kitten-heel-sandals/p/clp60787993?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

I’d go for red shoes to make the dress pop.

A short fitted blazer.

The wonders of Ai!

Some lovely suggestions thank you! I was wondering about a red strappy shoe so might try some and can always go with my nude heels if not!

A cream short cardigan or fitted jacket looks the way to go too, that AI image is particularly helpful to visualise - thanks again ☺️

I already have this bag. Like these red strappy shoes - bit pricey so may try to find a similar look for cheaper elsewhere.

Would a cream bag and cream cardigan be too matchy matchy?

The dress is stunning in person, fits like a glove!

You might find something similar on vinted for 1/4 the price! Agree with others that a red shoe would look good :)

Would thin heels be practical at a garden party if you are walking around on grass, especially if it has been rained on?

Very good point 😬 Also if I'm on my feet all day a block heel would be much more sensible!

I LOVE Vinted and get a lot from there but sadly I think as the event is next week, that ship has sailed 🥲

If you really want to wear heels I'd deffo go for the block ones! I'm a fan of nude/neutral sandals but I know not everyone is.

It could feasibly be really chilly - will it be literally garden only or will there be somewhere to warm up if needed?

I'll be honest - it's not really my style of dress and I'm stumped for what I'd wear with it! I do have an off-white slightly cropped jacket that was very useful for the years of weddings I had in my 30s, but maybe a sort of fluffy mohair cropped cardigan?

This is a good point. Flats might be better

I think the AI visualisation is terrible. It has ruined a very pretty dress from a good brand and turned it into generic "occasion wear'.

The white cardigan is far too white. I would pick a cropped cotton cardigan picking out a colour in the dress, or even a navy cardigan and flats, also picking out a colour

There will apparently be covered outdoor areas with patio heaters but still expecting it to feel pretty chilly 😬

I like the idea of a slightly fluffier mohair cardigan to add a different texture

I'm only 5"3 so feel better in a little heel, especially in a long dress

I appreciate the feedback, I do know what you mean and as I suit quite classic, feminine styles I feel like I do often end up looking a bit twee and am wanting to move away from that a bit! Be a bit braver and bolder rather than always going for the safe option, but then it is very tempting to just wear something I already own!

A navy cardigan could work, I have one that I can try with it. Do you have any suggestions/links for possible shoes? 🙏🏻

I'd have a look at esska for shoes, they have block heels in loads of different colours and they're so comfortable you can stand in them all day. I like these

https://esskashoes.com/products/flora-red

A cropped cardigan would be good with that dress I think. It's a lovely dress, have a great time :)

I'm 5'3". I'm not "only 5'3". Most of my shoes for just about everything are from Pretty Ballerina. There's such a choice of colours

https://www.prettyballerinas.com/en-uk/collections/collection

You could wear Esska. Personally I really dislike platform soles. I hated them in 70s when I was a young teenager and they haven't improved since.

For cardigan - Palava. All of these will pick up colours in your dress.

https://palava.co/products/leah-blue-knitted-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/leah-green-knitted-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/leah-rose-knitted-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/leah-blue-basket-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/vera-teal-puffins-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/vera-green-edible-flowers-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/vera-blue-posies-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/fern-cardigan-mineral-blue-swallows