Anyway, deciding what to wear took me almost the whole afternoon and I was really outfit challenged, not only because of the vacation mindset but also because my husband expressed the wish that I wear pants. I don't have many pants that I can wear in the evening in a pretty formal setting (I stopped buying suit pants when I stopped working), basically I have a pair and they are black. I soooo didn't feel like wearing black pants that at first I thought that I would just ignore my husband's recommendation and wear a dress. I have the perfect dress, the Origami in charcoal (even if it is quite elegant and my husband didn't want me to be too elegant) but when I tried it on I felt like I was trying to show off my tan (the Origami even if it can be considered "demeure" because it isn't low-cut uncovers a big portion of skin, almost like a strapless), in particular because my bikini tan lines were visible. So I rejected it as non appropriate.
My other candidate was a Joe Fresh sheat dress in a grey faux-suede that you have seen in my first Joe Fresh post back in the Fall. This dress, even if quite cheap, has an amazing fit because of the draping and I actually thought that it was perfect for the venue and occasion:
However my husband had never seen this dress before and as you know he can be very particular, so that was a risk. What if he didn't like it or found it a little bit too va-va-voom? When we go out on a date or with friends I don't care about his criticism but I was trying to help him in his work, so his opinion in this case was of the uttermost importance.
In the end I decided for a more neutral outfit, something neutral that wouldn't draw positive or negative attention. Black pants were fine after all, I just wanted to avoid the total-black look so I resorted to the heather lace shell as an alternative to black or white/ivory on top. I added a necklace in the same black/silver tone for some sparkle (it was called Northern Lights if I am not wrong):
Once I had settled on this outfit, another challenge was to find a jacket to wear with it (I didn't want to wear a cardigan). The only two jackets that I could wear with this shell and these pants were the flannel schoolboy blazer in pearl grey and the Bonnie blazer, which is a double-breasted blazer that was offered at JCrew last spring in a dark, almost black, navy and that married well with my Theory pants (you couldn't tell that it wasn't a suit).
I am growing more and more annoyed at my pearl grey schoolboy blazer, I pined for it for years before caving this Fall but in retrospect it wasn't such a good purchase as each time that I try it on I end up wearing something else instead. For starters, it isn't nipped enough at the waist; I know it's supposed to be "boxy" by definition but the result is that it looks good only with jeans or pants as demonstrated by this tentative of wearing it over my grey dress:
Also, the golden buttons that I tought were a nice touch in reality are a disturbance because of the color of the blazer itself (it's like wearing silver and golden at the same time). I am planning to replace them with something more neutral or silver-based.
Anyway, it still had its golden buttons yesterday night, and even if angry at them, I decided to wear it anyway because I knew that I would then take it off for dinner and I didn't have another option. Even if I liked the Bonnie, it was a bit too serious or too dark of an outfit:
So this is the outfit with schoolboy:
I was pretty satisfied with the result, this was a polished outfit that the wife of a CEO could appreciate if she was wearing a suit or an evening outfit but not be jealous about or feel intimidated by if she was wearing something more causal. I was imagining this wife as someone much older than me (based on the husband's age) and that as an out-of-towner could maybe be a bit intimidated by the New York scene. Well, I was wrong about her. It turned out that she was a much-younger-than-her-husband, second marriage, wife, barely in her thirties, wearing Gucci and definitively at ease on the NY scene. In handsight I should have worn the Joe Fresh dress, but it was OK. The conversation was very pleasant because the two of them spend their life travelling and they were married in Italy and all in all it was a very special evening and we had a great time (they had rented the private room where President Obama had dinner on a trip to NY. Incidentally I think the food was a bit weird if you are not a veggie or raw food lover). The CEO made my day by complimenting my necklace at the end of the evening (I didn't tell that it was a cheap JCrew, I let him think that it was an expensive gift from my husband).
What do you think of my two outfits? Which one do you think was more appropriate? Do you have a go-to outfit for this kind of "accompanying wife" dinners? Also, what kind of jacket do you wear with a grey dress?
"I was imagining this wife as someone much older than me, a middle-aged woman with maybe some weigth issues and who, coming from Texas, would maybe be a bit intimidated by the New York scene. "
ReplyDeleteOh my. Oh my indeed.
As a native Texan - I take slight offense to your "imagining" comment.
While I no longer live in TX, that doesn't change a thing as far as my loyalty goes.
I could take this opportunity to tear you a new one but I honestly believe you don't understand that your comments (while directed at a specific TX woman) could none-the-less be construed as a major insult to all TX women.
I can only hope that your husband's work clients from Texas don't see this post. I can't imagine your comments would do him any favors.
Hi Ema,
ReplyDeleteMy instinct would have been to go with the Joe Fresh dress - adding a cardigan since the Schoolboy wasn't a great match. However, like you, I would have followed my DH's suggestion on pants since it was his client/event. Your final selection was great.
I attend 2 or 3 of dinners/parties a month where my role is that of my DH's partner. I work outside the home so DH reciprocates when needed. Wardrobe choices are much easier for him - either black tie or business suit. As for me, my go to outfits usually consist of a dress and jacket or dress and cardigan. I try to match the jacket & accessories to the location and guests. I also find it helpful to do a quick internet search on my host/hostess/guest of honor. It can help conversation flow smoothly.
As for what to wear with grey, I own a charcoal sheath dress by Prada. I have worn it with a black Armani jacket that is silk - not shiny - with an interesting texture. Another option is a fitted jacket in a lighter grey lambswool. Finally I pair the dress with a solid colored jacket. I have several that are similar to the JC double-serge hacking jacket in turqoise but in a softer wool, slightly shorter with a defined waist and better buttons.
I also have the Director dress in grey. I wear it to work with the matching suiting jacket or one of the solid color jackets described above.
Sorry for the long post. I think you put together a great outfit on short notice. It's one of those things that seems easy until you have to do it yourself.
Jane, I want to thank you for your comment. I see now how my comment could come across as offensive for Texan women and even if, as you said, it wasn't my intention to offend anybody I want to apologize to you and all the readers who might have taken offense.
ReplyDeleteMy imagining this woman was based on the age of the husband, not on her being from Texas. I don't think that all Texan women are overweigth more than they are all middle-aged.
I know the NY scene can be intimidating from someone who's from out of town, so I don't retract that part of the comment as I was genuinly trying to make her feel comfortable.
I am going to delete part of the post that but wanted to reply before doing so.
Ema, that Joe Fresh dress looks absolutely stunning on you! I wish I had one just like it!
ReplyDeleteI think your final outfit was perfect and I am so glad you enjoyed the evening!