Barbara

My husband and I are invited to a private party at the Rainbow Room. How dressy should I be? Can I wear a normal black dress (too dressy for work, but ok for nice dinner out). Or are long gowns, sequins, and the like required. Thanks

x

Where is the Rainbow Room? Is it a case of "if you don't know then don't aks?"

cindy

If it's a private party, the dress code could be anything from business casual to black tie! Check with whoever is sponsoring the party.

FYI:When it's is open to the public, it's more a dressy suit/cocktail dress type of place, not black tie.

Jan

barbara, your instincts are right one with black - too dressy for work perfect for night time, dress it up with fine jewlery and you will be fine. I had a sim. eve last month, t-length is what I went with and that was the norm - I saw no others in sequins but there was plenty of back silk and black lace.

Owen O'Neill

The Rainbow Room is a relatively famous place in NYC but if I recall correclty it was closed for several years and is now reopened. Had its heyday in the big band or orchestra dinner/dancing under the stars sort of era (before my time but the name evokes images of bygone eras for me). As is so often the case, the poster may have selected "New York" for a category without realizing that it wouldn't appear in the post title. I've never had a desire to go to the rainbow Room but one of these days I will go to the Cafe Carlyle to hear Bobby Short (yes it's also in NYC and I'll really have to save my pennies for that one!).

x

Yes some places are so well known that their location does not have to be mentioned. Just like the Redwood Room in what is now the Clift in SF (once the Four Seasons). Thanks Owen for your response.

ryan

The Rainbow Room is now a quasi-private club. The intention of the owner, Cipriani, was to make it entirely a private club. However, membership ranks fell a little short and he needed to make it accessible to the public.

As of the last time I was there, early September, it was open to the public on Friday and Saturday nights.

Personally, I think it has lost something from the old days when you could sit at the bar and look south. He fired all the staff including Dale DeGroff, who is possibly the best bartendar in NY.

barbara

Just found out - party is in a private room for drinks, then going into the regular area for dinner. I'm thinking about a black "dinner" suit (whatever that is). I don't have much dressy clothing and hate the feeling of looking like a rube in NY. If anyone has been there lately and cares to describe the women's outfits, I'd be most grateful. Thanks.

lola

At the risk of getting truly slammed, Barbara, I will say that I felt like you on a recent trip to NYC (what to wear???) and was surprised that the great majority of folks I saw (SOME of whom HAD to be locals), were just not all that well-dressed (as compared to years ago when 'style' ruled). You can never go wrong with a simple but dressy black dress and might well end up being the classiest-looking woman there. As someone else suggested, just add some knockout (not necessarily $$ and not necessarily garish) jewelry for accent.

We tend to get so uptight about this sort of thing and really....what does it matter? For instance, I was concerned, as we headed east, about a good walking shoe...and thanks to hard-to-fit feet wasn't all that happy with what I settled on. But I also happen to think that the current clunky look that so many women are sporting is ugly and unflattering...and it dawned on me: if I thought "their" shoes looked bad, what the heck did I care what "they" thought of mine??

barbara

Lola - thanks! You are so right - I need to stop being so uptight about this. It's one night and I am not known as the family fashion plate anyway (although I always look just fine). It's all about wanting to pretend I am a sophisticated New Yorker with a glam wardrobe. I appreciated your take on the issue.