Also this:



https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/product/petite-one-shoulder-stretch-taffeta-midi-dress/570400112?inseam=regular&sizeType=petite&color=1526&catId=cat8739282&collectionId=category&queryId=eeda91af4c319dfc85db5bc68969005e&indexName=prod_whbm_products&parentId=196536148221

Anonymous wrote:This is cute.

https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/product/petite-crepe-mini-dress/570404236?inseam=regular&sizeType=petite&color=7201&catId=cat8739282&collectionId=category&queryId=e09e762971e9d6824f557ad678e5a4be&indexName=prod_whbm_products&parentId=196536402408

This is cute.

https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/product/petite-crepe-mini-dress/570404236?inseam=regular&sizeType=petite&color=7201&catId=cat8739282&collectionId=category&queryId=e09e762971e9d6824f557ad678e5a4be&indexName=prod_whbm_products&parentId=196536402408

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this thread is terrible. For a GALA? And op is petite and super skinny and early 40s? And you have her dressed like a nun or an office worker?

Because "gala" doesn't mean what you think it means. It's not a ball. It's a super boring school event in which a few people will come dressed in real cocktail attire, and the rest will slum it in various forms of casualness.

"Gala" at my public school is a real gala. Floor length, sparkles and the whole get up. You guys are just setting low expectations.

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with people who can not post images on this website? Or search on how to post pictures?

A whole bunch of such people found this website in 2016.

I definitely can't post pictures. I found the website in 2002.

Anonymous wrote:Alice and Olivia - since you’re short the mini dresses will be a normal length https://www.nordstromrack.com/s/alice-and-olivia-wynell-floral-sleeveless-minidress/8497028?origin=category-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FWomen%2FClothing%2FDresses&color=001

I like this one best. Some posts are of day dresses or are generally not "sexy cocktail".

Anonymous wrote:this thread is terrible. For a GALA? And op is petite and super skinny and early 40s? And you have her dressed like a nun or an office worker?

Because "gala" doesn't mean what you think it means. It's not a ball. It's a super boring school event in which a few people will come dressed in real cocktail attire, and the rest will slum it in various forms of casualness.

Anonymous wrote:What about this:

https://www.wolfandbadger.com/us/pippa-shift-dress-petite-golden-blossom/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22895407571&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22889747643&gbraid=0AAAAADrNWmxW9vMlZSEzpnUpaCLNbe9Mq&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtfXMBhDzARIsAJ0jp3DI31vLjJNMT9bO425kF1qTrFPSI2VqDr3qskL5bRTip1Urv7sfyf0aAvcIEALw_wcB

I like this a lot. You might need to have it hemmed but it would be worth it.

Black halo is super dated in my circle.

At our schools gala the dress code was supposed to be “jeans and ugly sweaters”. So there was an interesting mix where half the people were wearing that and then the women who like to dress up were in cocktail dresses and made their husbands wear suits. It looked like two different events were going on.
I for one wore the dress!

PP here. I stayed away from the asymmetrical neckline ones because they’re a bit overdone and obviously black halo and was able to find some nice options but I don’t see them available anymore after a quick glance.

I bought a couple of Black Halo dresses fe
Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom that served this function nicely.

Anonymous wrote:this thread is terrible. For a GALA? And op is petite and super skinny and early 40s? And you have her dressed like a nun or an office worker?

I mean, OP is calling it a gala but then requesting cocktail dresses, and the photo she provided is of cocktail dress. It's also a school gala which can have a wide range of meanings and dress codes. Last year at our fundraising gala there were people there in jeans, which surprised me but it's not a formal event and I think people become unsure how to handle that. I wore a black knee length sheath that is too dress for my office but would probably be considered work attire for someone working in a more formal environment.

I haven't liked most of the suggestions posted here, but I get why it's a weird grab bag of styles and formality levels given the brief.

Anonymous wrote:trying again with image

[img]https://is4.revolveassets.com/images/p4/n/z/AMAN-WD1930_V1.jpg[img]

https://is4.revolveassets.com/images/p4/n/z/AMAN-WD1930_V1.jpg

I love this dress, but it's probably too long for OP. Also, you really have to have a great upper chest (skin and not too boney) and arms.

Anonymous wrote:I’d go with navy.

https://www.katespadeoutlet.com/products/tweed-dress/KN074-403.html?KSNY=true&ogmap=PLA%7CRTN%7CGOOG%7CSTND%7Cm%7CSITEWIDE%7CSurprise%7CKS_OTL_Google_PLA_Signal_NA_Generic_National_PMax_NA_BAU_Catchall%7CSitewide_Regular_Core_NA%7C%7C22249683588%7C%7CUS&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=KS_OTL_Google_PLA_Signal_NA_Generic_National_PMAX_NA_BAU_Catchall&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22256270384&gbraid=0AAAAADJUeEVewMx7JmhiRX5VXQM0-EBeI

https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/product/chiara-boni-la-petite-robe-publy-shift-dress-0400017258878.html?dwvar_0400017258878_size=40+%284%29&dwvar_0400017258878_color=BLU+NOTTE&site_refer=CSE_GGLPLA%3AWomens_Dresses%3AChiara+Boni+La+Petite+Robe&country=US¤cy=USD&CSE_CID=SAKS_G_PLA_High+Inventory_Priority%3ASAKS_G_PLA_High+Inventory_Priority&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23543907067&gbraid=0AAAAADO6JtQeGPAyfMbmkw0zYtjqgiiGw

NP here. There are some good suggestions on this thread!

I'm 5'4" with a slight build and in 40s too.