it's a daytime (late afternoon) do, going on into a 7.30 dinner, dress code for men is 'lounge suits', what does that mean for me?

[lucykate]

trouser suit?, dress?, glitzy or just smart casual?

help!

There's loads of lovely dresses around atm, great with perhaps high-heeled boots/ thick tights and smart shoes? Don't know what the 'do' is, but that's my current 'fall-back'.

cocktail

Not full length

cocktail

cocktail dress

I hate the phrase cocktail dress. I always imagine somebody in fancy dress, in a big margherita glass or similar

smart, heels, not glam. No pearls.

lounge suits just makes me think of something like this

Lounge suits = men's work suit, shirt and tie.

You should wear a short evening dress or smart trousers and top, with heels and an evening bag. Don't bare all, and don't be too twinkly.

eeek, may have to go dress shopping then! i can do smart casual, but struggle with dressy. raiding all my friends wardrobes may be an option too. it's a portrait exhibition at one of the colleges in cambridge (dh said, think 'brideshead revisited'), but as dh is now the new president of the royal society of portrait painters, it's the first do we've been to together as mr & mrs president!, i'm usually at home with the kids but we've got a babysitter this time.

Sounds like a fabulous excuse to spend a lot of money to me, since you will be so visible .

Negotiate a budget with your DH (who should be paying for this outfit, of course ) and get back to this thread for suggestions...

you definitely need a cocktail dress! you can try monsoon or phase eight or or hobbs coast or debenhams - heels and a good bag you will need a few things for other occasions so you could try a personal shopper in john lewis/selfridges?

lucky you! (and congrats to your dh)

right, i have been into leicester today to the new shopping centre, it's huge! i haven't been into leicester properly for years, was a real trip down memory lane, went to the market as i used to go there a lot as a student and mooch round the second hand stalls, i got a 'wrap' dress (as in the label wrap) for £1!!, and after a bit of window shopping spotted a nice dress in h&m, so i bought it. it's grey with cream/beige/rust flowers on it, and i really like it. not a full on cocktail dress but smart enough to go in and still feel comfortable in it, and still feel like me iykwim. will wear in with some very high beige shoes, and have a smart beige cardigan to go over the top and a vintage rust handbag. thanks for the advice everyone.