Pretend this is the kind of place where men are expected to wear a jacket--like a sport jacket or whatever. I have never been to one, but I assume they exist, because there was a joke about this in Arrested Development. /shrug My female lead is all banged up from a car accident and so she doesn't feel like wearing a little black dress or anything like that. What else could she go with? Her figure is on the athletic side (former martial artist, current obstacle racer, etc...), and I have heard women say that makes jeans hard to buy, but I do not know if that applies to other, dressier clothing or not. Worse, even if I could picture anything for her to wear (which I can't), I wouldn't know what to call it in the exposition. She is in her early twenties, if that makes a difference. Halp? :| Attached: one picture of my spirit guide. Apparently.
Formal wear for women is fairly negotiable. Usually a dress or pants suit will suffice. Dress codes are almost always for men. I've worked at several joints that have turned men away but never one who said boo to a women. There's a great line in "As Good as it Gets" when jack Nicholson tells Helen hunt something about how they'll let her wear her cheap petticoat while he has to get all dolled up.
I thought dress codes were for women because men's professional dress code can be summed up as one rule: wear a suit and tie. Whereas formal attire for women is broader and needs set definitions. The whole thing about bare shoulders on the congressional floor, for example. It's not about modesty, it's about a standard of professionalism.
Banged up from an accident? Is she wearing a cast? Crutches? Maybe a maxi dress would hide any kind of cast she has and would be easy on her legs if there are any cuts or bruises. That kind of dress is quite loose-fitting - it fits around the breasts and then from there on it's just a long, flowy skirt, really, all the way to the ankles. I have no idea how practical that is though if she's on crutches. A woman's suit would also work, but suits tend to be quite tight-fitting so I'm not sure if your character's supposed to be full of cuts and bruises.
I apologize, I should have described that: she has an arm in a sling, along with some cuts and abrasions on her arms and legs. Also a nice black eye.
Don't have her wear jeans or garments made with cheap materials. It came from older modesty/decency rules and the definition was changed for some. Most still see it as part of old puritanical rules, that make no sense to a lot of us. Most of those old men in Congress would tell you it is there so that men can get work done and not be distracted by womanly body parts (that is what they tell their paying constituents). Just wait for the fight when women want to wear skirts that are above the knees.
Not in clubs and restaurants. Black tie is a tuxedo or applicable suit. Formal wear usually includes a jacket but rarely ties. Smart casual usually means a nice shirt and pants (including jeans) and formal shoes. Basically no tank tops, teeshirts, or open toed sandals. Bare shoulders are fine for women. A maitre d will rarely tell a women to cover something up. I sure as shit wouldn't.
A formal caftan dress like this could work Whatever she wears is going need a sleeve wide enough to accommodate the cast unless she's going sleeveless.
Ok, here's the description the coat hanger cat (pictured above) came up with: Grier didn't know whether or not to smile at what might, or might not, have been a joke, but she smiled as she looked at him across the table. He wore a sport coat and a dress shirt without too much starch, and he had left the top button loose to show off a little. Her only complaint about that was that it kept pulling her eyes away from the strong line of his jaw, and and from those eyes. Oh, those hunter's eyes! She wasn't always sure how to feel about the way he looked at her, but tonight she was glad to have is attention; there were plenty of beautiful women downtown. Ordinarily, she would have been in a little black number that went no lower than mid-thigh--a formidable weapon, in the right hands!--but tonight she opted for something longer, and a chic jacket to conceal her arms. She was particularly proud of how well she'd hidden the bruise under her eye. She had a fair amount of practice at that from years back, but it had been awhile. She hadn't done quite as well with the cut on her lip. All told, she felt sexy and confident for a girl whose arm was in a sling, but she didn't like to think what Alexander had spent on this dress. He hadn't let her see the price tag.
I think she could wear anything that's not obviously casual. Just add a pearl necklace and it's formal! And, I think if she's injured the staff will be more accommodating to letting things slide, as long as she doesn't look trashy.
I'm athletic, as in my arms and shoulders are visibly sinewy, so if I wear a dress, I try to choose something that evens out my shoulders, like a halterneck dress. However, a formal martial artist might be inclined to go for something practical (maybe), which dresses aren't. When I attended this big business party a couple of weeks ago, I wore decorated ballet slippers, black skinny jeans, and a short sleeved blouse with a bit of neckline and a somewhat expensive necklace. My elbows were terribly bruised, though, but I don't think anyone paid attention as the lighting wasn't that bright. Another time I sported far too high heels, black skinny jeans (my favorite) and a women's dress jacket that had a bit of sheen so it's not super casual. I'm no fashionista; I tend to go for practical and tidy, though. An arm in a sling would be hard to hide so I wouldn't even try. Bruises on the face I'd try to cover with make-up for sure.
Thanks for your thoughts, @KaTrian and @Spacer. For reference, she went with a somewhat longer than usual dress, and a bolero (?!) jacket. No heels; just flats.
Nicely handled. Also, just vague enough to be timeless fashion-wise, and to allow the reader to picture it.
