OP, here…Thanks! It’s weirdly comforting that others find it to be a gamble as well. The party is about an hour N of Washington, D.C in the home of the bride’s aunt. The weather can be quite unpredictable that time of year. I suspect, if the temps are warm enough, they may utilize the patio/pool area. Believe the home will offer a somewhat formal venue. I’ll be surprised if even the young women wear jeans. If the opportunity presents itself, I may ask my friend but I always feel awkward asking those questions. Still, I’m at a loss.
A simple sheath dress and wedge sandals? (But then I’d feel awkward with pale legs and hose wouldn’t work with sandals. Ugh!) Black ankle pants and hot pink suede pumps? I’d have to figure out a coordinating top/sweater, but the pumps would add some ‘punch’. Brightly colored ankle pants with a cami and coordinating jacket? I’d like to be somewhat spring-y…
I would go with the brightly colored angle pants and a solid jacket or spring sweater. I was going to say a dress, but if you feel awkward about pale legs right now, I’d do pants, I think sheath dress would look appropriate and you could self tan your legs. That’s what I do. Anyway, what about these pants?
I think a casual dress with flat sandals would look appropriate in any situation. I think the south is dressier than the Midwest where I live. DC is the south right?
I am very pale with a past of skin cancer. I rock the pale legs but I have no varicose veins so my situation may be different.
At my dil’s Wedding shower, she wore a dress, my sister and I wore casual dresses and my mil wore pants with a nice shirt. The flower girls wore dresses. Other than that, I don’t remember what anyone wore and only them because I have pictures.
@deb922 …I love them, too! However, I can’t wear pants above the ankle like that. With my body type, long torso, they don’t work. But aren’t they darling?
Now that sweater season is coming to a close, I realize I’m facing the same dilemma I usually face at this time of year: I don’t seem to have “going out” tops for evening events. The type one wears when going to the theater, a nice restaurant, etc. I have ample casual, day clothes as well as options for the occasional wedding, etc. but struggle with evenings.
I’m on the shorter side (under 5’3") with long legs so I like and have skinny and straight leg jeans and pants. I have a larger bust so tops with a v, a notch or a lower rounded neck look good but crew does not. I also look in my closet and have so many solids…I need to branch out and add more patterns to my wardrobe. I also don’t wear anything with straps that don’t cover a bra and don’t really like 3/4 sleeves. Long, short or sleeveless are all fine. My only other constraint is that I really don’t like the feel of 100% polyester. So, anyone have any suggestions to help me dress for evenings out? What do you wear when you go out in the evening?
I wear leggings all the time with a long sweater and cute boots. Not to work though, but could be ok in a casual work environment. If you are thin I don’t see anything wrong with leggings!
@collage1 I love this top from Nordstrom. It can go over jeans, white jeans or dressier slim pants. You can dress it up with jewelry etc depending what you are doing. (Edited - I don’t know why the link is showing the print pattern. I’d definitely go with a solid)
I don’t think leggings are ever appropriate in an office environment as a substitute for pants but I am old so maybe young HR managers are letting it go.
There are right and wrong ways of wearing leggings. I work in what is considered suit and tie field, but we are more relaxed (duh, Seattle). Our office allows leggings - as long as the butt is covered and the entire outfit does not look like the wearer just rolled out of a yoga class. Think tall boots and tunic sweater or top. Periodically, when a new crop of interns comes, the HR sends out emails reminding that tight clad butts, ripped clothes, wrinkled tees, and such are inappropriate. They get the message.
Funny leggings to work story. I work at a non profit, we dress business casual. 90% women. CEO is a woman. Hates leggings. HR Director is also a woman. Loves leggings (and is a thin fashionable woman in her late sixties). At orientation she always tells new hires that leggings are not allowed, however when the CEO is not going to be in on a particular day she comes around and tells everyone they can wear leggings. She is always wearing leggings on those days!
Some people’s idea of tunic barely covers the butt which is the problem we had in the past two companies I worked for. I doubt it would have been an issue if tunics came to mid thigh. People who look in the mirror standing up and say yes the butt is covered forget they aren’t standing straight in the office. I like leggings and wear them frequently outside the office but I also wear them with short dresses or the new long sweater cardigans in winter as I am very tall so typical tunics just cover my butt…when I am standing up. I am not one to want to reach for something and have my rear view compromised.
Thought I’d report about what everyone work to the bridal shower I was fretting about a few weeks ago. Everybody my age-ish wore pants of varying lengths. There were a few (5 or so) dresses, worn mostly by the bridesmaids. The bride wore white jeans, as did another handful of the young girls. There were also about 5 maxi dresses among the bridesmaids and girlfriends of the bride. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. I wore brightly-colored (fuschia) ankle pants with a white linen top and thought I was appropriately dressed for the occasion which is all a girl can ask!!
I ordered the tunic referenced in post #8727 by @surfcity. I ordered it in the bright blue, personally I found the fabric very cheap feeling and returned.
Thanks for the suggestions, @surfcity and @deb922. I was considering the first one posted but I suspected I might not like the feel after I read the fabric. And, for the second, it looks very nice and like it would fall well but I have promised myself that I won’t buy more black. I already have so much black! If anyone has more suggestions, I’d love to hear.
@collage1@deb922 I can see where you may not have liked the fabric. It’s definitely not a silky feel. I don’t own anything similar so I am enjoying wearing it - but the main reason I posted was to give an idea of some good “going out” tops. I am sure there are similar styles out there.
I’m looking for a couple of blouses to get me through my last month of work and occasional wear after, including a light pack 6-week trip beginning in August. These will probably do the trick. Long-term clothing I care 100% for fabric feel, short-term not so much.
I have the last of my summer of weddings next weekend and after that we are going to Niagara-on-the-Lake for one night and then to Toronto for 4 days.
This wedding is supposedly quite casual with the ceremony outside in a field. I was hoping it would still be summer like and that I could wear a summer-y dress - but it looks like it’s going to be way more like fall than summer, so…a shopping trip was in order.
