How would you style this dress for a dressy dinner date?

[SallyDraperGetInHere]

Seeing a very nice man for a fourth date in a French restaurant and I’d like to dress up. Just bought this, and I love the colour but would probably swap out the belt. How should I style this and what should I wear over it if the weather cools?

https://www2.hm.com/en_ie/productpage.1363263003.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo4b9UtHft_c5Z3frNb3dlZJ-NCix9NNa538Gwehg4XV0gm2B0P

Well, if it doesn't exist, I think it should!! Very pleased indeed for you (& a bit jealous - ahh those heady early days!!!). I might now have to go buy that dress & hope some of the magic rubs off on me - as my partner is rubbish at noticing what I wear these days!!

Not that long ago, I'd finally found a beautiful dress I'd been after for aaaages on Vinted. I was SO chuffed, as it hadn't appeared in months on either eBay or Vinted - let alone in my size - & there it was!!! It was a black silk maxi dress with long cuffed balloon sleeves & a huge red & orange flower print front & back - so not exactly quiet!

When it arrived, I absolutely loved it so much that I kept it on, & preened in front of the mirror & wafted about the house in it all day & evening - & he didn't notice a bloody thing!!! I eventually had to point it out, he looked up & said it was very nice, & went back to watching some sci-fi crap on TV ... There was no mind-blowing sex that evening ... 😠

Just wanted to add to the above post. I am sorry your partner doesn't notice your clothes. Your dress sounds lovely and the description is delightful.

Thank you! I shouldn't complain - as he is really great & lovely in so many other ways ... but I just wanted him to notice my lovely dress!!!

@EleanorMc67 share that dress please, it sounds amazing!

Well, don't be too disappointed! I did post it elsewhere once before in my excitement at finding one - but here you go ...!!

I think it's lovely ... & it's one of those dresses that when you try it on you realise that it's absolutely perfect for your size & shape? It's from NRBY (worn by one of my favourite 80s/90s models, Cecilia Chancellor), which was a collab with Tracey Boyd - a favourite fashion designer of mine from that period, who married Adrian Wright from The Human League - also a favourite band of mine from back then too!

It's pure silk, the flowers are printed from her original illustrations - AND (this is a bugbear of mine elsewhere) the print is on the back as well as the front!!!

I am going out tomorrow night to a pop-up one-off dinner at a rather "in" restaurant in Edinburgh (it's the festival, everything's happening here!). If I wear it there, I'll probably be wildly overdressed among lots of young hipster mullet-y boys & girls. But I need to wear it somewhere!!!

@EleanorMc67 it's beautiful! I love a striking graphic on black like that.
The shape unfortunately wouldn't work for me, but I can see why you love it

@EleanorMc67 that dress is everything!!!! I bet it’s also so much more vibrant in real life as it’s printed on silk - I think it would be perfect for so many occasions, I’m definitely in the market for a dress like that, wear your favourite underwear, no fear of anything showing, flip flops on holiday, sock boots and a leather jacket for smart casual and heels and clutch in one of those fantastic colours for racing/wedding. Great choice, especially for eating out too as you will be comfortable. You’ve done it again!

Thanks both @anon2022anon & @minnowonthesay !!

Yes, I will ensure that I make it versatile (though occasion-wise it's mostly second weddings or funerals I seem to go to these days ...!!). I prefer not to have clothing that I can only wear very rarely; it seems a waste. So if that means I'm the only person in ankle-length silk tomorrow night, so be it!!

And yes, I never like to be restricted by my clothing when I'm eating out ... 😁!!