UPDATE POST 15: What would you wear to this party? Help!

[crl]

So, we're going to a party later this month. Host is partner at dh's law firm. DH says attire is "casual." When pressed, he said he's planning to wear jeans, a black turtleneck and a sports blazer.

For some reason, I can't figure out where to go from there. Jeans? I have black trouser jeans that are long enough for me to wear heels with them. If that sounds right, what kind of top? Maybe I could buy a cream silk blouse and wear my red Anthopologie sweater coat ( http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?subCategoryId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS-RUFFLED&id=913636&catId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&pushId=CLOTHES-SWEATERS&popId=CLOTHES&sortProperties=&navCount=60&navAction=top&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=061&colorName=WINE&isSubcategory=true&isProduct=true&isBigImage=&templateType= )?

Or should I go for something dressier? I've been eyeing this dress from Athleta: http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=53591&vid=1&pid=734622 Is this an excuse to buy it? I could wear it with leggings and ballet flats. But is that really any dressier than jeans?

My skirts are either business casual or super casual (like post-yoga class). I have a variety of dresses, but they are mostly summerish.

I do have a black pinstripe shirt dress (purchased in Paris!). Maybe I should go with that? But, with bare legs? (We're in SF, it will be chilly.)

I'm not necessarily opposed to buying something, but I have no idea what.

Help,
Catherine

[lizzywednesday]

Jeans, blouse, jacket & heels, subtle makeup & simple hair and accessories.

For the jacket, I think you should err more along the lines of a velvet blazer than the sweater coat, especially if the event is indoors.

Yes, you want to impress, but don't upstage your DH.

[citymama]

SF is pretty casual but law firms are not. Personally I wouldn't do that dress - it looks more like a daytime dress (out shopping with girlfriends look) to me. I like that Anthropologie sweater and it would look nice with black jeans or trousers. Is it outdoors use or indoors? If you're just going to take it off inside anyway, then I would do nice pants, silk blouse, pretty necklace and light make-up. If you can keep it on, I think it would go well with jeans.

[crl]

Thanks for the feedback!

Yeah, if this were DC, I'd never do jeans to a law firm party so the whole it's CA, but it's still law firm has got me a bit confused. Since DH is planning to wear jeans, it must be okay for me too, I guess.

No options with my hair--it's short and always simple. :-) I've got jewelry to cover pretty much anything.

I don't have any dressy pants really. Well, I do have a pair of brown wool trousers that go with a suit, but that doesn't scream casual party to me.

If the jeans sound good, I think I'll go with them. So, a cream silk blouse with them? It seems like a reasonable addition to my wardrobe in general. I'd probably wear black boots and my black pearl necklace. . . .

Whatever jacket I wear, I'll ditch when we get there. I'm always hot inside. So there's probably not much reason to buy new for that. If the sweatercoat seems inappropriate, I have a plain black jacket I could wear.


Catherine

[lizzywednesday]

Dark wash jeans in a trouser cut can take you places you never would have gone in a lighter wash with a closer fit.

You'll be fine.

[crl]

Thanks! I'm going with the black jeans, heels, buying a cream silk blouse and wearing the sweater coat for my jacket. Now I just have to find time to go buy the cream silk blouse.

Catherine

[JenaW]

I LOVE your taste. That jacket is incredible, and I think the Athleta dress is cute too. I like your outfit idea with the dark jeans, and cream blouse and I think you will look awesome.

Have fun!

[Twoboos]

I would take any opportunity to wear that sweater coat - love it! Sounds like your outfit will be perfect.

[arivecchi]

I used to work at a large CA-based law firm and I never wore jeans to law firm parties/events but perhaps that is just me. I do love the sweater coat though! I'd wear that with black slacks. Black jeans might be ok if they are not too casual. Agree with the other poster that the dress is too daytime for the type of party you are describing. Have fun!

[mominmarch]

I am in Richmond VA at a large international lawfirm, and I am a partner here, and I have that same sweater coat, and I wear it all the time to social events. I would totally do that and trouser jeans, and either heals or highhealed boots if you wanted to (weather dependent). I don't think you can go wrong with that. A chunky necklace or bracelets too. I know that the perception of lawfirms is still stuffy and business dress, but that isn't my reality anymore -- sure some people stick with the suits that we all wore when we started in 1994, but I find our women try to be more and more fashionable, and certainly would be at a party or after work gathering. The dress, while I like it, is not something that I would chose over your other outfit.

[AnnieW625]

I love that jacket a lot!

I am a CA state employee so I work in the land of ultra business casual (actually kind of pisses me off, but that's a whole other story!), but if I worked in a law firm and was going to a business event in the evening I would still not wear jeans, even in San Francisco; if it was a mid afternoon weekend event then maybe. Even when I worked across the street from the capital building in Sacramento and went to happy hour at bars where there were lots of legislators, staff, lawyers, and accountants I always wore nicer clothes and stayed away from denim.

If you do go with the coat I would go with black trousers, and a creamy top/blouse maybe with some similar styling to the jacket. I'd also wear a long dangle pearl type necklace. I'd work the vintage style of the jacket.

Now for a dress (I couldn't get the athleta one to load), but to me Athleta would be way too casual looking. I found this dress on the Anthropologie site (http://tiny.cc/9Yun4) and thought it would work with some black tights, and a creamy colored cardigan with some vintage details. Not sure what I would do for shoes, but I think you'd have a few options.

This one is also pretty and would be nice with nude hose, and some kitten heals, and a black or creamy cardigan:
http://tiny.cc/XmlKC

[smiles33]

I have nothing new to add, but just wanted to say I never realized how nice the clothes were at Anthropologie. Love the original sweater coat and AnnieW's dress choices.

OP: if you do buy a cream silk shirt, I'd love to see it. I've been wanting to get one for a while but can't find one I like.

[fivi2]

I would say nice black pants not jeans. And I would do my darnedest to convince dh not to wear jeans. Party? at a partners house? (I am assuming your dh is not a partner? you have a little more leeway if he is, but assuming he is not - you don't want to be among the under-dressed. imo!) I would feel safer in nice black pants - not too dressy if there are others in jeans, but nicer than jeans if others are dressed up. I live in a pretty casual town, and I was a lawyer once upon a time... I would do black pants (not denim). Even if everyone else is in jeans, you won't look silly!

JMO!

[crl]

Thank you all!

It's funny; I posted this on Mothering too and everyone was trying to convince me I should just wear a long-sleeve t-shirt with the jeans and sweater coat. DH's firm has casual Fridays and pretty much everyone, including partners, wears jeans. So I think jeans really are okay if the party has been designated "casual."

Anyway, I'm going to wear the black jean, heels (either black shoes or black boots), the sweater coat and this shirt: http://www.travelsmith.com/jump.jsp?itemID=9891&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C253%2C260&iProductID=9891&sortBy=0 Hopefully it looks good in person--it seems to me like it is simple enough to go under the sweatercoat, but fancy enough to stand on it's own if I get hot. I'll need a cami under it and I have a black pearl drop necklace I'll likely wear with it. I also have some vintage swavorski (sp?) crystal necklaces so I'll see how the neckline works out.

Thanks everyone!
Catherine

[crl]

Just wanted to update. I wore the black jeans, cream silk top, black boots w/ heel and red sweater jacket. It was fine. There were people there dressed as I was, one or two even more casual and several dressier. Oh, and a women at the valet parking at the restuarant we went to before the party stopped and told me my sweater jacket was fabulous!

Thanks again!

Catherine