THUD! (that's the sound of the gauntlet being thrown down btw!)

[BunnyLebowski]

Esteemed Ladies of S&B.....I need your help like I've never needed it before.

My brother is getting married on Easter Weekend. It'll be a relatively small but very classy affair up in the wilds of Scotland.

I need an amazing dress.

My personal style is vintage/retro/wannabe pin-up. I would love a 40's or 50's inspired dress. I don't like the Vivien of Holloway dresses - they're too costumey for me.

I want something with some structure to it to flatter my figure. Must not be strapless. I love lace, sparkles, tulle. Colourwise I look best in strong colours. I don't want anything from Coast/Karen Millen/Monsoon and definitely not Debenhams.

This is pretty close to my dream money-no-object dress.

Also adore this

I am a size 14 and mostly hourglass (with spanx ). I have typically Irish colouring - long dark hair, pale skin and grey/blue eyes.

Budget is up to £200.

Anyone up for the challenge?? If you find me the right dress I will track you down and bestow you with gifts .

www.albertineburdett.com/editorial/imelda.jpg

I love the ice blue dress on the left

Mumsnut - some beauties on that site but far too £££ for me sadly.

I think I've made a decision! Will report back once ordered and badger you all for accessory guidance .

Here is one last suggestion if you have not yet ordered:

www.modcloth.com/Womens/Dresses/-Ablaze-with-Beauty-Dress

Have a look at Tara Starlet, they have some absolutely gorgeous dresses. There's one with a twist on the shoulder which I'd be buying if I had a smaller chest.

Modcloth dresses, I've heard, are not great quality-wise.

i wanna know what you bouugghhttt!!

Wonder no more Porcelina

I'm going to go for

this dress!

But I can't decide which colour! Help please!

Even though I said I wanted a strong colour I feel that the vintage/Grace Kelly vibe of the dress would be best served by a more classic pastel shade like the one used in the sample photo. My mum agrees and thinks I should go for the colour in the photo. I worry I'll look to washed out. Hmm

Would anyone mind looking at the swatch chart and giving their opinion on which colour they think I'd look best in??

(There is a pic of me on my profile if that helps although my hair is now it's natural chocolate brown rather than the red hint in the pic)

I'm drawn to the amethyst but worry it would be too dark.

What do you think of the coral? Or the mint? Would the pinks be too bridesmaidy??

HELP ME!!

That dress is GORGEOUS.

Am very jealous!

Isn't it Dunder?? I am positively in love with it . Can't wait to go swishing round in it

Now which darn colour eh??

Can't find the swatch chart...

Immediately to the right of where it says 'Select dress colour'. A clickable link saying Colours?

it is lovely! i like autumn and teal. did you say you're pale with dark hair? same as me, and pastel's just make me look waaaay washed out. but is up to you in the end!

I would go for sea mist or teal.
it is fabulous
do you think you will wear a hoopy underskirt?

That's what I'm worried about. You don't think the 40's-ness (SO not a word but you know what I mean) of the frock would be compromised by having it in a richer colour??

In my opinion I look best in jewel colours (vibrant purples/pinks/reds/greens and blues, in that order of best to worst)

Have till Friday to decide. Gah!

It's a difficult decision but I love the retro-ness (?!!) of the orange - it makes it so classic and unusual.

Also, they obviously chose this colour for a reason as it suits the dress so well.

Do you have time to order a sample of the material (sorry - can't remember when wedding is)?

I'm definitely saving that site for the next time I want hope need to look like Joan from Mad Men.

Joanie is my ICON

Sadly the swatches would take as long as the dress to arrive and I'm about as far away from Brighton as it's possible to be whilst still remaining in England

I should have mentioned that the bridesmaids are wearing blue-green so wanted to avoid that for fear of looking like a rogue BM who arrived in a DeLorean from 1950

i think that it would be better for you to go in a fab dress in a colour that suits you best, that a dress more true to the 50's but that is going to make you washed out. but if you're hardcore 50's then go for a pastel!

lol @ rogue bridesmaid ( i nearly [groin]ed then...)

tis a beautiful dress - I think, having looked at your pic, that you are probably a Winter colouration, so baby pinks and blues would work for you as well as the vibrant colours, but can't really see your skin tones (are you very pale?) - but the coral would only work if it's not too orangey, and coral is usually an orange-based pink, not a blue-based pink. I think you would need a blue-based pink rather than orange.

The duck egg appears to be a nice icy blue - might bring out the colour of your eyes - but might also have more than a touch of green in it (duck egg varies a lot) so that probably wouldn't look as good as it should. The dusky blue looks lovely but you say blues aren't so good for you so maybe not.

What about the mauve? I think the amethyst might be too violent vibrant for a wedding.

Can you phone the company and explain the dire urgency of the situation? It surely can't take them more than a week to put together the swatches of the colours you'd like to try! After all, if it means them getting a sale, you'd like to think they'd put themselves out a little, wouldn't you?!
I don't think the colours are a very good match to reality, looking at their gold, for example!

What a gorg dress, lovely style & I bet very flattering. I like the orange colour but I would keep away from the mint green/ blues & pink shades, too bridesmaid.

With your colouring you could get away with the darker colours, like amethyst which I think would look very lovely. Let us know what you decide

Er so as my advice was in direct contrast to thumbwitch, (love mumsnet!)I studied your profile pic again! You look fairly pale & celtic and I still think amethyst would be lovely and suitable but then i am drawn to all shades of purple with my colouring too How about aquamarine? Looks fairly vibrant and pretty, I think teal looks a bit dark & dull.

I so want to go to a wedding and wear a lovely dress

I think Porcelina has summed it up perfectly and consequently......I'm going to go for the amethyst.

Love the colour and with that choice the drapey chiffon over the back will be a paler lilac which I think, with my hair up in a romantic wavy updo and some vintage style pearl/diamond earings, should look pretty good!

Ooooh I'm giddy

Thank you all for your input. I promise to keep you updated and post photos after the day!

yay, update photos!

ooh yes - can't wait for the photos but they'll be aaaages away...

Don't worry! I'll be back looking for shoe and bag advice very soon

I have never had a dress made to measure before. Exciting