<p>Hmmm, at the end of October if it’s cool temps, I’d probably wear boots and a skirt, a simple top and some great chunky jewelry or I’d probably end up and wear a knit dress and tights. I love this one: [Poet</a> Knit Dress - Garnet Hill](<a href=“http://www.garnethill.com/poet-knit-dress/womens-fashion/dresses/knit-dresses/216504]Poet”>http://www.garnethill.com/poet-knit-dress/womens-fashion/dresses/knit-dresses/216504)
There are alot of really neat casual knit dresses these days. I’d be desperately hoping to achieve classic but hip but like I hoped for in high school LOL. I do not have a slacks body (flat butt, skinny legs, poochie 50+ year old stomach) and rarely wear them in public except when forced and then I do the dress trouser jeans or khakis route.</p>
<p>Bromfield, can you share a few more details about your favorite colors, as well as what works best with your figure?</p>
<p>Momofthreeboys, I like that dress, too! I wish Garnet Hill would also use real black, not charcoal. I do much better in Black-Black.</p>
<p>Here are a few dresses - I would wear any of them because they are elegant, age appropriate, and versatile - perfect for daytime or for a dinner party.</p>
<p>I love this dress by Jil Sander - very sophisticated and sleek:</p>
<p>[Jil</a> Sander - Twisted-Shoulder Wrap-Illusion Dress - Bergdorf Goodman](<a href=“http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod67600039&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=110&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false]Jil”>http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod67600039&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=110&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false)</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is too wild, but Etro dresses are quite flattering (have a bit of stretch) and great for travel:</p>
<p>[Etro</a> - Shirred Animal-Print Dress - Bergdorf Goodman](<a href=“http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod68500018&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=145&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false]Etro”>http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod68500018&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=145&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false)</p>
<p>This is a beautiful, conservative dress:</p>
<p>[Akris</a> Punto - Grid-Pattern Belted Dress - Bergdorf Goodman](<a href=“http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod68610047&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=25&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false]Akris”>http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod68610047&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=25&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false)</p>
<p>And you can’t go wrong with a pretty black dress. Piazza Sempione is one of my favorite lines. The fit is always flattering:</p>
<p>[Piazza</a> Sempione - Ruffle-Detail Dress - Bergdorf Goodman](<a href=“http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod67030007&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=135&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false]Piazza”>http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod67030007&parentId=cat363106&masterId=cat80001&index=135&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat80001cat363106&isEditorial=false)</p>
<p>I tend to wear lots of black, brown, and grey; however, everyone tells me I look great in blues/blue-greens (I don’t wear the Lilly Pulitzer stuff too often, but when I do I get lots of compliments–I’m assuming it’s the bright colors. I like the blue/aqua colors.) I’ve lost 42 pounds over the last 20 months and now wearing size 10s-12s. Tend not to like things that are really too fitting (since I’m closer to 60 than 50–I don’t do cleavage). I’ve got a great DVF wrap dress that I wore to a wedding last fall, but I know it’s too dressy for this event.</p>
<p>Undergarments are your friend! Somewhere down the line I discovered I look better in knits with great undergarments than “loose” clothes.</p>
<p>Like the first two dresses in your link Gmom. Think that the Etro is too dressy for this event. I haven’t been to the restaurant where it’s being held, but my sense is that it’s not a fine dining establishment (more like a bar that morphed into a restaurant). I’m going to a reception in NYC where I could wear the Etro dress. I also liked the Jil Sander dress. What kind of shoes would you wear with it? I don’t wear heels (and really don’t like the shoes on the model). Flats? Tights? Would that work with it? </p>
<p>After reading the posts on bras–I figure I ought to go get fitted, because none of my old bras fit anymore.</p>
<p>I may buy the Jil Sander dress - I just love it. I’d probably wear a pair of high heeled classic Prada pumps that I recently acquired. Because of the melange, it looks like dark brown would work, but I think black would be fine too. To dress it down, a pair of stretch suede boots with at least a 2-1/2" heel would look nice. Unless you are tall, flats may not look great this length dress. Even a low heel would be fine, but I would not pair it with a ballerina flat. How about these Ferragamos? (Bunsen will be so proud!)</p>
<p>[Salvatore</a> Ferragamo Vara Bow Pump - Neiman Marcus](<a href=“http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod109130003&eItemId=prod109130003&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FNtt%253Dferragamo%2526_requestid%253D20561%2526N%253D4294966733]Salvatore”>http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod109130003&eItemId=prod109130003&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FNtt%253Dferragamo%2526_requestid%253D20561%2526N%253D4294966733)</p>
<p>I guarantee that if you wear this outfit, you’ll be the best-dressed woman there.</p>
<p>That Etro dress is not as dressy as it looks, and it could also be made to look more casual with ribbed tights and simple pumps. IMHO, it’s better to be a bit over rather than under dressed, as long as you don’t wear anything glitzy. Because this is a special occasion, I would guess that many of the guests will dress a little more carefully than usual, in spite of the informal venue.</p>
<p>^^^and, as long as the upscale dress is NOT glitzy, the subtle statement is:“I am confident, I am secure, I do not need to dress to impress anyone (I am sufficiently impressive on my own).”</p>
<p>Is that what you want?</p>
<p>Bromfield, I became a fan of Issa dresses after hunting down one on them on sale. The silk fabric is flowy and luxurious, not flimsy at all! The tie-waist design is great at masking body flaws and very flattering. Here is one example:</p>
<p>[Issa</a> London Leaf-Print Tie-Waist Dress - Neiman Marcus](<a href=“http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod131450019&ecid=NMCIGoogleBaseFeed&003=5840816&010=T3HMD&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=T3HMD]Issa”>http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod131450019&ecid=NMCIGoogleBaseFeed&003=5840816&010=T3HMD&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=T3HMD)</p>
<p>Gourmetmom, I give the Ferragamo shoes two thumbs up. I thought that I would wear my black patent Vara shoes only for special occasions, but I like them so much that I basically live in them!</p>
<p>BB, Nice dress, would you use a different belt? Or is the tie part of the dress?</p>
<p>Mafool, the belt is part of the dress. It is not bulky and is very easy to tie in a flattering manner.</p>
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<p>Isn’t that what everyone wants? </p>
<p>Once I’m dressed and ready to go out, I don’t want to think anymore about my clothing. I don’t want to continually pull and tug and adjust, or wonder if I’m appropriate and if I look okay. I don’t want to shock people because of what I’m wearing, nor do I want to blend into the background because I’m so nondescript. I want to wear my clothing, not have my clothing wear me, as we’ve all heard. That’s why I don’t like to over accessorize. I have several well-dressed friends that load on bracelets, scarves, etc. and everything is matchy and just so. While they look put together, I also think it shows a real preoccupation with appearance, that honestly, I don’t have. I like to keep it simple. Beautiful dress and shoes, great watch and ring, and a good blow-out. That’s it!</p>
<p>I love the Issa dress - very cute and the sort that can go anywhere. I have yet to try one, but I want to for fall.</p>
<p>I know there are several Garnet Hill fans on this thread. I followed the Poet’s dress link and saw lots of things at Garnet Hill I would like to order. I get their catalogs but haven’t really paid attention…do they run sales or give discounts off frequently? I’m probably going to order a few items but wondered if it was worth waiting. I did sign up for their emails a few minutes ago.</p>
<p>MomLive, I often get $20 coupons with my order to be used on future orders at Garnet Hill. My best advice is to scour the sales link on their website frequently because the good stuff goes fast.</p>
<p>The Poet dress is really cute. </p>
<p>Bunsen, I just can’t see myself wearing the Issa dress. I respect your taste. I know it’s tasteful but I just can’t imagine myself in that dress with the spray of little dots. Don’t know why. Doesn’t Kate Middleton like that designer for dresses? I’m going to keep studying it until I get it. Sometimes I’m a little slow with fashion.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, the world would be a very boring place if everyone liked and wore the same thing. 
Yes, Issa of London is one of Kate Middleton’s favorite designers. Kate wore one of her dresses (solid color) to her official engagement announcement press conference, and that’s how the world learned about Issa and scooped up all existing inventory. :)</p>
<p>I think part of dressing young is doing a benign assessment of your own particular strengths and weaknesses. Not being hyper-critical, but knowing what you should accentuate and perhaps what you need to camouflage. </p>
<p>I like the Issa dress, for example, but I have learned that type of dress or a wrap doesn’t work well for me. I think my shoulders and back are too broad (something that is an asset with sleeveless sheath dresses) and while I might like the look of the style, it just doesn’t flatter me. </p>
<p>As for accessorizing - a little goes a long way as far as I am concerned. I don’t like busy, cutesy or matching.</p>
<p>I wore the patagonia dress last night- I get compliments on it every time I wear it so I think this style must work for me.
[Patagonia®</a> Margot Knit Dress - Garnet Hill<a href=“It%20is%20also%20much%20more%20my%20budget%20than%20the%20Issa%20dress%20-%20it%20hits%20me%20mid%20knee;”>/url</a> )
Boden also has several dresses that are wrap or have ruching at the waist/upper ribcage which I think are generally flattering.
[url=<a href=“http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Dresses/Above-Knee-Dresses/WH301-DGY/Womens-Coal-Quill-Hannah-Dress.html?NavGroupID=4]Hannah”>http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Dresses/Above-Knee-Dresses/WH301-DGY/Womens-Coal-Quill-Hannah-Dress.html?NavGroupID=4]Hannah</a> Dress WH301 Above Knee Dresses at Boden](<a href=“http://www.garnethill.com/patagonia-26-23174-3b-margot-knit-dress/womens-fashion/dresses/view-all-dresses/11359]Patagonia®”>http://www.garnethill.com/patagonia-26-23174-3b-margot-knit-dress/womens-fashion/dresses/view-all-dresses/11359)
I don’t wear much jewelry, a few rings, earrings and some times a scarf or a pendant.</p>
<p>While I like sleeveless sheath dresses, I don’t have Michelle Obama arms -plus I get cold! ( in the winter I even wear fingerless gloves inside- helps my arthritis )</p>
<p>I love the Patagonia dress. I am jealous!</p>
<p>Aaaaaah! That Jil Sander is fantastic. I’d wear it with very basic Louboutin heels, classic lozenge toe. Simple 70s, they are called. Even comfortable. Wow that is beautiful. The Issa dress is cute - perfect for someone with vivid coloring.</p>