My friend called Saturday morning (Me: "It's before noon on Saturday, what happened?") because a long night out with a boy in the early stages of dating somehow turned into going to see his parents in Long Island. WHAT?! Modern day romance, I actually think that's sweet. Anyway, the issue: "What do I wear?! I have no idea what kind of parents they are. Maybe they're young and cool, maybe they're reserved, maybe they're mean. I don't know. Just tell me what to wear."
Simple. The answer is always simple - no, literally, always go simple if you're unsure. You want to be yourself, but you also don't want to be a conversation starter because of the white mini you wore that his mom was somehow personally offended by. I mean, ideally, your S.O. is cool which probably means his/her family is cool, but that's another post for another day (wait, do you really want my dating advice?).
I always love a good dress for this exact reason, so many uses, zero objections. Length isn't as much a concern as is fit; stay away from anything clingy or skin-tight (more on this later). That being said, nobody wants to see your cheeks, especially not your potential in-laws. Depending on the time of day, I recommend a light vs dark color, and patterns like florals are one of my favorites that are appropriate any time. If you're not the dress type, I recommend a pair of high-waisted pants and blouse.
In either situation, accessorize appropriately. Flatforms or gladiators are the best shoe for a casual meeting, a classic pump is great for dinner. Blazers can complete the look if it's cold out or any sunnies will pull the look together at lunch.
So what do you think? Are these enough to get you by a weekend with the parentals? Ultimately though - remember my most important tip, just be yourself and win 'em over with charm!
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