Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with attire

Help the fashion clueless dress for a wedding!

bluloo — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:19:13 -0800

Dress Filter: I've never been to a wedding before. Help me figure out what to wear! So, this is my first big wedding that I've been to. It is in December, in Michigan, so warmth is a factor (although it will obviously be inside, but I've been told there will be moving between buildings). The ceremony is at 4pm. I had picked out this dress to wear with some sparkly shoes and dark tights, but the website changed collections before I could order it. It seems like they have an archive section, but it hasn't been added there yet, so I thought I might call customer service and see if there was anything they could do on that front (I really loved that dress).

But, if that isn't a possibility, help me pick another dress. Some info about me: I'm 5'11, a size 14/16 (in the process of losing weight) which I carry disproportionately in my tummy (although Spanx help!), and I have dark brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin. I'm hoping not to spend more than $150 (poor college student), though for the right dress I will (especially if it's something I can wear again to special occasions). Bonus points for matching shoes (size 11) and/or wraps/accessories. So, help me Hive Mind! :-)

Premiere Attire?

peachykeen — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:30:39 -0800

What should one wear to an L.A. movie premiere? I've scored tickets for a movie premiere tonight and am clueless as to what I should wear. I'll be attending as a member of the general public, not walking the red carpet or anything.

The catch- I'm leaving in an hour! And what's more, my wardrobe is pretty limited. Jeans, some cute tops, sundresses, and one LBD. Will the LBD be too fancy? Jeans and a dressy top too casual?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Business casual or suit to interview?

mjger — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:35:09 -0800

Business casual or suit to interview? More inside...not as black and white as one would think. I recently graduated with my MBA and like so many graduates this year, I am still seeking gainful employment. I have an interview on Monday morning that I normally would wear a suit to, but the hiring manager called me and said, "Don't worry about wearing a suit to the interview. We understand that you are coming from out of town and business casual will be just fine." I was a little taken back and just said "OK".

This interview is on the way to a wedding I need to be at later in the week. I am taking a suit with me for the wedding, so I will already have it with me.

Here's the issue as I see it. I would have worn a suit to the interview if the hiring manager had not said anything. But since he has said something, if I wear it now will it come across as me disregarding what the hiring manager said? Or, will the hiring manager see me wearing a suit as putting in the extra effort to impress them when they clearly said I didn't need a suit? Obviously, these questions are unanswerable since each person, including the hiring manager, will interpret the suit differently.

I guess my question to you all is: In your opinion, is it safer to just wear business casual to the interview since I have the go ahead by the hiring manager, or should I wear a suit since I will have it with me. If you recommend the suit, when I get to the interview to I explain to the hiring manager why I am in a suit even though he said I didn't need to be in one?

Thanks a bunch!

Best Costume Design: What to Wear Post-Oscars

alainabrowne — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:25:05 -0800

I've quite improbably wrangled an invite to an exclusive post-Oscar party tomorrow night. This is not my usual scene (big understatement). What's appropriate attire, and where can a petite but not skinny girl shop for such attire in LA? I live in NYC and am flying out tomorrow morning. It's short notice, but obviously not an opportunity to miss even if I end up wearing the wrong thing. Thanks for your help!

What winter wear for suits ?

colophon — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:04:14 -0800

What do men wear to a winter funeral ? I will be attending my first winter funeral this Thursday as a pallbearer no less. The temperature is expected to be between -12 C to -23 C with a decent wind chill.
What sort of outerwear do you wear over a suit jacket that is both warm and won't make me look out of place ?

Tired of shirkin' when shirtin'

Shepherd — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:22:02 -0800

What do I need to know before buying a white dress shirt? I'm at a point in my professional life where the whisper-thin $14.99 white dress shirts just aren't cutting it. Before I take the half-assed step to the merely rumour-thin $30 white dress shirts, I wonder if somebody natty among the MeFi set could give me some pointers. Where are the price points for quality in white dress shirts? What should I look for when shirting up?

For bonus points: I live in a smallish Quebec town where the closest stores are all Canadian chains like The Bay, Sears, etc. Sites like this one seem to offer ... er ... shirts of quality I cannot ascertain at prices that may or may not be reasonable, which would be convenient. Essentially, I have no idea what I'm doing here, so any thoughts would be appreciated.

Just what is with the chefs and the ugly pants?

iamisaid — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:02:40 -0800

Why is it that one often sees professional chefs outfitted in pants with ridiculous (some might say ugly) pattern prints such as these or these? Is there some logical explanation that I'm not aware of or do these chefs just have exotic taste in fashion?

Dressing for success

Bardolph — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:24:04 -0800

Help me learn to dress my husband! Tips/tricks/resources on developing a good eye for men's business attire? Over a few decades as a girl, I've acquired tons of specialized knowledge about how to dress women in general and myself in particular-- I know, for instance, that pencil skirts make me look thick-waisted, that certain prints look elegant while others scream "Wal-mart!", etc., etc. Having recently acquired a male second half (who's begged me to look after his wardrobe), I'm looking for ways to gather the same sort of information about men's clothing, and business attire in particular.

Areas of special concern are:

Body shape/tailoring. Suits all look the same to me-- kind of absurd and stubby-legged-- so I'd love to find out which lines/proportions will make suits look "right", and what specific adjustments to the garment can help make the most of my husband's adorable, but not 100% modelesque, body proportions. I'm looking to go beyond the basics here: something like this , with a discussion of specific waist/shoulder/arm/leg proportions, would be ideal, not just the standard "heavier gentlemen should wear double-breasted suits" or whatever. Hubby is 6'2, 200lbs, broad shoulders, short legs, small pot-belly, if that helps at all.

Colors. I have a decent eye for matching women's clothing, but men's shirt/tie/suit combos seem to follow subtly different norms. Exactly what shirt colors can one wear with navy, for instance? Is the shirt meant to be the accent color, or the tie? Are there any general rules to help one figure this out?

Ties. Once we move past the novelty-Simpsons-tie range, these all seem to be some variation of geometric print/stripe, more or less bright-colored, 100% silk. Whence, then, all the jokes about "that hideous tie"? What exactly distinguishes a cool, expensive-looking tie from a $10 Sears special?

None of the research avenues I've tried so far-- Google, salespeople, menswear catalogues, What Not To Wear, this, this-- has yielded much in the way of specific, comprehensive and ~scientific info on these issues. Would love any combination of direct advice/resource referrals to help me understand what looks good on real men!

Business outfits for Tokyo's summer

clearlydemon — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:57:34 -0800

I'll visit Tokyo in late August to attend a training course. Business attire is recommended. Help! We'll visit some Japanese companies and I must dress appropriately, but I'm not used to business clothes. Also, I'm told the weather will be very hot and humid. What kind of clothes should I wear to make a good impression and not melt in the heat? Extra points for shoes and handbag tips.

Google says not to wear revealing clothes, and to be very formal. Would it be ok to wear a short sleeved fitted blouse?

I don't live in the US, so store recommendations are not helpful.

About me: I'm 28 years old (but look younger) and thin. I'm a graphic designer, and I usually wear casual clothes to work. I like to wear skirts and dresses, but I'm not a fan of high heels.

Dress me.

emd3737 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:55:59 -0800

Formal attire for a wedding in Baltimore? I'm going to a wedding in Baltimore, and the invitation specified "Formal Attire." I've noticed that within the United States, the definition of formal varies by region. In New York and Boston, black tie optional means that almost all women wear long dresses (the option being that men can wear a tux or a suit). However, I just went to a black tie optional wedding in Chicago and was suprised to find that almost all of the female guests were wearing cocktail (short) dresses.
I don't know anyone else attending the upcoming wedding in Baltimore, and I'd prefer to blend in rather than stick out.

So, to those familiar with the Baltimore/DC region...what should a woman wear to a formal attire event?

Business suits - are they worth it?

widdershins — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:00:51 -0800

Is there a good way to make the transition from dressing business casual at work to wearing business suits? Is it a good idea? Women, I'd like to hear your experiences w/wearing suits to work - the good, the bad, the ugly - and how you made the transition. I'm a woman in my mid-thirties who works at a financial investment firm. The dress code for the company is business casual. Generally, the women who tend to wear business suits are the client-facing people, senior managers, and the just-under senior managers. I'm mid-level in my organization but recently took on a job that is higher profile and more professional than what I've done in the past.

I've been thinking about starting to wear more professional attire when I come back from maternity leave in July. My main reasons are:
- I think it would help my career as I'm switching from a more general knowledge-base into a specific direction where I will have a steep learning curve, and dressing better will help me be taken more seriously. I started out in quite a junior position at this company and would like to shake that image.
- most of the people I'll be working with are more senior than I and dress a little better - even if it's not suits every day, the clothes are smarter than mine (though I'm by no means sloppy or underdressed). My new boss (male) does not wear suits.
- I'm not that into clothes and think wearing business suits may help alleviate the perennial 'what do I wear today' question as you can rotate suits more frequently.

The cons:
- I'm a fairly casual person and never thought I'd 'be a suit'!
- expenses - buying enough suits to get a basic wardrobe will be very expensive, and so is maintenance (dry cleaning). I'm prepared to invest money into myself and my career, but would like to be budget-conscious about it.
- there seems to be an awkwardness about all of a sudden starting to wear suits - I don't want people to think I'm interviewing for another job, for example.

So here are my questions: ladies, what were your experiences when you started to dress up? Was it worth the expense of the clothes? Did you feel comfortable? Is there a graceful way to make the transition?

Sing in Me, O Hivemind

greekphilosophy — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:25:35 -0800

What should a modern, semi-professional a capella choral group wear as concert attire? I sing with a relatively new a capella choral group in Philadelphia. Our repertoire is focused on performing secular works both ancient and modern. Our most recent concert was a collection of works commissioned by local composers that focused primarily on great modern poetry. But our upcoming concert is primarily one of English madrigals and other partsongs, to be followed by a performance of Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals.

We need to look "classic," but with (at least) a nod to our additional modern focus.

Some have suggested "loud" shoes with otherwise black attire. Scarves were used to accent the black attire worn by the women. And most recently, we took pictures wearing a hodgepodge of modern "business casual" attire. None of these things has really suggested the right image for the group. So what will?

Mens Dress Shoes That Don't Suck Please

Saucy Intruder — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 04:55:45 -0800

ISO men's dress shoes that are appropriate with the most conservative business attire but that will stand up to New England winters and walking-intensive public transportation commutes without wrecking my feet. Bonus if there's a retailer out there that has juicy post-Xmas discounts.

Formal Christmas Attire

sir_rubixalot — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:57:24 -0800

So I am looking for ideas as to what to wear to this year's company Christmas party. The theme is Naughty is Nice. I am not looking for anything too naughty, but more along the lines of something formal but outlandish. Any place that I could rent something for one night in the San Francisco area would be perfect. I have a couple of ideas, suit with a tophat/cane, maybe a leisure suit, anything that would turn heads. Oh yes, I am a guy and I am not too into the assless leather chaps/gag ball/leather thong.

Urban Rugged Clothes like Triple 5 Soul and G-Star Raw. For chicas, not guys.

barnone — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:28:23 -0800

Women's urban clothing. I'd like to find more brands of clothing like G-Star Raw and Triple 5 Soul. I particularly like this jacket and this shirt and this blazer. What are other retailers or brands that sell kinda tough, kinda sexy, kinda rugged apparel, specifically for women? I know of Karmaloop, Diesel and a few other online places, but so much of it is cutesy or too tiny. This is for a women's size large, about a 12-14 if possible. Men's clothing just doesn't really fit me (or someone else for whom this kind of clothing would be perfect). Guy's shirts are often too broad and the arms are too long, my hips are too wide. Think "urban rugged" rather than "full-out military" and definitely not too cutesy like this.

So: any suggestions? Skater/snowboard attire that isn't too tricked out? Punk clothing that's toned down a bit?

Wedding attire advice needed

jamesonandwater — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:40:44 -0800

What is appropriate for a woman to wear to a daytime black tie wedding, where the ceremony is at a Catholic church? The day-time and church elements are throwing me, so if you have any advice please offer it! The marriage ceremony will be early afternoon, dinner late afternoon, and the boozing til late.

Any black tie events I've attended before have been night time affairs and certainly didn't have the church component, so I'm confused about what may be appropriate. Possible further wrinkle, this wedding will be in November in Ireland, so getting from place to place will be in the cold and wet, although I guess I can borrow loverboy's tux jacket if necessary. Any suggestions would be really welcome.

Dress me in "Summer Chic"

adamdrici — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:21:57 -0800

FashionFilter: Help me avoid a fashion faux pas at an event where the attire is described as "Summer Chic." More after the jump. I am attending a benefit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this Thursday evening and I am a little unsure what to wear. I just started dating this girl who is a few years older and a bit of a New York socialite, while I am still a lowly undergrad. She is taking me to this Young Members Party which she said is supposed to be the social event of the season.

Basically, I don't want to look too out of place (I'm probably already going to be the only one there without a job, ha!) so what do you recommend for "Summer Chic?" I really only have dark suits and I thought khakis and a blazer would be too casual. Thoughts? Thanks!

men can't wear sundresses.

brinkzilla — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:21:50 -0800

My boyfriend and I are heading to an outdoor wedding this weekend. It's expected to be hot, so I am questioning the appropriateness of a suit. The poor man will roast. What should/ can he wear that is acceptable? To give a little more detail. He's not the type of guy that is into fashion. That is kinda evident from the clothes pile on the end of our bed. He is more of the 30 year old grad student/ science type. He wears what I buy him, although, I am conscious of his comfort over fashion stance, but try to upgrade when possible. We are going to a cousins wedding on my side of the family, and he missed the last 4 due to summer research that he does in Maine. So... this is it, the mystery boyfriend is finally showing up and I want him to look nice. (but comfortable) As I mentioned above, it's in NJ, outside, and it's expected to be in the 80's.
Help.

How to tell a new employee her clothes are too sloppy?

mygothlaundry — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:36:30 -0800

How do I gently inform a new employee that she needs to dress better? We recently hired a new part time person for our (very) small staff. She's wonderful; we love her; she's already great - work-wise. Appearance-wise, however, she leaves something to be desired. She's sloppy; her clothes don't fit well or match and they're just inappropriate for her position, which is very much in the public eye. She's also in her mid thirties, so you would think that she would know dressing like a college student is no longer appropriate. Her clothing style is what we here in Asheville call "crunchy" btw: messed up old Ugg boots, corduroy jeans that don't fit, a not quite clean shirt that clashes horribly with the much too small cardigan over it, striped kneesocks with a plaid skirt and so on. We do have a dress code but it doesn't cover this kind of thing: it just says no jeans & no logo T-shirts & please be neat.

She doesn't have to get all corporated out - noone expects her to wear a suit every day or anything - but she should look like an adult, have clothes that are basically business to business casual and are clean, match and fit. This whole thing is hard for me because I certainly don't dress like a corporate clone: I mostly just wear black and try to make sure that everything looks at least kind of "officey." So I have no idea how to approach this entire conversation and, as I hate confronting people for anything at all, much less something personal like this, I am turning to the hive mind.

What to Wear?

jmugrapler — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 18:41:54 -0800

What is appropriate interview attire for a very creative, non-traditional company? I have an interview with a non-traditional company and was told when setting up the interview that it was a casual environment and I was free to dress casual as well. The company is well known and publicly traded, but the office is casual to the point of being "Dog Friendly." Normally I wouldn't even question what to wear for an interview- standard suit - but this is more of a creative type of company, and I want to make sure I make the correct impression. Any thoughts?

How to dress at a Mexican wedding?

kmel — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:16:28 -0800

Going to a nighttime wedding in Mexico -- what do we wear? Our American friend is marrying a Mexican woman in Monterrey. It's safe to bet the ceremony will be Catholic. So, what do I and my husband wear? Can either of us wear black? Anything else we should know?

Golf casual?

Sweetie Darling — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 18:53:23 -0800

At a "golf casual" event, can a woman wear (tailored) jeans?

What should I wear to a business meeting at a hip company?

Xazeru — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:05:42 -0800

What should I wear to a business meeting at a hip technology company? I have an upcoming business meeting with some executives at a cool Bay Area technology company. I'm an engineer, so I'm used to dressing comfortably (okay, occasionally slovenly). I have a few nice looking suits, but I'm worried that I will look stuffy and uncomfortable if I wear one to the meeting.

I'd like to look cool, competent and comfortable, but also appropriately 'dressed up'. What should I wear?

Whatever you recommend will likely not be in my wardrobe already, so suggestions about where to shop would be appreciated as well.

Shopping the sales -- how does it work, when does it happen, where do I go??

croutonsupafreak — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 07:06:18 -0800

Over the next few months, I need to buy a lot of new clothes to bulk up my professional (woman's) wardrobe. I want everything I buy to fit well. Slacks, skirts, blazers need to be lined. I will not buy anything without trying it on first, so web and catalog shopping is out. I don't have the budget to buy this all at full price. What kinds of strategies can I employ to get the best deals possible? Are there specific stores I should be shopping in? Are there sales I should watch for? Are there specific dates, weekends or times of year when I can get the best deals? How can I find out about and obtain about great coupons and upcoming sales? Those are the questions, here's a little background.

I am normally a cheapo shopper, and I'm pretty clueless about nice business wear.

My boss and the most respected senior women in my work place tend to wear suits about half the time, and nice skirts or slacks with sweaters or blazers the rest of the time. I've also become that my boss notices what people where when -- "Didn't she wear that earlier this week?" etc.

So I want a classy and robust wardrobe.

I hope to gradually acquire:
* 2 summer work skirts
* 2 summer work dresses
* 2 winter work dresses
* 2 fitted pullovers (1 v-neck, one crew neck)
* 2 cardigans
* 1 black turtleneck (fitted, black, thin)
* 2 pairs winter work pants (tropical wool, lined, not black)
* 1 classic pant suit in a light color
* 3 wool blazers (varied neutral colors)
* 1 light summer blazer
* nude stretchy camisole
* 2 belts -- dark brown and a lighter color
* more socks and pantyhose
* Light colored summer office shoes (pumps)
* 1 pair of knee boots
* 1 pair of ankle boots.

I can't afford it all at once, and I want to get the most bang for my buck while still going after high quality stuff. Hence my obsession with sales and deals.

How should I approach this?

How does a non-feminine woman dress professionally for an interview?

FlamingBore — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:37:34 -0800

Dressing for the interview with a twist or two. I am flying to an interview with an Internet company in less than two weeks. I received the agenda just now and the recruiter notes "I would recommend professional attire." Help... Here's the thing:

1. I applied for a position she'd advertised for. They don't think I'm quite right for the position but think that I might really fit in their company in another aspect. But they haven't solidified what that is. So I don't know what level this position is. It's at least mid-level, but based on what they are talking about it *could* be a management/director type level.

2. In my experience working for Internet companies for the last five years the idea of wearing a suit seems really strange to me.

3. I get mistaken for a man almost daily. I don't think I'm particularly mannish looking, but I'm also not feminine so wearing a skirt suit is OUT of the question - I'd look completely ridiculous. That leaves me with a pant suit which I don't currently own. I still think I'd look a little odd in a woman's pant suit.

I've always been told that it's really important to feel your best and comfortable in an interview. I don't know how comfortable I'd feel in a suit flying up, meeting with roughly a half dozen people and then flying home that night. Of course I also know that it's important to dress one step above the position you're interviewing for (d'oh - if only I knew what that really was).

Would it be totally inappropriate to wear a very nice pressed shirt with a pair of nice pressed slacks to such an interview or should I suck it up and go find a pant suit? Are there other alternatives that won't make me look like I'm in drag or feel like a fraud?

Further challenge: if I have to suck it up: I'm short and stocky so many suits just look silly on me anyway. Any suggestions here would be helpful too.