What to wear to a opening night at art gallery in London?

[Reluctantadult]

What sort of thing is appropriate to wear to a pre-opening evening exhibition at an art gallery in London, on a week night? Never been to anything like this before. I'm hoping casual is ok. Am usually in jeans or cords with a print tee though...

Edit: missing the n from an in the title will now annoy me forever

I suppose it depends on the gallery. If it’s a cutting edge installation in a disused Lidl in Hackney, come as you are. If it’s one of those Mayfair ones full of sweeping oils of the Highlands, something more conservative.

On the rare occasions I’ve been invited to an opening night, I’ve worn a silk shirt and suede mini skirt, or silk shirt with jeans. Sometimes a nice silk or velvet dress if it’s a bit fancier,

It really depends on what kind of gallery it is: Mayfair vs Shoreditch would be totally different types of crowd and style.

I would say in general, wear whatever level of smart casual you are comfortable with, with a nod to the location (eg naice Boden dress would stick out rather in Shoreditch but be fine in Mayfair) but it's also a chance to wear anything more off-beat in terms of clothes or jewellery that might feel a bit over-the-top for an evening in the pub.

A false moustache, like Maggi Hambling? 😀

It's at the Mall Galleries.

Mall Galleries looks like a nice happy medium. Good jeans, a silk shirt, hair and lippy done and a bit of jewellery should do it.