The open back won’t help with the warmth issue, either. It’s a pretty dress but not practical for daytime in December. I’d suggest she start at the bottom with boots, maybe the ones she has if they’re really comfortable, and work up from there.
This is her 15th annual December trip to NYC. She’s not unaware, just a bit stubborn. She thinks it’s hilarious how I’m always concerned how warm and dry she is for this trip. Some years it’s 50s, some years they’re diving for the taxis. She just wants to look nice for Tiffany’s and doesn’t like black. She agreed to keep looking. I would say get it for NYE, but we’ll be in Iceland!
Here’s a sparkly wool dress. I can’t find any white or pastel wools in that price range, but they must exist because my niece wears them. Also, she could wear a wool or velvet skirt with a wool or cashmere top. You can definitely find those with embellishments.
How old is she? If she has been there 15 times and she is paying for that dress…let her wear what she wants. I’m sure she has friends the same age who will give her fashion advice.
You can remind her…really no one is going to really see her cute dress. Outside, she will have a warm coat over it. Inside, once she sits down at the restaurant table, no one will see anything but her waist…up. In the theater, no one is looking at anyone else’s clothes (unless they are really “notable”). And once the show begins…she will be in the dark.
It’s not like a wedding where she will be up dancing and everyone will see her gorgeous dress.
But that’s my opinion…
She’s 22.
If she has been there a lot then she probably would rather blend in than look like a tourist - and that may be the case if she is dressed too out of the ordinary compared to the rest of the people! Maybe at least convince her to wear/pack a back up outfit.
The boots sound great, but not with that dress. I think she needs to pick another color. Something that would look good with black.
OP, Cross posted with you up above.
If she’s done this dec nyc trip for 15 years, I assume she knows what she is doing and staying warm isn’t a priority for her. I withdraw all earlier advice.
I do think that dress would look nice with a long fur coat, if your family doesn’t object to fur and someone has one to loan her. Then some nude stilettos. 
I actually think she has a “vision” of what nice is for a restaurant like the Blue Box at Tiffany’s, but I see that it closes at 5:30pm, so is she going for breakfast, lunch, or tea? Her dress is fun and funky but not for daytime, IMHO. My gut feeling is that a dress like that during the day will scream tourist, but since I suspect that is their primary target diner, she should wear what she wants!
There’s daytime dressing and evening. Sometimes it’s good to separate the looks.
I think she wants to match the restaurant. Lol. She agreed to keep looking. I’m not even sure why she asks my opinion. I’m not exactly the go to fashion guru for the urban 20 somethings.
@eyemamom Iceland!!! So jealous! Loved, loved, loved our trip there last year! Super casual though ; )
She isn’t wearing the dress to brunch/lunch at Tiffany’s correct? It is a littke cocktail for the theater also but I agree she could wear nude shoes and nude or fishnets under a winter coat if she is clubbing after the theater where the dress is appropriate. For me, I would go find a cashmere dress and wear it all day into night or at least to lunch/brunch at Tiffany’s.
Well for the Tiffany’s cafe, I might wear something pretty. (I live in NYC for 20+ years). For the theater at night, I would wear something like black pencil jeans and an attractive/ sleek black shirt – layers in case it’s warmer than I think it will be in the theater. Most people who live in NYC don’t dress up for the theater unless it’s the opera, and even then many people are fairly casual.
No matter what, she can carry a pretty pair of shoes in her handbag and wear walking shoes to get around the city. Lots of people do this. It’s a quick slip in and out of the shoes as you arrive at your destination. The nice thing about black jeans, though, is that you never have to change your boots.
I’d use Via or Lyft to call a cab if she can’t just hail a yellow cab. They’re pretty responsive.
The slush in the winter – the splashes from buses roaring by – can really stain.
One thing about all those sequins and walking around: they will get pushed and pulled by the lining of a coat and the pressure of having a bag rubbing against the whole thing. It IS a very glitzy dress for anything but a cocktail party or NYE. And just going by today’s weather (which was a heavy, cold rain) she must have a Plan B. THe weather can be any combo–even on the same day: 20 degrees (Thanksgiving) or 50 degrees (like today) that merges into flash-flood warnings (like today). Since Tiffany’s is involved–perhaps something more LBD/Audrey Hepburn could be be very sophisticated without being uncomfortable (backless!!) As for boots, a lot of Hunters and wellies on the streets most winter days–if only to deal with puddles and slush ponds. I wear thick black tights most of the time with waterproof suede boots made in Canada. But if she insists…then she’ll have a very memorable time.
I was going to mention the waterproof boots made in Canada! But I thought they’d be too expensive for the trip she’s taking.
La Canadienne makes leather boots that are waterproof and that look like dress boots. Wonderful going from home to work in a blizzard but expensive for one day on the town.
La Canadienne, Blondo, Aquatalia - for boots.
Dustyfeathers: I love Canadiennes but Blondos have won me over at half the price! I wear them all day.
The dress is adorable but not for daytime wandering around in NYC in December. Maybe if it was a different color? Although I wear mostly black myself, I think that dress in a cobalt blue would look stunning on a person with Reese W coloring. I would match it with patterned tights built on the same color or even in cream, as long as her boots were at least mid-calf. If it’s not slushy, she can get away with booties but if she is doing a lot of walking, I suggest sneakers for non-slushy days and snow boots if it’s slushy. I personally wear hot pink Lands End boots that I inherited from my 20 something D who lives in Manhattan when she decided to become more stylish. I also suggest warm socks. She can carry dressier footwear in her bag.
Another hint since she is not used to the city: If it’s slushy or rainy, walk in the middle of the sidewalk and not too close to the curb. Too many cars, cabs and buses seem to think it’s their civic duty to speed up and splash grossness on people walking too near the edge.
I second a mid calf length coat. Too long and it could drag in the slush. Too short and her legs could be cold.
Something in velvet? Festive but warm. Maybe in a bright, jewel-tone to keep with the Tiffany theme. Dillards has several that are short and could go from day-to-night, without seeming wildly out of place (and for less than $150). The over-the-knee boots would work too. There’s always Rent the Runway, but for the same price you get to keep the dress.