Like most women, I stress about what to wear to certain events, but am usually happy with whatever I end up choosing.
But have you ever arrived at a function, only to wish you’d worn something completely different?
Fortunately it doesn’t happen to me too often. (I’m not sure if that’s the benefit of maturity, or purely that I don’t get out much!)
But – recently I went to a party and pretty much as soon as I arrived, I wished I’d picked a different outfit.
It wasn’t that I’d got the dress code wrong – I’d texted to check and learned it was “smart casual”, and my outfit definitely fell in that category.
Trouble was, I made the mistake of going for “business” smart casual rather than “party” smart casual – I’d misread the cues.
As it was an office-warming party for a client, kicking off at 6pm on a Friday night, I thought it would be a case of people heading there straight after work and just wearing whatever – more business than party. That was fine by me, as even though I work from home I have a number of smart casual business outfits.
My choice was a leopard print dress that I have previously worn to client meetings, networking events and other work-related functions, and feel comfortable in.
(A side note: I really struggle with what shoes to wear with this particular dress. For some reason, any of the heels I own just don’t work with it – they make it feel a bit too much like hooker-style. At the same time, plain black flats don’t really do anything for it either. I ended up wearing sandals but felt they had a bit too much of a hippy vibe – which is fine with some outfits but not with this one. So any suggestions on appropriate shoes are most welcome!)
However as soon as I walked in, I realised that most people had ditched their work wear for more party-like attire.
If only I’d realised, as I definitely have a party frock or two in my wardrobe that I really wished I’d worn instead!
I also realised that I don’t know much about the latest fashions. I must live in a bit of a bubble, but I had no idea that culottes, wide leg pants, and jumpsuits were such a thing! I felt a bit staid and matronly in my more business-appropriate attire.
There was nothing wrong with what I was wearing, and I’m pretty sure nobody else had an issue with it. I just would have felt more comfortable in something else.
Do you ever feel like you’ve worn the wrong thing? Or do you have any suggestions for shoes to go with my leopard print dress?!
I’ve only felt this way about an outfit about a million times! Putting outfits together has never been my strong suit.
I guess this is why stylists exist 🙂
I would try some gold flats. Supersoft by Diana Ferrari have a nice range, as does Django and Juliette. I got two pairs of Cole Haan ballerina flats when I was in Hawaii, one gold and one bronze, which I use for this kind of thing.
As far as the outfit, I have got to a place in my life where I really don’t let other people and what they might be wearing and thinking interfere with my awesomeness. 😉 I’m comfortable in all my clothes and whatever I turn up in is likely to be the most weird outfit in the room. I am okay with that, in fact I am super thrilled with that.
I am a dress girl. I wasn’t growing up, and I wasn’t for at least the first 30 years of my life, but now I love a dress and it is my go-to. So all the latest pants and culottes and jumpsuits are a bit lost on me. I’ll stick with my dresses.
I’m very much a dress girl too Snoskred! Thanks for the tip on gold ballet flats, I’ll give it a try.