Invited to very fancy party and nothing to wear!

[custardlover]

A very fancy and couturey fashiony party; guests will be wearing CHANEL but my speed (and budget) is a lot more like Boden. What would you do? I wonder if there is something chic I should target on Vinted or Vestaire (or somewhere else?)? Rixo maybe?

And absolutely I could just wear something in my wardrobe but it would be great to hear any inspiration!

I loved the collaboration that Roksanda did some years ago with Jigsaw. These two are on Vinted right now in a small/10.

These were my favourites though ...

Though I was joking about Boden, I did see that they've brought out two quite faithful (& pretty) interpretations of late 50s/early 60s cocktail dresses.

That made me think of one of my favourite Etsy shops, which always has some lovely originals. These two originals are rather fab.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/retroroomvintage

They also have some others in your size, from the 60s, 70s & 80s, that I think are great ... the rock chick Belleville Sassoon! I could see Debbie Harry in that one!

That's adorable. And impossible! Trip hazards all around your feet 😵 You're supposed to tie them into droopy bows but that gives it a half-hearted Bo Peep vibe imho.

I'm a sucker for orange, though; it wins on colour.

I think I'd just tiptoe carefully into the party, find an appropriate spot near the champagne flutes, then stand very still all evening!

Wow. Silk velvet devoré, vintage. £87.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/800696696876

And pure silk too - quite unusual! It's usually silk/viscose. 90s does 30s I think?

Silk, Lanvin 2008. £220.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/206548179727

Beautiful! And ever classic too.

Yes, it's very 30s revival! They've even got the scattered beading right.

There's masses of Y2K Monsoon silk on Ebay for £30-40. I think all the silk is the reason they went bust. It was nice while it lasted! Here's a selection in size 10.

There are some amazing things to be found there - I have virtual shopping fatigue now, I'll leave the rest to Eleanor! Has anything so far interested you, @custardlover?

That Lanvin dress might be perfect. (But it is slightly disappointing inside.)

(I would be more tempted by the same seller’s Bruce Oldfield dress and coat.)

That is nice!

Depending on timescale you could go vintage but designer vintage. I used to buy from a shop which sold designer vintage as well as non designer but it’s closed now. Florence Welch used to buy from there.

The dresses listed here but I’d go for the longer more classic pieces rather than shorter more on trend pieces as at least you can get more wear out of them. And yes, this is as a result of me buying designer in the past either in sales or full price and then being hit with stupid credit note or exchange only options, no refund from boutiques.

Also think about accessories and make up and hair. Grazia can have some good articles about what’s in style, makeup and hair. I got a gorgeous H&M 80s silver bangle that was featured in Grazia.

If I were you in this situation I would find something vintage that really suits you and the occasion. It will avoid all comparison of what’s current and just make you look amazing, and interesting imo.

eta, I hadn’t read any other comments before posting and just noticed the one above. I wouldn’t bother designer for an art/charity event. I think I’d just find something different that suits you in your budget, designer or not. Get designer if it’s in your budget and is the thing that suits you most, but don’t go for “fashion status” over looking like you belong in it.

I've looked into it several times (HURR, Rotation) but it's not great when you're a size 18, you'll have so much more to pick from as a size 10.

If you rent, you need to go to the rental shops! You must try it on. I think there’s options in the sales right now. My Theresa especially. Renting isn’t that cheap either and top end couture is a lot of money!

Liberty discount is new shoppers only. I think the Boden party dresses are great.

You sent me down a vintage Lanvin rabbit hole last night, @GarlicSomething !!! Who knew it was so reasonably priced? So many gorgeous dresses (mostly of the little black variety) ...

Do you remember that Alber Elbaz did a collaboration with La Redoute when he was at Guy Laroche (pre Lanvin fame)? I think it was maybe the late 90s? So I would have only been working post-graduation for a few years & didn't have much spare money (after going out lots!). I bought a few pieces including a gorgeous wool coat & a ruffled white shirt I think ... no idea where they've gone!

And then thinking of Guy Laroche made me remember Fidji - which seemed to be worn a lot then! Maybe it was experiencing a renaissance then? Anyway, another time-wasting but pleasurable rabbit hole ...

... now back to thinking about tree ferns & Tricyrtis!!!

That would be my approach too. Much as the Lanvin dress is lovely, it would feel a bit coals to Newcastle to me - & there'd no doubt be a roomful of French women wearing their LBDs infinitely more elegantly than I would!

If the OP wants to "fit in" while not wearing something easily identifiable, I'd go for modern British & wear either the short black & red velvet Liberty dress or the green organza Jaeger one.

If she's happy to look a bit different, I'd go for either the Roksanda x Jigsaw short turquoise one (I can't really bring myself to call it vintage, when it was only three??? years ago!!) - or one of the true vintage ones from Etsy. 60s silk brocade sheath dress if I wanted elegance, 70s maxi if I wanted something quirkier.

https://www.mytheresa.com/gb/en/women/rohe-cotton-blend-maxi-dress-black-p01159104?dplink=true&utm_source=sea_pla&utm_medium=google&utm_campaign=google_sea&chn=sea_shopping&src=google&cmp=22286789689&tarea=gb&tar=&ag=&ptyp=&feed_num=P01159104-6&gclid=CjwKCAjww-3VBhAcEiwAwUUIu-nrx94jOCJ7ngkYKJSlYv_S3x-ExSNuwnCjnVR0aM5lJVJABGLNEhoCD8oQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Pw-mu85Wxnkn7Sm9PowOILiL7h&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22276402281&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Pw-mu85Wxnkn7Sm9PowOILiL7h&slink_id=1b2bd8c1-7042-495f-811a-4878b3f9e73e&slink=1

This is lovely

I read this article recently, & liked seeing the picture of Deb Grant at the Brit awards in a 70s vintage maxi.

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2026/sep/20/readers-favourite-secondhand-fashion-oxfam-second-hand-september

I spotted that a while ago & liked it. Also very useful for making a sneaky getaway with a couple of bottles of wine in each pocket ...

(I don't even drink anymore, let alone steal bottles of wine, but I may have been guilty of such things once or twice in my more hedonistic youth ...!!)