5 Outfit Ideas for Dinner & Drinks

Here in the UK, pubs and restaurants have re-opened and for many of us it’s the first time in a while we’ve done anything worth dressing up for. (Unless you’re like me and you dress up to put the bins out.) We all must remember to stay safe but if you have a special event that you’d like to celebrate with friends and family in a local eatery, here’s some outfit ideas for that special occasion.

There’s a reason the LBD never goes out of style. Most women are comfortable in a black dress whatever their taste and this one from ASOS is great for those of us who perhaps feel our days of showing off our bodies are behind us, because it's midi length and doesn’t ride up your thighs. The material is also very sculpting, so even though it’s bodycon, you can happily wear it to dinner with friends (I can personally testify to this as I wore it to my friend’s hen night, where I ate a lot of pasta!).

You could add a pop of colour with your accessories but I think pairing black with black looks so sophisticated and elegant, so I wore this with my Valentino-inspired heels from Dorothy Perkins. They are not excessively high and the straps make them secure and therefore comfortable enough to wear when you're propping up the bar all night. I also grabbed my faux leather jacket from French Connection and my black and rose gold crossbody from Ted Baker, which is the handbag I nearly always opt for.

The one that almost got away - I was going to return this H&M dress but am glad I kept it because it’s a very easy outfit to put on and immediately look glamorous in. I’ve used a belt from one of my floral dresses to make this more figure-flattering and to make the all-white look less stark. This dress looks more expensive than it is - the scallop detail and fit-and-flare silhouette are reminiscent of a Ted Baker design, yet it costs less than £30.

I wore this with my pink and rose gold crossbody from Ted Baker to amp up the cuteness and wore a pair of low block heels to ensure I could comfortably make my way to the restaurant.

Comfort is key when going out to dinner - life’s too short to prioritise looks over food! Culottes are therefore perfect because they look smart yet feel as comfy as a pair of pyjamas. I wore mine with my silk vest from Reiss - I love how the colours look together - and a pair of nude heels. They are not the most comfortable but are OK to wear from the car to the restaurant!

I’ve lived in floral dresses lately. More specifically, I've lived in this H&M floral dress lately! It is such a great day-to-night dress and works for so many occasions. Floral dresses make you look instantly dressed up even in the daytime so are easy to style for the evening - just add a pair of heels and a clutch. If you're going out for dinner, dresses with tie belts work really well because you can highlight your waist without the dress feeling too tight and uncomfortable after a big meal. 

This jumpsuit is youthful and flirty without showing a lot of skin - my favourite combination! The bardot neckline highlights one of my favourite bodyparts which is the collarbone. I think it’s such an attractive area to show off without being overtly sexy. The bottom of the jumpsuit is a culotte-style so again very comfortable but still dressed up for dinner.

Because it’s cropped, I love wearing this jumpsuit with my flat sandals from Dune so would wear this as a lunch-with-the-girls outfit but it can absolutely be dressed up for the evening with heels. I've also worn it with the same faux leather jacket from earlier and the Dorothy Perkins heels for an evening look.

If you liked my style, there's more where that came from! I'm emma_does_fashion on Instagram and I'd love for you to follow me.

3 Ways to Wear the Lingerie Trend in the Workplace

Yes, it is possible!

Many of us shy away from the controversial lingerie trend. If you’re anything like me, you are terrified by tiny crop tops (I wouldn’t have written a blog post entitled 'How to Style Big Boobs' if I could squeeze into those). But the lingerie trend isn’t reserved for the ultra-body-confident. There are many ways that those of us with a more conservative style can style these pieces, and it is even possible to incorporate this trend into our workwear wardrobes.

You actually may already have a lingerie-inspired piece in your everyday wardrobe: the slip dress. This '90s piece has been back in fashion for a while now and is one of those items that works really well for nights out as well as everyday. To style it for the office - yes, it can be done - balance out the slinky lower half with an oversized jumper or cardigan and add a sensible pair of heels in a matching colour. Very attractive and on-trend for SS20 while still business-appropriate - you have basically just turned it into a satin skirt!

Another office-appropriate piece that ticks the underwear as outerwear trend is the classic camisole with lace detail. To ensure this looks more outerwear than underwear, opt for a neckline such as a square, like this one from the White Company, rather than a v-neck and add a fabulous blazer on top.

Alternatively, try a vest with lace detail such as this black one from H&M. Styled with a pencil skirt or wide-legged trousers, this is a classic office piece that many won’t even realise is lingerie-inspired and therefore bang on trend.

By far the most wearable version of this trend is a sheer-sleeved top, and if you’re planning to wear the trend to the office, a sheer-sleeved blouse like this one from Topshop would be perfect. The classic way to style a blouse for the office would be to pair it with a pencil skirt and heels but you could also wear this piece with a pleated midi skirt to make it slightly more relaxed.

All of these pieces, as you can see, can be styled appropriately for work but are also great for days out as well as evening drinks. I love thinking of different ways to style the same piece so that I can make my clothes go further, so this blog post was a lot of fun to write! I hope you enjoyed reading it.

The H&M Edit - 10 Items on My Wishlist

H&M are my favourite affordable fashion brand right now. They offer great quality at reasonable prices and their clothes, especially their summer dresses, are absolutely stunning. Here’s my edit of the 10 pieces I’m loving most from H&M at the moment.

1) Tan bucket bag, £17.99

One thing I really need in my wardrobe at the moment is a tan handbag. It’s a very versatile piece that works beautifully with both light and dark outfits. This is one of my favourites from the high street. Because it’s a bucket bag, it’s good for everyday use. I would style it with my dark blue floral dress from Joules as the tones would go beautifully together,

2) Wide belt, £14.99

I love the organic materials trend. i love feeling the textures of my clothes and accessories. This is a practical belt that still looks interesting and unique. Wide waist belts are flattering on most bodyshapes and a neutral one like this is perfect for cinching in an oversized dress or breaking up a solid colour.

3) V-neck black top with lace detail, £17.99 

A black lace v-neck is one of those pieces that you will wear time and time again for all sorts of occasions. It’s appropriate for work with a smart pair of wide-legged trousers but can also be easily dressed up for dinner and drinks. Tops like this which have a bit of movement to them are extremely flattering and comfortable and always feel more expensive than they are.

4) Chiffon floral blouse, £12.00

This is a very low price in the sale so it will probably be gone soon but it’s so pretty that I had to include it here! It’s a louder print compared to the rest of my wardrobe but sometimes you have to do something a little different so that your style can evolve. I would pair this with a high-waisted mini skirt and ankle boots for a 1960s-inspired silhouette.

5) Pearl circle earrings, £9.99

I’m slightly obsessed with pearl jewellery! I love the circle design, which I find more flattering on my profile than hoops. These would add instant glam to a casual outfit. They would look especially sophisticated alongside the v-neck black top from earlier.

6) Johanna Ortiz x H&M floral dress, £ 34.99

On my hourglass figure, this oversized wrap dress could either be really right or really wrong for me - there’s no way to know without trying it on! I’m on a mission at the moment to find some summer dresses that I don’t have to wear a strapless bra with so this beautiful short floral dress could be the answer. The sleeves are quite long but, as it’s linen and unlined, it would hopefully still be cool and comfortable in hotter weather.

7) Linen-blend white dress, £24.99

All-white is a huge trend for SS20 and this strappy a-line dress would look great on a variety of bodyshapes. I would probably size down to encourage it to fit in all the right places. The dress is lined so you should (fingers crossed) be able to wear it without worrying about your underwear showing. It’s a classic style that you could wear year after year and it would be especially useful for summer holidays abroad.

8) Crinkled floral dress, £29.99

Can you tell I have a thing for florals? I’m actually am not keen on patterns myself but I do have a soft spot for delicate florals, which H&M are very good at. If venturing outside, I would cinch this halterneck maxi in with a belt - perhaps the organic one we mentioned earlier - but would wear it loose if working from home for maximum comfort.

9) Striped wide-legged trousers, £ 29.99

On my Instagram, it looks like I live in long dresses but I’m actually a huge fan of trousers, especially wide-legged, high-waisted ones. They are smart enough for work yet cool enough for more casual outings and they always garner compliments. I would wear these with my chocolate silk vest from Reiss to pick up the brown tones in the stripes. They would also look lovely with the black lacy tee above.

10) Rust maxi skirt, £24.99

My style has definitely changed a lot as I’ve gotten older but one thing I’ve always loved are crinkly, tiered maxi skirts. I love how this has been styled on the H&M website with a plain beige tee and neutral mules. On hotter days, I would wear this with a camisole and slides to keep myself fashionably cool, perhaps with a classic white shirt tied in a knot on top.

How to Shop for Eyewear

They are an accessory like any other but because we need rather than want glasses, we resent paying for them and treat our eyewear purchases like a chore. Usually, the only criteria we have in our heads when shopping for spectacles is the price.

Fall in love with shopping for eyewear! If you have a prescription, glasses will be your most-worn accessory so put some thought into what you want and choose a pair you really love. If it’s your first time shopping for prescription glasses, I highly recommend going into your local Optician's for help but for those more seasoned glasses-wearers, I will also talk about how to buy glasses online.

If you only have a small prescription, you will probably be able to wear any frames. However, some people’s prescriptions really impact the styles they can wear. You’ll know this if you have a very high prescription because you’ll likely have quite thick lenses, meaning you can’t wear especially thin, lightweight frames. The distance between your pupils will also affect the frames you can choose - my eyes are closer together than the average person’s so I can’t wear fashionably big styles because my prescription simply wouldn’t work the way it's supposed to. Remember when narrow, rectangular glasses were in fashion? That was my favourite time.

Not everyone can wear contact lenses but it's worth trying them if you can. I like to wear contact lenses on holiday because that means I can wear whatever sunglasses I like, whereas I’m limited to the petite range when shopping for prescription sunglasses. (If you can’t find what you want in the petite range, have a look at the teen options too!)

There are plenty of funky designs out there for both glasses and sunglasses and if that’s your style, go for it! If, like me, you wear your spectacles every single day, your best bet is a classic shape in a neutral colour like the Rayban Wayfarer. My glasses broke recently and I ordered the exact same pair from Glasses Direct because I know they work well with the rest of my wardrobe. They are minimal and stylish - perfect for everyday.

I chose Raybans because I liked the style and I knew I would get the wear out of them but budget eyewear ranges are often great quality too. If you spend more money, you’ll get extra features like spring hinges for durability but as long as you look after them, any pair of glasses should last you a long time - as long as you don’t sit on them!

Glasses Direct are a fantastic option if you are comfortable inputting your own prescription. If buying online, make sure you ask your optometrist for your 'PD' (pupillary distance, i.e. the distance between your pupils) because you’ll need this to order your frames. When ordering online, have a look at the inside arm of the frames you already own - you’ll see two 2-digit numbers and a 3-digit number. These are the measurements of your current frames. Try to stick close to these numbers when choosing your new frames.

If you don’t have a prescription, the world is your oyster when it comes to sunglasses. You can basically wear whatever you like as it won't affect your vision, but of course some styles will suit you more than others. Try as many on as possible and have a good look in the mirror to see which styles suit you best. Ask someone to help you choose - someone you trust to give an honest opinion! 

Most sunglasses have plastic frames and you may struggle to wear these if the bridge of your nose is shallow. If you love plastic frames, keep an eye out for ones with nose-pads attached, like my Gok Wan sunnies above. You can take these into your local Specsavers to be adjusted so they fit your nose perfectly, whereas the nose section of purely plastic frames can only be manipulated so much. This is especially important if you have a prescription because not only will it keep your glasses from falling down but the fit also affects your vision.

If you just started wearing glasses and you’re devastated that you can’t wear your favourite designer sunglasses anymore, you can take them into an opticians to have the lenses changed. Just bear in mind that they won’t be exactly the same colour that you’re used to and the opticians will not be liable if they break in the process, so if they’re very precious, try wearing them with contact lenses. When buying a new pair of prescription sunglasses, it's useful to know that you are not limited to the pairs of sunglasses that are out on the shelves - you can ask for a tint to be put into any frames you like, even if the display pair are not tinted.

Also, if they ask if you if you wanted polarised sunglasses? Say YES. They are expensive lenses but they are SO worth it. Your vision will be so much clearer whether you wear a prescription or not.

I hope this was helpful to you whether you have a prescription or not! I post on this blog every weekend and also post fashion content regularly on my instagram, @emma_does_fashion so if you like the photos in this post you might like to follow me on Instagram too!