Cocktail Dress

Strapped

My PA wore a short, strapless dress to a cocktail party at a well-known London hotel once. Later, some of us decided to go on and make an evening of it, so she went to try to book a room at the hotel, only to be told, "sorry, we don't rent rooms by the hour" :eek:

Lunar_Eclipse

Gloomendoom wrote: »

This is so wrong. It can be long, but it certainly isn't by definition. Christian Dior popularised the cocktail dress in the late 1940's. Cocktail dresses fall somewhere between formal evening wear and casual day wear. They were worn for informal or early dinners. They typically had a mid-calf or knee-length hem. They still do.

Well I'm confused then. Thankfully I needn't worry as I'm not a formal event or dress lover. I wear dresses on my annual beach Summer holiday and beyond that, only as invitations dictate, which thankfully isn't often.

lostinrates

Strapped wrote: »

My PA wore a short, strapless dress to a cocktail party at a well-known London hotel once. Later, some of us decided to go on and make an evening of it, so she went to try to book a room at the hotel, only to be told, "sorry, we don't rent rooms by the hour" :eek:

:T:rotfl:

And she relays that story?

Tbh, I've been to quite a lot of parties at many of the big name London hotels, and some of the trashy partygoers at some of the (other) events there and the things the z listers where to the things they thing going to will make them cool make me wonder what one would have to look like to be considered below the standard.

She must have looked seriously rough to not be offered a room for the night rather than them assuming it would only be booked for the hour. (I mean, I presume that anyone going to a top London hotel for their tarts can book the room for the night) .

*max*

Strapped wrote: »

My PA wore a short, strapless dress to a cocktail party at a well-known London hotel once. Later, some of us decided to go on and make an evening of it, so she went to try to book a room at the hotel, only to be told, "sorry, we don't rent rooms by the hour" :eek:

Sorry but that is extremely rude and unprofessional on the part of the receptionist. No matter what people look like or dress like, there is no need to say something like this. I'd have had a strong word if I were their manager!

Strapped

*max* wrote: »

Sorry but that is extremely rude and unprofessional on the part of the receptionist. No matter what people look like or dress like, there is no need to say something like this. I'd have had a strong word if I were their manager!

Well, quite, but the poor girl was so mortified we all just moved on somewhere else quickly!

I think it may say more about the hotel tbh!

*max*

Strapped wrote: »

Well, quite, but the poor girl was so mortified we all just moved on somewhere else quickly!

I think it may say more about the hotel tbh!

Definitely! How humiliating. Glad you all went elsewhere!

nearlyrich

Nicki wrote: »

That might be a generational or regional thing. OP should definitely check if her OH is thinking of not wearing a dinner suit. The events which OH and I have gone to specifying this dress code, all the men have most definitely been in dinner suits (we are in our 40's and live and work in London)

The guys who don't wear dinner suits and bow ties are 40 and 50 year olds from London and the South East in the IT industry;)

fawd1

If anyone is still interested they have that long beaded dress on sale in ebay, £100 quid cheaper, even with postage and they even have the so called "normal" sizes (although the first one had size 12's available, so am confused-is over size ten freakish now?) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADRIANNA-PAPELL-091880660-Buf-Cap-Sleeve-Beaded-Dress-Sz-6-8-10-12-14-16-New-/271289862559?pt=US_CSA_WC_Dresses&var=570194656521&hash=item3f2a22c99f

aliasojo

fawd1 wrote: »

If anyone is still interested they have that long beaded dress on sale in ebay, £100 quid cheaper, even with postage and they even have the so called "normal" sizes (although the first one had size 12's available, so am confused-is over size ten freakish now?) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADRIANNA-PAPELL-091880660-Buf-Cap-Sleeve-Beaded-Dress-Sz-6-8-10-12-14-16-New-/271289862559?pt=US_CSA_WC_Dresses&var=570194656521&hash=item3f2a22c99f

Item location is California so customs/import charges will apply I would think.

Probably wouldn't work out that much cheaper.

paulineb_2

Strapped wrote: »

Well, quite, but the poor girl was so mortified we all just moved on somewhere else quickly!

I think it may say more about the hotel tbh!

I think it does.