curious

Midwestener, The outfit you chose sounds like a perfect choice. Beautiful! Re: the black stockings issue. I always found black stockings perfectly acceptable for daytime if you are wearing a black suit or skirt to work. When I worked at IBM I, as well as many of my colleagues would wear this with a black patent pump. Very sharp, or so I thought!

Maria

I agree that black hose during the day and especially at the office are a no-no. It would be like wearing a very sexy, strappy, gold heel to work. These are great shoes Midwesterner but not appropriate for office wear. If I wear a black skirt suit to work in the winter, I either wear nude hose or black tights, depending on how dressy the outfit is and what shoe I'm wearing.

Midwesterner

Curious: I'm with you on the black stockings during the day with a black dress/suit - but, nothing too sheer that might look like "cocktail hose".

Maria: I was born & raised in Chicago and have worked downtown for over 20 years - I would never wear strappy gold shoes to the office - damn, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck!

Chris

I am SO SICK of seeing this thread when I scroll down.....I sometimes have to post several times and bring my origianl post back to the top because people get hooked on somethin like this...The weddings a month away....lets just let her go, OK...please???

Maria

Oh my! Please don't cuss Midwesterner, I didn't mean you would wear those great shoes you got to work. You sound like a very fashionable lady and people like that are not the problem. But, I have seen people wear really strappy evening shoes to work and it is tacky. As for the black hose thing, maybe it is a thing here in the south. After all, I'm from Baton Rouge and may have been to one too many Junior League meetings!

Cindy

I also disagree with the so-called "no black hose" rule. Some of us have dark skin, and black hose look just great on us.

Never say never.

Midwesterner

Maria:
Sorry, honey...the cuss just slipped out!!! I DO know what you mean - I've seen far too many women dressed in cocktail dresses going to work in the morning & have wondered if they just didn't make it home the night before....But, they look absolutely ridiculous!
Had to respond to you, partly to bug Chris. What a party pooper!

ann

Any rules on when you can or can't wear pearls, white stockings/tights,
light-colored shoes (tan)?

The heck with the party-poopers. This is too much fun.

Jeannie

No white purses after Labor Day, either.
Another fashion "rule" --My mother always told me that your shoes should not be lighter in color than the hem of your dress/skirt/slacks.
In the winter, many professional women in my area (Northwest Florida) wear sheer black hose with a dark business suit during daytime. However, I have never seen a female professional in opaque tights in my neck of the woods. Besides, we would be too warm with our mild winters.

Beth

That is a great rule, I definitely agree that shoes should not be lighter than hemline. The rule works with dress pants too! As for the opaque tights, I think that they are a must in the north. I live in chicago and walk 1 mile each way to work (1/2 mile to subway stop from my house, then when I get downtown, work is another half mile from my subway stop on that end. With bitter Chicago winters, stockings are not enough to keep your legs warm, everyone wears tights with skirts!

Cindy

I discovered tights with business suits during the winter a few years ago. What a great invention! You cannot -- cannot -- run these things. You get just a few and they last forever. Really cuts down the pantyhose bill. This is very common in Washington, DC.

And just between us, you can get away with a teensy bit shorter skirt with tights, which is great for those of us who like to pretend we're still young now and then.

Leone

Well, what have you decided? Are the black hose in or out? Personally, I'd wear them, no matter what time of day or night, because they go great with the standard F-M backless shoe. And I'm usually strong for the B, B and MB approach anyway. But isn't Destin kinda bordering on a rather red area? Maybe different rules pervade there. Ciao

Alisa

Checking in from California...I say NEVER wear white to a wedding - it is tacky.

On the black issue, I have been to several wedding in the past year and I swear, there were so many black dresses at each one, it was as if I was attending funerals. Really. I think color makes the day seem special for everyone. Black is just unoriginal.

Midwesterner, your outfit sound lovely and absolutely appropriate. Have a lovely time!

Anonymous

Alisa, the wedding was 3 years ago.

poet123

Hi from the UK!!!
I found this thread fascinating. In the UK we have some taboos re weddings. The perennial one is of course no white!!
Strapless dresses in church are frowned upon also,
If it is a church wedding a hat is customary for ladies over 25,
No white shoes!!!!
If wearing nude hose(tights in the UK) please wear ones with sandal toes when wearing sandals,
If bare legs tan fake or otherwise is advised!!
No tarty!! cleavage showing, tops or too short skirts and a sense of decorum at all times!!!!!!!!!
Just one question when is Labor day?
Our dress code is pretty much fixed all year round but thats because we dont have your weather!!