Dinner Party
This outfit is actually from a few weeks ago, and is what I wore to a casual dinner party at a friend’s house. I wasn’t sure how anyone else would be dressed, so figured I’d use the event as an excuse to shimmer and snake. 😉 (As it turned out, we were more dressed up than anyone else there, so I kicked off my shoes and shed the jacket soon after we arrived.) Our hostess prepared the most amazing Mexican seafood dinner, including a delicious shrimp ceviche, which I could have made a meal of all on its own. Le monsieur and I realized later it had been years since we’ve been to a dinner party with anyone other than family. It was a really fun evening and nice to meet some new people.
I carried my Chanel Wallet-on-a-Chain bag one last time. I purchased this from a consignment seller last year and have rarely used it. While a very nice bag, I find that it’s generally too dressy/structured for my style now, and I have sent it back to the consigner to sell. Above, the chain is tucked inside and I carried it as a clutch.
Les vêtements:
Earrings: Stella and Dot, no longer available. Similar / Necklace: Stella and Dot, no longer available. Similar / Jacket: Eileen Fisher from 2010. Similar / Tee: Eileen Fisher / Jeans: Eileen Fisher / Bracelets: Stella and Dot, here and here / Bag: Chanel. Similar, in black. More Wallet-on-a-Chain bags here / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman, no longer available, similar.
I’ll be linking up to Adrienne’s and Jill’s “How I Wear My Casual Party Outfit,” and am looking forward to seeing everyone’s Casual Party wear.
And I’ve linked up with Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. Go check out some of the fabulous looks from the Visible Monday crew!
Do you go to many dinner parties? Are they dressy or casual affairs?
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I’d have to say it’s been ages for me, too, except for family barbeques. In fact, I haven’t even been to a party for ages, the kind where you meet new people and keep losing your wine glass. I guess I run with a pretty quiet crowd these days!
I think your outfit is really cool…and I understand about sending the purse back, but it is a great bag for someone who goes out a lot. Your shoes are gorgeous. Most of our parties are really casual…especially summer with it as hot as it is. Partying with the suburb crowd is just more laid back!
You look wonderful! Those jeans fit so well. I’m not a fan of the Chanel WOCs so I’m not surprised you didn’t use it.
We go to very few dinner parties nowadays and they are mostly casual but if I know the hostess and company well enough I will dress up anyway.
Same with us, the dinner party is mostly with family these days – but sounds like grand fun. Love those shoes!
Years since you’ve been out with your friends? You need to have a party!
I figured out how to get my credit card points turned in for gift cards and have been making a point of taking restaurant gift cards. Not everybody is up for entertaining at home -the cleaning much less the cooking can be too much- but we can get together at a restaurant.
Here in Texas (city and rural) dinner parties seem to be very frequent. We host several a month ourselves and usually attend some as guests as well. At our farm, I’m strictly casual for these affairs (sometimes leggings and tunic), and in the city wear something just a bit dressier if I am hosting a even more dressy if we are the guests. Dinner parties are fun–so if you haven’t been to one in a while, host one yourself! I think the key is advance preparation and a simple menu.
Dinner parties seem to be the way that we entertain.They are usually casual affairs and in great weather are held outdoors and the BBQ’s are turned on!
You look great. I like how you have mixed up the textures. Those jeans are perfect on you.
When I was married we had a small dinner party every other week. I loved to host them, and attend.
That outfit is so perfect. I think there ought to be a known dress code, “California Cocktail Party,” to describe the phenomenon. You’d be one of the reference implementations:).
I love the shoes! My hubby and I aren’t very social creatures…we have two get-togethers a year at our house…that’s about it for us!
Debbie 🙂
http://www.fashionfairydust.blogspot.com
This lipstick color on you is GREAT! Really perfect! As far as the dinner parties go, that is a sore spot with me lately. All the people I know are lazy. I guess that’s it…..I LOVE dinners, used to have alot of them (expensive) even a Kentucky Derby party, then I realized I was sitting around never eating at anyone else’s house. So I quit, at least became more careful about guest list. Now I have pared it down to 3-4 families I regularly eat with back and forth, I hate to say it- but I had people to my party every May (Derby day) for 3 0r 4 years in a row, then I realized I had bnever even been in their house!! Off my list they go!!
I see having a party as a bit different from having a dinner party. A dinner party is fairly intimate (I never have more than 8-10) at the table. We have parties with 60 or more guests and I do not expect to be invited to all of their homes. Perhaps others feel differently about this. It does take a bit of effort to host a dinner party–and not everyone wants to do it. My husband LOVES to have dinner parties and of course he does not do as much of the work to prepare. My favorite dinner parties are the very casual lunches and dinners we have at our farm.
We sound similar i also run a farm and mt favorite party is a big dinner cookout lots of produce and bbq roasts etc even in winter ga is ok to be outside I keep it simplebutreally good Bacon wrapped corn on cob tamales roast ribs Etc No fear of cholesterol damage as we work it off with manual labor and lifting hay bales!!
Susie, I’m afraid we are gentleman farmers–my husband does clean out the gutters on our two farmhouses and I work in the flower beds. Since we live in the city, we lease the pastures to a local man for his cattle. They are fun to watch! We love having guests at the farm–and you are right–even winter is doable outside and can be very fun.
You look just ok for a small, casual dinner party. What on earth were the others wearing?
Party to me means taking a look in the mirror before leaving home.
No time here for parties, but I do remember a New Year´s Eve party, where I was definitely over-dressed.
It was a first time visit, and wanted to wear a dress, only to realize soon, that everyone else wore jeans and wool socks. Me in a dress and high heels. Needless to write – I felt quite uncomfortable ; ).
I love to entertain but Monsieur not so much. I like to have 4 guests at a time as we live in an apartment. Those shoes are a great height and style. We were just at a 65th Bday party.
I love the bag and am looking for one like that for a September wedding. Wish I lived near your consignment store.
Your shoes are breathtaking! Your posts on July 17, July 24 and today: you’re wearing the jeans and netural top, dark jacket or sweater. Notice a theme?
Your ensemble looks dark to me for July in LA but I must be stuck in an unrealistic picture of people floating around So. Cal. in only white linen 🙂
Love it when my guests dress up a little for my dinner parties; they do, not ‘evening’ but a little special. I’d enjoy seeing a friend grace the table with snakeskin shoes!
Duchesse, thank you! We really haven’t had much “white linen” weather this summer. 😉 Our truly hot spell tends to hit in late September to October, when white linen also seems out of place. Despite being spread out LA is urban in culture, so one does see a fair amount of black, especially in some areas. In the more beachy and resort areas one would see more floaty linen wear.
I think you look all-round fabulous. Personally, I love mixing casual and dressy, but I admit I don’t go out much and I miss it.
Dinner parties? Since being in a relationship, one or two a year… before that? Zip, for about a decade.
Like I say, I miss it. Would love it, once every 2 months or so.
You do look wonderful. I love your style. My style is very close to yours (I hope), but I rarely wear jeans except in winter as the weather is way too hot in the valley and jeans are not allowed at work for me, and I do envy your fabulous shoes.
The blond hair color fits you perfectly!
We used to entertain a lot. Large parties several times a year along with numerous small dinner parties. This stopped when, a few years ago, I realized that our efforts were never reciprocated. Ever. There are people whe have been at many, many events in my home whose house I have never been in! I had been raised that a social event required reciprocation. Clearly my supposed friends never had this lesson. It makes me sad but, quite frankly, I would like to be the guest, not the hostess sometimes.
I was so glad to hear your reply- I also went through the same scenario, as I said earlier. I thought I was just being mean- but sad is a better word…. , as I said I had people over year after year, delightful people! But I quit when I realized they had never once even invited me over for anything. In our community we have some “supper clubs” and that has been lots of fun. All your efforts are appreciated, you always get to go somewhere to another dinner, and even get some good pals out of it that also like to cook and entertain. All those Bon Appetit magazines are back out of the closet being studied for my next party…….
We meet friends quite often for dinner at restaurants, but very few dinner parties. I’m going to one this weekend, and will probably wear a linen dress. I do make a lot of family dinner parties as our home is sort of “central” to everyone. I’m long overdue to give a dinner party at home for friends though. I think your outfit is perfect, and I actually like the structured clutch with it, as it balances the unstructured jacket.
We used to do dinner with friends fairly often, 6 to 8 at the table. Hasn’t happened much for the last few years, but I’ve been thinking of a French-themed evening soon (although our fallback main course is Paul’s very good paella, not so French!)
Love your outfit — and I’ve been wishing for you to roll up your jeans a bit as I think that suits the meeting of shoe and straight skinny jean better — I like this look on you!
I go to dinner parties occasionally, but most friends prefer to meet at restaurants. Less work, I guess. I prefer the party setting–where it’s easier to talk with different people. My girlfriends and I dress for dinner parties the same way we dress for restaurants or other NYC outings. The goal is to look good, ready for fun (if it’s a work nite, must change!) and good conversation. I love your EF jacket and accessories!
Great casual look! I love a good dinner party but it is a pity nobody gets really dressed up for them anymore. Society has become so dressed down – it’s more egalitarian I suppose (but not quite as fun). Love the snakeskin shoes and the Chanel bag!
Great outfit. LOVE those shoes!!!
Pseu I think I lost that Stella and Dot curb link necklace and I’m so mad! I think a certain daughter of mine borrowed and then left it somewhere. Glad you still rock yours!
Great outfit, love your shoes and bag! Beautiful gray tones, looks good with denim. Last night we went to a Hawaiian Tiki party where everyone dressed in bold floral patterns, very fun.
blue hue wonderland
Now that I think of it, its been years since our last dinner gathering too – seems impossible anymore among the collection of challenging life circumstances of anyone I’d invite or be invited by – with food intolerances, child or elder care arrangements, health issues, being overworked and just plain exhausted, etc. How sad!
So glad to hear of your really nice time. Your casual outfit with glamorous details is perfect. Love those shoes!
Shimmer and snake? Good one.
Dinner parties. I went to one recently, not family, and it was like a little holiday. O and I dressed up-scale casual and when we arrived we had to take off our shoes so I ended up barefoot, which was fine by me, and we ate on the deck.
This photo reminds me again how much I like you as a blonde.
Susan, you look beautiful. I’m not surprised you and your husband were the most dressed up. We enjoy hosting dinner parties but are often the ones the most dressed up. And when we are guests at dinner parties we are usually the most dressed up. Not always, but often.
Ooh, now I’m wanting ceviche…sounds delicious!
We can SO be cool in our greatest years! Lookitchoo! I really admire your neutrals-made-glorious by mixing those very understated textures. Good looking, kid.