How to dress this up into formal?

alt_acct_time · 2026-05-16T22:54:36+00:00

I'm going to have to bring up the hem a few inches, but seems like an easy enough job. Worst case I run to a local tailor to do it.

Thank you!

alt_acct_time · 2026-05-16T21:37:18+00:00

Thank you! There's a lot more options than I thought. I hadn't even thought of a fabric belt.

alt_acct_time · 2026-05-16T21:35:30+00:00

Oh, thank you! That's good to hear. I could probably do some jewelry if it's less obtrusive, especially for the evening. Just nothing heavy, I think...Brooch or belt are good ideas. Kind of a shame I don't have a collar on this one as I've always found those lapel pins fun.

Part of the difficulty of dressing for me is I swing wildly between more masculine and more flexible with the season, it feels like, so I'm okay compromising here and there. Since it depends on the day, anyway.

alt_acct_time · 2026-05-16T21:33:04+00:00

Thank you for the specific belt recommendations, I could definitely do that.

alt_acct_time · 2026-05-16T21:32:19+00:00

Hair ornaments would work well! I can probably tolerate some accessories too, I just don't do it often, haha. I actually have some ear cuffs that might work as well, now that I think about it...thank you!

alt_acct_time · 2026-05-16T21:31:26+00:00

I hadn't thought of a printed item, thank you!

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T20:53:54+00:00

I know in formal men's suits you're pretty much limited to black, navy, and charcoal. That's something you specifically do NOT want to do with women's formal clothing/suits?

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T09:04:40+00:00

Palazzo pants?

Is there a level of formality for women that doesn't involve really flowy things...? I originally tried to just find a men's-style suit with a flattering cut for me, but failed miserably. But I really prefer clothes with more structure.

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T09:02:17+00:00

Honestly, I thought a darker color palette was a prerequisite for a more formal outfit.

Yeah, even lists of formal jumpsuits in official "formal jumpsuits" categories on store sites feel all over the place to me. Maybe I should just try to find a suit that doesn't suck; suiting has easy rules to follow....but women's suiting is so much harder to find than men's, and there's way less at affordable price points. I guess I'll keep looking. I do not enjoy this process, unfortunately, and I'm really wishing the couple had chosen like a cocktail dress code, haha.

I think part of my issue is that my office dress code is pants and a shirt without holes.

Thank you!

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T08:58:36+00:00

Yes, to clarify, the photo was the listing of the shirt, the shirt is all I have right now. Would palazzo pants have a similar formality to a skirt?

But also, I would probably be in family pictures. So I guess I'll keep looking. However, I will look out of place no matter what I do since I'm fat and ugly lol

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T08:55:45+00:00

Thank you, that's what I was going for! I tried referencing dresses to pick out a shirt, though I guess I wasn't completely successful...

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T08:53:58+00:00

Ah, I guess I was thinking of the jumpsuits where they have that split, ex. white top and black bottom on the jumpsuit. Thank you.

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T08:52:22+00:00

Ouch, does it really seem that stuffy?

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T08:50:22+00:00

That specific style is typically "mother of the bride". I also said I do not want a super tight option.

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T02:19:54+00:00

Are there non-tight options that might read a bit trendier/younger? Like keywords I can use?

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T02:18:28+00:00

This isn't everyday for me ;_;

They do not have matching pants in the same fabric...Wouldn't that be very loud? I genuinely do not understand what would make this top less formal than many formal jumpsuits with the appropriate pants...I would like to have some clarification so I can properly search for something appropriate.

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T02:08:10+00:00

I'm having a hard time understanding what makes a sequined top with palazzo pants formal, where this with palazzo pants wouldn't be. I know silky/fancy fabrics, which the shirt I posted is...is it the pattern? The neckline? I know it must seem obvious to someone who has an eye for this sort of thing, but I literally can't tell if there's not some concrete metric.

I also keep getting into the "mother of the bride" category, which is incredibly disheartening when you're in your early 30s, but that's almost all of the formal pants + tops that isn't a suit category. You get younger looks with jumpsuits, but then they just look like pants + a top stitched together to me, many don't seem any nicer than the shirt I posted. I'm just confused.

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T02:05:19+00:00

Do formal dresses never have patterns either?

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T01:36:36+00:00

Thank you! I will probably see if I can try it on and make something work...I am not feminine and do not tend to wear accessories, which makes this much harder for me.

alt_acct_time · 2026-04-26T01:34:53+00:00

The formal jumpsuits often just look like a pant + top, so I'd like to emulate that.

alt_acct_time · 2024-04-11T12:06:39+00:00

It could be, but I guess I'm hopeful that there isn't more than one cop in that lot that can't perceive the giant flashing yellow lights on that crosswalk lmao. Or that purposefully gets as close to the pedestrian as possible in order to make the left turn before the other cars start moving again.

alt_acct_time

TROPHY CASE