I have NO idea to post this as there is no topic for "Cultural Stuff"

I will be attending a Christening on the 25th of April in a not fancy type of "do" .... 

What the heck do I wear?!?!  I hear all this stuff about hats, getting freaked about it, and I have never bought a hat.  (nor do I want to!)   

I want to look good, not like a school-teacher, but if a hat is required, I will get one. 

A bit about the whole situation:
I want to look good, want to look fresh, but not scandalous...  I want to look WOW though...  what is in english terms appropriate?!?

thanks!

I've been to two, but what church is it being held at?  I just wore a nice skirt and blouse, no hat to the CoE one and a nice shirt and a pair of khakis to the other. 

I would think it depends on the church and your friends.

My husband was the God father and he wore a nice shirt and jeans.    

I went to one in a CoE church. I just wore what I would normally wear to church and that's pretty much how everyone else was dressed. I don't recall feeling under or over dressed. Sure there were people in hats, but not everyone...the mother was definitely not wearing one. I agree with Bookgrl that consider how your friends would be dressed and go with that.

I imagine a christening would be a bit less dressy than a wedding.  That being said, I wore nice trousers to a wedding here in the UK and only one other woman wore trousers, I felt a bit underdressed.

I think you'll be fine in trousers or a skirt with a nice top / cardigan /  blouse or a cute dress.  Basically I agree with everyone else so far.

I hate hats and will never wear one no matter how dressy the event is.  I'm sure lots of younger and not-so-young women look great in them, but to me they spell o-l-d l-a-d-y.

This is a good place to post this type of question .

I would never be comfortable wearing a hat and was worried about it with my first wedding invite...but I find many wear hats and also many don't.

I think dress here in the UK for a Christening is very similar to that in the states, I don't think you will notice a big difference.

I've only been to one christening in the UK and nobody wore a hat. And this is my family I'm talking about - we all LOVE hats and relish every chance to wear one! So, yes, I think you can be more casual at a christening. I wore a dress and cardigan (a nice one, not a slobby one) and was dressed more or less like all the other women. I think the godmother was a bit more dressed up, but that was it.

thanks so much for your replies....

I appreciate it.  I was going to wear a pink suit (very springy) and keep it nice, neat.  The family/friends are not the classiest of people, but I'd just like to look nice and wear something that I feel comfortable in.  No hats for me, I hate them, but if i have to, I will.

Next year, I have a UK/Norwegian wedding to go to.  I'm already worried about that one!

M.

Now-a-days fascinators are much more popular than hats (unless you're going to Ascot)...for the wedding you can always check them out.