- Don’t sweat what to wear at a dinner party
- Attention: Dress-code theme
- Stylist’s dinner-party dress-code tips
- Shoes can make or break your style
- Dinner outfit suggestions and what else to think about
- Dinning invitation Dos
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Don’t sweat what to wear at a dinner party
Dinner party invitations – whether at a friend’s or colleague’s house or in a restaurant – are those in between dress-up and casual social events that are hard to dress for. While how to dress for a BBQ or the dress code for a cocktail party are straight forward casual and dress-up, respectively, the dinning-party dress code seems to be neither fish nor meat to many of us. This post shares some ideas to strike the balance to feel comfy, appropriately dressed for the event, respectful, look to your best, and to have a great time.
Read these easy solutions on what to wear to a dinner party. #dress4success #dinner Click To TweetAttention: Dress-code theme
First make sure that the hostess/host has not planned a theme. If so, you are out of the salad and just have to find something that matches the theme. Take a look at what you have in your closet that you could wear and accessorize to fit in. I wrote a post about how to shop your closet for costumes a while ago.
If there is no theme, your goal should be to go for something fashionable, but not too trendy.
Trendy is for Girls' Night Out. #dress4success Click To TweetHere are some nice outfit inspirations for dinner invitations year round. When you get an invitation in summer, make sure whether it’s a grill party. In that case, it’s better to dress for a BBQ than for a sit-down dinner.
Panel 1. Notations floral cardigan worn as a top with Kieselstein Cord belt over white London Jean boyfriend jeans with Michael Kors strappy sandals, Hermes enamel bangles, and Kate Moss Longchamp bag (all own)
Panel 2. Victoria Victoria Beckham silk cat-print dress with GNW cardigan, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Esprit bag, and studded pointy toe flats (all own)
Panel 3. Don’t Stare fit-and-flare dress with Moda International cardigan, GNW tights, Longchamp pilage bag, and Clark booties (all own)
Panel 4. Oliveo long cherry red leather-skirt with cable-knit sweater, Hunter booties, wool socks, and statement necklace (all own) for a dinner party at a log house, restaurant of a winter resort, road house or dry cabin
Panel 9. eShakti fit-and-flare dress, Judith Leiber charmbelt, structured bag, floral tights (all own) and wooden sunglasses c/o Winkwood for an evening at a friends house
Panel 5. Flowy lace dress with Star denim jacket, Harley Davidson booties, three string pearl necklace, and collier de chien belt (all own)
Panel 6. Victoria Victoria Beckham silk print dress with Moda International cardigan, Hermes collier de chien bangle, and Gloria Vanderbilt pumps (all own)
Panel 7. Oliveo plaid shirt, Star denim jacket, GNW tight, Aigner sandals, Kate Moss for Longchamp bag, and deer leather Hosentürle skirt (all own)
Panel 8. Norwegian dirndl (left) and South Tyrolean dirndl with Jäger half blouse. Everyday heritage clothing may be a great ice breaker at (dinner) parties
Panel 10. GNW tight, Jimmy Choo tall boots, Oliveo straight skirt, floral print silk scarf, gemstone necklace, Hermes collier de chien bangle, DIY bangle (all own) and A-line top c/o Covered Perfectly for an event at a fancy restuarant in winter
Stylist’s dinner-party dress-code tips
Avoid anything too festive, especially, when the party is at a home, not at a restaurant. You do not want to out-dress your hostess who runs back and forth between the kitchen and the dinning table! Unless she has a maid who prepares and serves the dinner, she will not wear something too fancy due to the risk of spilling and ruining it.
Avoid to outdress your hostess when you are at a dinner party. #styletip Click To TweetWhen the dinner party is at a restaurant, keep the (unwritten) dress-code of that place in mind when putting your outfit together. In an Alaska roadhouse, for instance, anything chiffon would be out of place in winter.
Take the dress-code of the restaurant in mind when dressing to go out in the evening. #dress4success Click To TweetHave fun accessorizing
Dinner parties are your Card Blanche to accessorize with cocktail rings, chunky necklaces, layered necklaces, or oversize scarf, but please only one of these pieces at a time. Dinner parties are a good opportunity to wear that shrunken blazer or embellished cardigan, or flowy dresses (e.g. panels 2, 5, 6). Unusual colors (panel 4), patterns (panels 2, 6) or cuts fit the bill (panel 5). In warm climate or summer, go for slouchy silky pants or tops, but make sure to have only one slouchy item. In colder climate regions or winter, silk and/or cashmere knit tops and heavier fabrics like jersey or gabardine (panel 3) or even white denim (panel 1) are in order.
In the European Alps or Scandinavia, wearing a cotton or wool dirndl is always appropriate for a dinner party (panel 8). Stay away from a linen dirndl as it may wrinkle when sitting at the table. If you are an immigrant, wearing an everyday item/outfit according to your heritage (panels 7, 8) like a lice jacket, dirndl, kimono, saree, lodden boots or even an Irish cableknit sweater will be appreciated by nearly everyone. Such an outfit is an ice breaker, especially, when there are people you never met before. Panels 9 and 10 show examples of winter outfits.
Try a regional outfit when dinning with friends or colleagues. #what2wear #dinner Click To TweetWhen you like such tips and outfit recipes like in this post and the photos above, and you want them for all kind of dressing situations then buy my style recipe book How to Dress for Success in Midlife.
Shoes can make or break your style
The type of shoes should be picked with the vibe of your outfit in mind. Thus, nearly everything not too casual and not too fancy works, for instance, wedges, strappy or beaded sandals with no to a little heel, cut-out ballet flats, even booties if they fit to the other items of the outfit style and color wise. Switch your bag. Leave your dress bag, work bag or backpack at home! Add a not too large clutch or other fancy bag that matches the vibe of the outfit.
In winter, bring a pair of slides or mules so you won’t have to wear your tall boots or walk in your socks or tights inside the house. It’s just polite courtesy not to spill your host’s carpets with snow splash or wet footwear. Of course, bringing a pair of shoes requires a larger bag than a clutch. However, whether or not you have to bring shoes, your bag should clearly be outside the territory of black tie or work like the ones shown below.


Dinner outfit suggestions and what else to think about
The panels above show some dinner outfit ideas. What about skinny white jeans with a silky, slouchy print top, floral cardigan or blouse (panel 1)? What about slouchy printed pants with a silk tank top and a cropped jeans jacket? Don’t wear this outfit when it is the first time you are invited there. You want to know that you will not have to take off your shoes! Pants cut for plateau shoes become a hazard without them!

Are you the more girly girl? What about a midi or longer chiffon dress with a motorcycle vest or jacket, or a long lace dress with a denim jacket (panel 5)? A fit-and-flare dress with (panel 3) or without cardigan (panel 9) is a great option in winter.
Dinning invitation Dos
Well, two other things. What ever you wear, make sure it will not make you feel uncomfortable when you are “forced” to over-eat 😉 . Bring a little thoughtful gift for the hostess.
Enjoy the food, compliments, and evening in style!
Stylist’s tip: When the party takes place at a friend’s house in winter, make sure that your outerwear can take it that the host/ess throws every coat just onto their bed. Very Alaskan. In other words, you should be able to stick your gloves into the pockets of the coat, and the scarf and hat into its sleeves.

Do you host dinning parties? What do you wear when you are the hostess? How does it differ from what you wear when you are the guest? What is your biggest style challenge when dressing when you are invited? Let me know, I am curious.
Like these outfit ideas? If so, please feel free to pin them to your own Pinterest board so your friends, family and colleagues can see them too.
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Photos: G. Kramm
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