How to Dress for a Fancy Restaurant as a Woman?

When planning a dinner or you’re invited to a fancy restaurant, you need to know the class of the restaurant, because not all forms of clothes and accessories are acceptable in some diners. Some locations have a restaurant dress code and you wouldn’t want to create a scene when they send you out for breaking the rules. 

There are some restaurants and even clubs that don’t permit any other footwear aside from heeled shoes, some don’t allow ladies in with very revealing and short clothes, and some don’t allow sportswear and casual clothes. The time of the day and weather considerations are some other factors that can influence your dressing for a fancy restaurant. 

Expensive restaurants call for luxury outfits. You certainly don’t want to go to a fancy restaurant looking underdressed or out of place. Regardless of your style and aesthetic, there’s a dress for a fancy restaurant in our collection that will suit your vibe.

Got an invite to have dinner at a fancy restaurant and you don’t know what to wear? Or you want some alone time in the luxury of a 5-star diner and want to look fully glam? The dress for a fancy restaurant that you pick can greatly impact your mood. Here are 15 of the loveliest dresses for a fancy restaurant that you should try out on your next invite:

1.Business Meeting Dinner Outfit:

If you are having a business meeting at a fancy restaurant, you should be dressed appropriately for business but also with captivating details. The luxury of your clothes should match the setting and also the level of the meeting you’re attending. A long-sleeved rhinestone bandage dress will stamp a great impression on your business partners and colleagues at the dinner. It would be best to accessorize with minimal accessories as bold jewelry may be distracting.

2. Work Party Outfit:

To exude an air of elegance and sophistication at your work parties and business celebrations, midi dresses for women and prom dresses will be perfect. One in a bandage style and with ruffle shoulders will ensure you steal the most glances at the dinner. A modest dress will ensure you don’t get into the bad books of HR. It is advised you only expose a decent amount of skin to still look captivating but not over-revealing.

3. Formal Dress Code for Fancy Restaurant:

A timeless look that you can adopt for your formal dinner event will be a floor-length draped gown. If your dress has a classic cut or some intricate styling, it will set the tone for exclusivity from every other person’s outfit. Luxurious fabrics like silk and velvet are what you should consider. But if you love a shine to your statement, then opt for sequins or rhinestones. Check our velvet dress collection!

4. Semi-Formal Dinner Outfit:

Maybe you attended a wedding ceremony, a graduation event, an anniversary, or any similar celebrations, and there was a cool after-party or an appreciation dinner with close friends and relatives. A one-shoulder bandage dress with a thigh slit or a sequined spaghetti strap maxi gown is up for the task. You can wear the dress from the main celebration and into the night, but if you’ve been informed earlier, then you should plan the dresses separately.

5. Casual Dress for Restaurant:

A fancy restaurant mustn’t be a 5-star diner at the center of town. It may be your regular fast-food restaurant or a nice restaurant with an amazing ambiance. Whichever one it is, you still need to look good there. If there aren’t many restrictions on the restaurant, then you can opt for a casual outfit like a jacket and denim pair or an off-shoulder mini dress.

6. Edgy Fancy Dinner Attire:

If you don’t like the stress of dressing up an outfit for any event, but you still like your style to be represented in what you wear, then you should consider doing the same with your dinner outfit. If you love to tune into an edgy aesthetic, then you should try on a chic blazer dress or do a combo with a double-breasted blazer and mom jeans. Put on some cute heels to amp up your look, then finish off with a sleek handbag.

7. Cute Fancy Restaurant Outfit:

If you’re stuck on the Barbiecore trend like most of us, then you should get ready to show off your sass with this one-shoulder dress. Pink dresses in this style are ideal for the ultra elegance needed at high-class restaurants while accentuating your best features.

8. Dress for Restaurant Dinner Date:

A mesh tie-dye dress or a pink strapless tiered dress is effortlessly alluring to embrace your feminine side at a dinner date. Whether your restaurant date will be held during the day or at night, you can wear any of these two dresses and a few jewelry pieces to stun your date. All you need to complete this glammed-up look will be a pair of strappy heeled sandals and a small clutch.

9. Fall Cocktail Dress for Restaurant:

There are many different options for you to choose from when it comes to fall dresses for a fancy restaurant. You can opt for a knee-length knit sweater dress in red, black, brown, camel, or mustard. We also have pleated shirt dresses in white, brown, and chocolate for you to try. And if you’re not big on dresses or just not in the mood, you can alternate with a cozy cardigan and midi satin skirt. Knee-high boots are the go-to footwear options here.

10. Winter Dressing for a Fancy Restaurant:

In winter, you would need all the warmth that you can get your hands on for your dinner. Our Dixie knit sweater two-piece dress does a great job here but if it’s freezing, you can layer a trench coat over the dress. Gloves, tights, and warm boots are add-ons that you shouldn’t miss.

11. Summer Dinner Dress:

Yellow and florals are summer’s favorite colors. If you’re looking for a dress for restaurant dinner, then a mesh corset skater dress would be lovely, but if you would be visiting the restaurant during the day, then a yellow or pink mesh draped dress or a halter mesh ruched floral dress will measure up to the task.

12. Classy Dress for Nice Restaurant:

This bandage lace sequin sleeves dress is a classy signature dress that you can trust for every nice location. Its midi length, the side slit, and the embellished puff sleeves add to the details that make it charming and suitable for fancy dinner invites, work holiday parties, and birthday celebrations. Check our collection of dresses for a birthday dinner!

13. Formal Date Night Wear:

 A high-quality bandage backless ruffle dress with a V-neckline and open back creates an impressive look for a formal dinner date and night out. It would look more stunning if you pair the dress with strappy heels and pack the hair into a high ponytail for a cute calm appeal. 

14. Birthday Dinner Outfit:

For a birthday dinner, you can wear an off-shoulder wide-leg jumpsuit, a strapless feather bandage jumpsuit, or a dress with dramatic sleeves. We also have an oversized long blazer and mini skirt set that you can wear with a beret and over-the-knee boots to keep you warm and cozy throughout your birthday dinner.

15. Girls Night Out Dinner Gown:

When hanging out with your girlies and trying out a new restaurant, a lovely dress can enhance the vibe of your meetup and improve the overall mood of the tribe. You may want to feel comfortable since you’re with your friends, but you don’t want to be underdressed considering the setting. A cocktail dress will look great for the evening while a wide-legged jumpsuit will be perfect for afternoon gatherings.

What Accessories to Wear to a Fancy Restaurant?

Some accessories will never date and continue to remain basic for dressing up any outfit. For a restaurant dress code, here are some accessories that define the look of your outfits:

1. Footwear: Heels are the ideal footwear for fancy restaurants. However, some restaurants don’t consider heeled shoes to be a must for them. To take your outfit into an edgy territory, opt for suede or leather knee-high boots in fall and white ankle boots in summer. For an afternoon date, bold strappy sandals can add a pop of color to your ensemble or simply complete the look.
2. Outwear: For your layering pieces, cardigans, coats, jackets, blazers, and sweaters are all great options. Your selection will depend on the level of warmth and the dress features.
3. Hairstyle: While you mustn’t wear chic hair accessories, you can still put together a creative hairstyle that suits the neckline of your dress and doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable.
4. Jewelry: When dressing for a fancy restaurant, a few key jewelry pieces make the most win compared to bold and chunky accessories. Those can be distracting and not what you need to wear for an evening dinner. 
5. Bags: A clutch bag or a small handbag is a chic way to take a few essentials and score a goal on style.
6. Belts, Tights, Hats, Socks, and Sunglasses: All these other accessories are great for stepping up your glam even further and adding to the whole vibe of your outfit. You can wear the hat and sunglasses for brunch at a nice restaurant, then tights or socks for fall and winter. Belts help define your waistline and accentuate your curves, thereby adding more visual interest to your look.

Conclusion

Getting an invite to a nice restaurant or setting up the experience for yourself calls for a special dress code for fancy restaurants. Not all your wardrobe staples can be great for dinner at these settings, hence the need to tastefully select outfits that match the ambiance and class of the restaurant. Almost all women’s formal dresses are the standards for these settings, but there are many other options that you can try out without stepping into the extremes of casual clothing.

Whether you’re looking for a wide range of black dresses, women’s cocktail gowns in different prints and styles, modish jumpsuits, or dressy separates that you can wear for your evening dinner, SunsetFashionLA has got you covered. In our online fashion store, there are tons of outfits for you to choose from and juicy discounts that you sure don’t want to miss out on.