Dress Shopping nightmare

[Emmiedarling]

You guys are all in the know, so i need you to help me with a quandry.

I have 7 days to buy a dress for an important party (daytime affair but still smart)

I am due to give birth in two weeks and have put on over 3 stone. Therefore, I am feeling HUGE, wobbly and, well dont even mention the cellulite. (It's even on my arms) Self concious is an understatement.

Anyway, there will be a lot of people there who are important to me, and I want to feel nice.

Any suggestions of where I can find a nice dress that covers all the right bits?!

Depends on how much you want to spend. I bought a nice simple navy chiffon dress from New Look tonight which was cheap but Hopefully won't be in maternity clothes for long...... It has long sleeves ( so would cover up your arms if you're self conscious about them) and is plain but could be dressed up with accessories.

Dorothy perkins are affordable, if you want to splurge how about a dress you could breastfeed in afterwards (if you choose to BF, your choice etc.) so that you can justify spending a bit more money? online jojomamanbebe do lovely occasion wear and you can send back any that dont fit so dont have to face walking round shops etc.
hope you have a great time! if you go for the cheaper dress or can afford it get your hair done on the same day as the party so you feel really confident and can do swooshy-haired- turns to air kiss long lost friends

I had to buy an outfit for a wedding when I was 39 weeks pregnant. I found that maternity dresses didn't fit a huge bump or looked horrible. I finally ended up in a nice chiffony top and a pair of smart black leggings with silver sandals. In the photos I look fine, quite nice even - I think allowances can be made for very pregnant ladies at important events.

I ordered this and it is gorgeous! You could smarten it up with the right accessories?

Any good?

How are your legs? Would you prefer a maxi? (only asking as I know some people get swollen legs and want to cover them up!)

French Connection did some nice maxis and glam dresses in their range but sadly I think it no longer exists. You might be able to pick something up 2nd hand though.

My favourite dress was a black polka dot wrap-style dress from Littlewoods. It wasn't a maternity dress but fitted really well - and I had an oversized bump!

Try ASOS. Lots of them are a bit short for me during pregnancy, but there are some nice knee length or maxi ones.

I was at a wedding 2 wks ago and bought a new look maternity maxi dress but thought i looked like a mountain! Week before wedding was in Sainsburys and they had a sale on Gok Wan clothing range. I am about a 12. Bought a 16 in a lovely black knee length dress with faux wrap, sleeveless and shoulder pads. Actually laughed at shoulder pads!! But worked really really well. Shaped and designed to flatter lumps and bumps and. Was a poly jersey type material, did not hang baggy. £20 in sale, best buy ever!! Def worth looking for things like that. M &S have lots of new dresses in similar style but longer sleeves. If u get shape right can be so much more flattering than maternity mountains!!

Mamas n Papas have some nice stuff, depending on how glam you want ( not v glam tho v v pretty)

35 wks

What dress size are you looking for? A maxi dress with an empire line could work, the only thing about non-maternity is that it will make the front of the dress shorter than the back (to allow for bump) but some dresses, you can get away with this - you have to try them on I think.

I would suggest a short sleeve or sleeveless dress with a cardigan or similar; or if you have some reliably comfy maternity trousers then look for a lovely top to go with?

Am reading this with interest as I have got a wedding to go to in November when I will be 27 weeks and no idea how big I will be!

Has anyone bought stuff from purpless? they have an ebay outlet and their stuff looks ok, not smart-smart but ok for dressing up with accessories maybe? their prices seem really reasonable.

I went to a wedding the day before I went into labour a d borrowed a lovely stretchy maxi dress from a friend. Wasn't a maternity dress, just had a bit of give in the material and was a larger size. Wore it with a wrap and some ballet pumps. Looked nice I hope

Tiffany Rose dresses are lovely and you can buy on ebay or resell a new one at a good price.

Tiffany rose are beautiful & make you feel attractive again. Also I sold mine on eBay after last pregnancy & got 60% of my money back as they really hold their value

I'm due in three weeks and off to a wedding next weekend, and totally don't want to buy anything! I'm planning to get one from www.hireexpectations.co.uk - you hire one for 5 days for much cheaper than you'd buy them for and they have some really lovely ones. I'm planning to hire one of the Butter by Nadia ones, you wrap them up yourself so they can be whatever shape you want.

Whoops, hopefully with a link that works this time - www.hireexpectations.co.uk

I second ASOS. I've just been on the hunt for a dress too for a christening and I was spoilt for choice on there.

Thank you all so much for the suggestions. I am going to lie on my bed with the fan on and have a little online retail shopping time!

I have a wedding to go to tonight and ordered a dress from Everyday maternity on Thursday morning - it arrived on Friday! They seem to have quite a large selection of dresses and I found they weren't that expensive. I'm hoping the dress I got will help me pull-off chic tonight, instead of huge!