For me, dressing up is as much part of a night out as the event itself, in the 80s, when we regularly headed to 'black tie' events, the glass of champagne in the bath, the smell of hairspray and heady mix of perfumes as the gang all got ready together, was as much part of a good night out, as the event itself. To be truthful, it was probably the sense of anticipation and Cinderella style transformation, that was the best part of the evening.
It all started to go a bit wrong in the 90s when effortlessly beautiful people adopted the 'grunge' look, perfect for flawless waifs, not so good if you are built like two ton Tess and need the structure of tailored clothes to look your best.
Glamour definitely came back to certain places in the 2000s, the arrival of the super rich and their super clothes in London, meant that in 'certain' places the dress code was back to OTT. Cipriani, Nobu, Blue bar at the Berkeley, the Connaught bar, Zuma, Claridges, Mortons, The Wolsey all require a bit of effort.
But for everywhere else, be it in London or other cities in the South East, over-dressing is a big 'no no' anything more than jeans and a nice top in Oxford is seen as tragically try-hard. I have heard rumour that in Northern cities you can really 'dress', but I am not sure if that applies only to 18 year-olds out clubbing.
And so there's a dichotomy, where thanks to the internet we have access to every 'look' under the sun and yet in the main we gravitate to a safe uniform of skinny jeans, shoe boots and ZARA sequin jackets, or is that just me?
I was going out to dinner at a friend's house last night and after reading Stina's post made a conscious effort to 'make an effort'. Basically by looking at my wardrobe and thinking what would Stina wear?
The final selection was Chanel shirt (v old and inherited from mum, but still going strong), Herve Leger skirt (again v old, bought in the 90s, when after his 80s hey day, HL was well and truly off the radar and could be picked up for a song), Ash shoes (from Ebay £9.99) and Hermes cuff.
What is it like where you live? Do you get the opportunity to dress up for a night out or is the vibe more laid back and casual?
When I moved to London, and was mixing with that "Nobu set' I was actually taken aside on more than one occasion and told not to dress up so much, " I looked parochial" and "like a Bec from Golders Green" everyone I dated would tell me to dress down, it took me years to get the "London look'. I think it's a bit of a class thing too, it is up here.
ReplyDeletei agree, especially amongst my age group, but i have noticed that the 20 somethings have no probs with sky high heels and tiny herve legers, even the ones from cheltenham ladies...there is almost a dress code of the international jet set, that you either 'get' or not (Stina does), I don't think I do, I prefer comfort which is not the best start.
DeleteHello Alexandra,
ReplyDeleteWell, we are certainly in the dress up brigade. Even for the daily shopping. It just starts the day well in our view.
And, here in Budapest, people still do dress for the Opera and that is a great delight for us. We love such evenings when in the glorious Opera House one can people watch as part of the entertainment.
Your outfit looks lovely.
Hello Jane and Lance so nice of you to drop by, I have noticed in Budapest people DO dress, even for coffee or a drink in the evening, and so much effort is made with hair and make up, I think in the UK we are a bit prone to 'buying' clothes and 'buying' a look, but not really bothering with the rest. As you can see from my pics, I fall firmly into that camp,
DeleteLovely outfit! When I lived in the city, people dressed. Now that I am in the sticks, people need to jaws of life to get them out of yoga pants. I'm the strange over-dressed lady here, I suspect, but I like to dress up just the same.
ReplyDeleteStrike a blow for individualism and sartorial elegance!
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteCan I ask, did you lose all your weight from thermic eating and is that how you keep it off now?
i should say yes, but i have noticed flabby bits on the back of my legs that wobble in the bath but aren't really visible in clothes. I know people say that exercise doesn't make you slim, but I have gone from 2+ hours daily to weekends only and the difference is starting to show. I either need to pursue Thermic relentlessly of fit an hour into the working day, I am still working out which is most realistic.
DeleteI dress - and in London that goes down very well - sussex - i still do but less so and it goes down less so- i think you looked stunning and bet you felt it!
ReplyDeletei have to confess, I like skin, sparkle and 'big' dresses (like your profile pic), i felt like a grown up at a dinner party, how i used to think of my mum when she went out smelling of Rive Gauche and carrying Chanel and I got to stay up late and play cards with the babysitter.
DeleteThe thing I love about London is that you can do exactly as you please - I dress according to my mood. I love that no one really minds what you wear to any establishment as long as one is clean and respects any dress code.
ReplyDeleteso true and when i see how the middle eastern ladies rock jeans in knightsbridge, they cease to be 'dress down'
DeleteFab outfit and I love your shoes. I don't go out much, the odd pub meal with friends involves heels instead of flats but still jeans and maybe a tailored jacket or nice blouse x
ReplyDeleteah but you have your daughter's wedding, mother of the bride is a great excuse to go for it, i can't wait to see your picks
DeleteI live in rural North Wales but my husband and I go out at least once a week for a meal or/and to the cinema. I like to look stylish but understated. So a simple plain dress with boots or heels or skinnies and ankle boots or bootcuts and boots. I love the "looking forward " to it bit and the "getting ready".
ReplyDeleteohh so do i getting ready with loads of friends and a bottle of wine and a sneaky cigarette out of the window, that was the best x
DeleteI too remember the whole ritual of going out as a newly married girl. We would drink the champagne, and play grown up, as I helped with the bow tie, etc.......As a young mother, I lived in gym clothes, and jeans, and regret not making an effort, a la Stina. My town is fairly conservative and now I no longer treat my life as a dress rehearsal. The pleasure of looking, and feeling like a full adult is as much a pleasure as anything else in life. The fear of dressing like my teen is a great motivator, as I shudder when I see so many strangely dressed moms. Looking forward to our meet up!!
ReplyDeletei so agree, there are a few brands i struggle with in trying to not look like i want to be a teenager and Juicy Couture and Jack Wills are up there, however nice the collection i would be scared that i would feel tragically disillusioned. April is a date and I am just going back to my last comment to you to find the details...rough week at work!
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