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Evening dresses with sleeves

34 replies

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 19/04/2013 04:29

I have never posted a thread here before but I am in awe of your style knowledge and know you are up for a challenge! Here's mine

I have a black tie do soon - work related. I must have something that is:

  • glamorous and relatively on trend (no Coast!)
  • with sleeves at least to elbow
  • NOT black
  • I need to wear a bra with it and not on display
  • knee length or above


I like this but it is ever so slightly on the casual side and also the bra may present an issue!

I am tall, blonde ish, blue eyed, pale with good legs and waist and a size 12. I suit mid tones and can wear cool reds/pinks and lots of blue shades. I am really in a gold moment though but can't go too pale.

Apart from that I am totally not fussy! Ha ha.

Sorry to be a mare but it is so despondent to shop for something non black and with sleeves when 90% of evening dresses seem to fall into that criteria!
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ClaudiaCutie · 19/04/2013 10:44

I hate to say this as it's not helpful: but you would have had a chance to buy something with sleeves in November, but in March all the stuff with sleeves was pulled from stores. I know because I spent ages looking for something for a party in April. It really really annoyed me how the winter stock (which did have sleeves) all got replaced with sleeveless stock.

FCUK had some really nice dresses with sleeves in winter, but I couldn't even find them at outlets (I even drove up to bloody Biscester - a waste of time). In the end, I'm sorry to say, I had to buy a Coast dress or nothing. The party I was attending in April was in NYC and I looked in shops there (same) and Barcelona (same) so it's not just a London issue either. I refuse point blank to buy a sleeveless dress then put some crappy sparkly shrug over it - this is such a cop out response from retailers and it drives me mad. I agree with you about black too. There are so many people who look better in colours.

Your best bet is vintage shops, or Ebay, or specialist boutiques? Really would like to know there is another alternative so I'm hoping like mad someone comes along soon with a better idea!

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squoosh · 19/04/2013 10:50
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Ihatemytoes · 19/04/2013 11:04

Have a look on asos.

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slug · 19/04/2013 12:52
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SirToffeeDoris · 19/04/2013 13:20
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justasecond · 19/04/2013 16:20

I think its a conspiracy to sell the crappy overpriced shugs that are placed next to the sleeveless dresses.
what about this?
www.damselinadress.co.uk/shop/dresses/day-dresses/carmen-dress-aubergine.aspx

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HeirToTheIronThrone · 19/04/2013 16:26

Okay, I KNOW you said no Coast, but my (blonde, blue eyed, size 10) DM bought this there at the weekend, and it's stunning and fits all your criteria...

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Ihatemytoes · 19/04/2013 17:36
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TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 19/04/2013 19:54

So sorry to write the op and then run ? I?ve been in meetings all day

Thank you all Thanks

First thing I?ve noticed is more online stores have added the criterion ?with sleeves? ? is that a new thing in the past few weeks? If so, pleasant surprise.

Claudia ? yes, totally agree and FCUK did have some great frocks out last season. Winter does err on the black side though. Smile I am scouring Ebay but I have trouble with vintage because of the TIME it takes to find a great dress.

I struggle with asos dresses ihatemytoes ? they are always cut short and flimsy. The colour on that one is just gorgeous ? the sleevage I?m not sure about - a little wide.

Squoosh ? there are actually some great dresses on that link, I would never have thought of Phase Eight ? not really on my radar. I actually am going to pick out a couple of those for day wear. For evening I like the Polly and the Tiffany.

Love the ?zora? indigo from Ghost slug ? would have to have great fake accessories. I do like to get my legs out though Smile

There are plenty of hot messes in there SirToffee Grin but I strangely like the electric blue zipped 80sish number ? though a bit of a risk with drunk colleagues Hmm

Justasecond I?m not sure about the dress ? GORGEOUS colour (and not too common) but a little Kate Middleton in the silhouette maybe? However I?ve never come across that site and am going to browse now. Thank you.

Heir ? as soon as I said that I went onto Coast and found this which looks great generally though rather polyester / sweaty in close up. That blue dress is lovely but I am terrified of a big print given that I?m a hot mess myself and need reining in and toning down Grin

And yes yes to the shrug. They all want burning. Who do they suit? They make thin girls look like Disney Princess and busty girls look bovine and hide the boobs. I?ve already had to succumb to the cardigan with a lot of day dresses. I?m not going near a shrug or a fucking pashmina.

Anyway thank you ? lots of ideas here and new stores (to me). I shall report back.

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MrsLettuce · 19/04/2013 21:31
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dazzlingdeborahrose · 20/04/2013 07:46

Hello OP. Sleeves hard to find sometimes for evening wear. If you're going short you'l have to be sure that the dress is very clearly for the evening. A lot of short dresses here are gorgeous but probably more suitable for weddings etc that black tie evening do's. The sparkly Nordstrom dress is beautiful and could work very well. Do you mind if I ask why sleeves? Only because I too dislike my arms and have expansive boobage. I have to go to quite a few black tie dos and finally bit the bullet and abandoned wraps etc and it wasn't so bad actually. I've looked on Monsoon and they have a few quite nice dresses with sleeves in their occasion/prom wear section on-line. Don't know how to do links but I'll pop back on the site and get the names of the ones that looked nice and post back.

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dazzlingdeborahrose · 20/04/2013 07:55

okay so on the monsoon site. These dresses

Marie Tunic
Edie embellished dress.

The next two are short and beautiful but sleevless - you will be able to wear a bra though

Even embellished dress
Paxie Shift dress

The following is also beautiful but sleeveless and long (I just can't stick to a brief can i ?). You'll be able to wear a bra

Zorka Maxi dress

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dazzlingdeborahrose · 20/04/2013 08:39

Oh, the Lyanna sequinned tunic too!!

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TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/04/2013 09:53

Love the Nordstrom dress mrslettuce - that may be a winner depending on the bra set up Wink

cremeeggs I've taken a look at those Karen Millen ones and they are so pretty. Favourite is "colourful" (strange name).

My arms are actually quite slim and toned dazzlingdeborah but they are covered with hideous moles which I hate and always feel uncomfortable and ugly with them exposed. Not aesthetically pleasing moles either - witch like ones! One arm is worse so I could always go asymmetric if the sleeve's on the right! Lyanna is my favourite of the monsoons.

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cheeseandpineapple · 20/04/2013 10:09

Great thread, I prefer sleeved dresses too.

Bought a lovely one from whistles last year, very good, flattering fit. Wore it the other week and everyone thought I had lost weight (hadn't). They've got a diverse range at the moment.

www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/clothing-dresses?resetFilters=true

I also got a couple from LK Bennett last year, one was half price in the sale and also very flattering.

www.yoox.com/uk/34343260JA/item?dept=women#sts=sr_women80&cod10=34343260JA&sizeId=

Couldn't see this on their main website but I think it's a standard style, in different prints, figure enhancing, with a slight ruched middle, giving v flat stomach but not skintight.

No issue with wearing bras with the ones I bought and in fact, wearing a decent bra is what literally "lifts" the outfit.

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SacreBlue · 20/04/2013 10:26

Personally have collection of evening/occasion wear from my sis' shop closing (& use a lot for work) but it would be major coinkydink if I had the one your looking for lol

I am tall & busty so vintage isn't great for me sizing wise, I would have more luck at 'pre-loved' occasion wear shops (there are two I know of near me), oxfams specialist occasion/bridal wear shops or my local market - my fav dress atm was a bargain 'pre-loved' gold dress, sleeves, from Monsoon originally bought from clothes stall.

Takes time but then so does looking thru all the dresses online and if you can get one solid day at it to yourself or with good friend and nice wine lunch break in between, it can bring results.

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dazzlingdeborahrose · 20/04/2013 18:26

Okay. Couple of lovely ghost dresses in John lewis. Taya and Michelle. Both with sleeves but long. Would be lovely for a black tie. There's also a phase eight dress shoe sparkly with sleeves. I think it's called Melissa also on John Lewis site.

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LentilAsAnything · 20/04/2013 20:35
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LeoandBoosmum · 21/04/2013 01:53

Whistles - £350 and sleeves not that long but a sort of antique gold/ bronze. If you want to look it up on whistles.co.uk it's called the Delphine Sequin dress
Out of your size online but if you ring CS they are pretty good at helping source your size in store (if available) and sending out to you
www.whistles.co.uk/pws/client/images/catalogue/products/01701486138/large/01701486138_fr.jpg

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LeoandBoosmum · 21/04/2013 01:56

Disregard my post...just saw you want knee-length

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LeoandBoosmum · 21/04/2013 01:59

This is very flattering on (I've tried it but it's out of my budget right now... £155)
www.atterleyroad.com/jocelyn-double-spot-dress-3.html

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cheeseandpineapple · 21/04/2013 09:25

Leo, I've got that whistles dress in a different print, it's a really flattering style. I'm not mad on the zip at the back but overall it's great and sometimes you can find the dress on sale for nearly half price in different prints, look on the website, pretty sure there's a version of it for £80 but limited sizes.

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TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 21/04/2013 12:35

cheeseandpineapple thanks for those - the Gloria dress from Whistles is now on the shortlist. Smile You can also where comfy pants with it which is a bonus. I'm too old to spend all nights in a thong or spanx.

SacreBleu yes, I am tall and kind of busty (though not as much as before BF!) so I have always been challenged by vintage sizing. I don't have a day to myself before the event sadly so evening browsing of sites is the best I can muster.

dazzling Ghost Taya is lovely but this is an annual event which I have been to many times and though people glam up, no-one ever wears a full length gown. I feel I would be a bit try-hard. Love that dress though.

Double-spot is lovely Leo though a bit too wedding - I am putting it on the shortlist for a wedding I've got later in the month.

I really appreciate this thread by the way. Its got me a lot more ideas for dresses broadly - not just for this event.

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