A little sparkle and maybe a bit of bling. I think that elevates the outfit suitably.

Bling and sparkle, sounds good!

Why are you assuming it is drop in for an hour or so? Yet, they want you to dress up in casual cocktail attire.

Do you have any summer dresses? Where is the party?

Eld, four hours seems on the longer side for a cocktail, and I know that some other guests may either be arriving later or leaving earlier. The party will be fully catered in the lovely home of the groom's sister. I do have a couple of garden-partyish summer dresses, one tea length and one longer. I also have various silky and chiffony tops/jackets that I wear to, for example, "casually elegant" dinners on a cruise. I think the thirty-somethings set the attire code, and I am just not sure what "casual cocktail" on a Saturday afternoon means to them;)

I think they are letting people know that tshirts and shorts are not what they have in mind. I think Pattycakes' description sounds perfect to me.

The tea length dress sounds perfect to me.

Thanks everyone! I think I will go for the dress option, tea length (or maybe longer) which has the added advantage of being a little cooler on a hot day.

Consider having a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen in the car...just in case it is more outdoor than you can comfortably handle.

Thanks, good points about the sun protection, I am really not good in the sun...

I have been following the maturation of this thread. So glad you are going with a skirt. Long pants in the summer just SOUNDS so oppressive. Why not take it up a notch! Even the nicest pants outfit looks "less than" than a skirt. IMHO

I agree Arcy. I have such a casual lifestyle that when the occasion comes up to dress up, I always buy a dress.

I don't care if I wear it only once.

Sheilaaus wrote: I think they are letting people know that tshirts and shorts are not what they have in mind.

Yes, this. I recently attended an afternoon party, and the hosts weren't so much worried about the female guests but the male guests in this crowd, who usually wear their summer T-shirts from the beach bar of their last vacation and ripped cargo shorts.

I went to a wedding in 1992 and was told the bride's dress cost $1000. That floored me then and still does today. It was stunning and beautifully simple, but still overpriced in my I-don't-care-about-wedding-dresses way of thinking. But to each their own and if she happy, good for her. No sweat off my brow,

Anyhoo, the reception was in the hall at fire company, basic but decent. Some of the male guests showed up wearing shorts and tee shirts. Maybe they thought it was a more casual event because of the venue? I thought yo, buddy, it's a wedding, the bride got dressed up, put on a pair of pants. She might have been overdressed for the venue but they were certainly underdressed.

My favorite part of that wedding was the cookie table. Trays and trays of homemade cookies, in addition to wedding cake and ice cream. I don't remember the other food or decor or what people beside the bride and shorts guys were wearing, just the expanse of cookies.

On the day of (today), the temperature dropped from a stiflingly humid 95 down to 60+ with heavy rain! The party was lovely and inside. Many of the ladies were in dresses, some In dressy slacks outfits, with blingy jewelry. The men wore dress slacks and shirts, most with sports jackets. The younger women, including the hostess and the bride-to-be, were in sleeveless, summery near the knee dresses (just above or below). No shorts or t-shirts;). So there you are - afternoon "casual cocktail"! Thanks for your good advice, I am glad I went the dress route.