Need help deciding what to wear to a fancy work dinner tomorrow

[hytury]

Hi all, 30F here. I got invited to a dinner tomorrow night with some senior execs and an important client fancy restaurant, "informal" but clearly not casual, there'll be actual business talk mixed in with the socializing. I've genuinely never been to this kind of thing before so I have no idea how to calibrate.

I've narrowed it down to 4 dresses and I keep going back and forth

1. floral maxi dress (green/pink pattern) feels elegant and covers a lot, but maybe too brunch and not enough dinner with executives

1. leopard print gown, more fitted with a deep-ish neckline feels the most fancy dinner to me but I'm worried clevage visble

1. A green midi dress simple, safe, but maybe too plain for the setting

4.A black polka dot dress cute but it's above the knee and I'm worried that's too short/casual for a room full of executives and a client

I want to look put together and appropriate for the seniority of the room, but not overdressed like I'm going to a gala, and not underdressed either. This is the kind of dinner where I really don't want to be the one who got the memo wrong

The green midi at a push but none of them
look that suitable for the setting you’ve described. Do you have any other options?

for that scenario I’d always go for similar to what I’d wear for an important client meeting/conference presentation.

Of those - the green one. Not the leopard print.

The leopard print would be best if it wasn't so cleavage.

You should remove the faces of your friends too if you're trying not to be identifying, and to prevent them having their pictures on the internet without their consent.

What is the restaurant? and what sector are you in? that might impact my thoughts.

These dresses are all very day-dress. I'd be inclined to abandon a dress in favour of smart trousers and a good top of some sort or consider a jumpsuit? covers a lot of eventualities and you have the figure for it.

If I was going for a smart work dinner at this point and in current weather, I'd wear something like my smart cream linen trousers with a silky top and low heels/wedges. If t was a very smart restaurant, I'd wear a black jumpsuit that i like a lot and that is smart without being formal but I'd dress it "down" wth flats and casual jewelery.

Sorry, but I don't think any of them are appropriate. If you've really got no other alternatives then the green one.

I would do black trousers and a smart top, similar to what you might wear to a meeting in the office. You can make it more "evening" by adding jewellery etc.

green

They’re all too flouncy, to my eye. You want stiffer fabric, and a more businesslike cut. (Assuming you want to invest for more such events?)

Do you have any plain tops and trousers?

Otherwise - maybe take a look at Cos for ideas. (Assuming it’s probably too late to rent anything.)

None of them; you want to look elegant I think. Black trousers and a navy silk blouse with small gold hoops.

https://www.reiss.com/style/su699385/g15173

Given the weather, I would probably have picked something like this:

https://www.cos.com/en-gb/women/womenswear/dresses/minidresses/product/linen-mini-shift-dress-black-1322917001

(Accessorised for work rather than holiday.) Something really easy to wear that can be dressed up or down and looks effortlessly ‘in control’.

None other than the Green, they are party dresses, one is very very low cut. You need to wear an upgraded version of office wear effectively.

Out of those choices I’d wear the leopard print but stick a black vest top under it to cover cleavage.

I’d ask someone else what they are wearing who is going before deciding

What do you normally wear to work? I'd say smartish trousers and top would work better than these dresses. But with some nice accessories to make it look less office.

Yes I’d wear trousers and a silk top , It’s a business dinner.

I’m a bit surprised that anyone would think these ‘out with the girls’ party dresses might be suitable for a work dinner …

(Obviously millions of dresses might work for both!)

Or would cover your own face in images and not your friends,

Green one. Love it. And I want the first dress!

Usually, I wear trousers with a slip top or a regular top for work. I also sometimes wear the green pink midi dress or the third green dress

But this is a high end restaurant, and the clients are very wealthy and important. As I mentioned, it's a non formal dinner, so I don't want to wear something that feels like my usual work outfit. Since everyone suggested trousers and a top, which I already wear to work, I decided to go with one of these dresses instead

Green midi is the only appropriate one.

I go to these kind of dinners OP and I wouldn't wear any of those options. I normally wear:

• smart trousers, silk blouse/ slip top and a blazer if I know there will be Aircon. Also wear heels or smart loafers.

• Taylored linen dress

-Smart pencil cut dress

I also make sure hair and make up are professional

It's a work thing, so you need to dress appropriately IMO. As others have said, wear similar to what you'd wear at work and then you can accessorise a bit more since you're not actually at work.

So you decided to go against the advice that you asked for or have I misunderstood?

Honestly I would go for the trousers and the top. It is a formal restaurant and with clients. The informal part of it is the fact that it will not be all work related talk. It does not mean casual dress wise. None of those dresses are suitable for such an dinner.

Next do lots of brands and next day delivery.

Gawd none of them but surely you realise that - something plain coloured with small earrings and a kitten heel,
trousers ideally.

Op you can’t wear those dresses. Honestly. Well you can the green but it’s not great.

you certainly can’t wear the leapord one and go with your boobs on display.

you need to aim for elegant, classy, especially due to the audience, this means modest I’m afraid, those are fine for a night out with your mates. They really are not appropriate for a client dinner meeting.

if I was at your table, honestly I’d think poor girl is out of her depth.