I have been to Paris with my GBF and can confirm that BonsoirAnna is right about EVERYTHING

[morningpaper]

The women - gasp - they are all so chic and beautiful.

They just wear gray dresses with tiny belts and high heels and are all thin and smoking. Their hair is ALL PERFECT.

And the MEN!!!!

dearie me

GBF practically had to be physically restrained, particularly after an unexpected burst of rain when suddenly we appeared to be surrounded by a city of Colin Firths just emerging from the lake.

Honestly, Parisiens look like they are about to have sex ANY MINUTE and this talking-in-cafes is just really an interuption in their constant lives which are full of serious shagging.

Occasionally we would see an ugly person but they would be british tourists.

The only consolation was that there wasn't much laughing. British people ARE funny.

So my conclusion is that BonsoirAnna is probably right about everything.

I felt like a Cornish pasty with earrings.

Actually it may have changed its name to Pizza Marzano.

This thread has made me LOL

Thanks again Bonsoir and Lillian - all suggestions much appreciated.

Othersideofthechannel - I would wear this fab gold mini-skirt under a khaki sleeveless trench coat that is in the window of IKKS (but sadly not on the website) right now, with a pretty but simple sleeveless top and some funky sandals

Thanks Bonsoir.

Sadly I don't have the legs or the budget for that mini-skirt. But it helps to get the level of formality/informality to go for.

But would you really wear sandals like that at night in March!

I didn't expect you to go out and spend all that for one evening - I was just trying to get a mix of casual glamour to give you some guidelines!

I'm nearly 44 and definitely won't be wearing a mini like that with bare legs and sandals ever again! But you said 30 something...

What industry are you in, sprogger? I find the French workplace highly polarised - incredibly bland at one end of the spectrum and scorching-hot at the other...

Thanks.

I am thirty something but the hosts are both 30 this year and just bought their place together.

I could wear a slightly longer skirt with sandals, but not at this time of year .

It's useful anyhow to know to aim for casually glamourous.