Is it possible to buy a Vivienne Westwood dress in a size 16/18?

[headfairy]

Or something similar? I love all the corsetry and gathered material she does in her frocks, which I think are probably quite flattering on an hourglass figure (think 38FF boobs, 30in waist and 45in hips) but on the sites I've looked at they are all in pretty small sizes. Is there someone who maybe does something similar?

Another VW lover here - I particularly like the way her corseted dresses pull you in at the waist, but tend to have looser skirts to allow for big arses generous curves.

I've found Selfridges and Question-Air very helpful and charming, whatever size I've been trying on, or Net-a-Porter, if you'd rather try on at home. But I wouldn't recommend the VW store in Conduit Street: I went in before a big black tie event, armed with credit card to buy whichever dress suited me best, regardless of cost, and the snotty assistant refused to give me the Red Label dress I asked for 'because you won't get into it'.

I am a size 12/Italian 44.

My friend snatched the dress off her, bundled me into the changing room and zipped me into it. I looked a million dollars, but I went over the road to Selfridges and bought it from there instead.

Headfairy.

Go to bond street and try there. If no good you can walk down to liberty.

I am there often. Give me a shout. I enjoy a shopping mission.

Cool, thanks for that Pag. You can ask the sales assistants for the large sized frocks while I cower in the changing room :o

And they can look questioningly at my total lack of boobage and direct me to a more appropriate dept. Like mens. Fat thighed men.

:o I'm sure you have total body dismorphia and are indeed a fox!

I shall chant that to myself next time I have to wear a bikini in public.

Do report back though head fairy. I want to know how you get on.

Definitely. Might not be for a while though. I'm going to strongarm my mum in to a shopping trip. Not only is she very generous with her credit card she's also rather excellent at spotting what works and what doesn't, esp as we have exactly the same body shape and colouring. She's on yet another holiday at the moment (so much for pensioners scraping by) so prob won't be until next month. I can be patient, I want that dress! I'm prepared to wait for it!

ghoul of course you do. Zone out the assistants and enjoy treating yourself!

wildfig, that's a shocker of a story. What a cow. Makes me want to go in there and ask for the manager in the Voice of God.

India Knight has things to say about shop assistants like that. You must read 'The Shops', it's utterly brilliant. It will make you laugh out loud.. part autobiography, part shopping porn.

OP, why not write to VW herself and plead for her assistance in signposting you to the best place?

Pmsl at Voice of God. yes, IK says to do 'the eyebrow' and then say in a really sympathetic voice - 'You have a moustache!'

Oooh headfairy - just thought. There are none on just now but the out net always carry vivienne westwood. Keep an eye on there.
Their returns process is very good

The assistants in the Liverpool VW are ace.

the out net? As ever I'm clueless!

I know , missm - I was shocked. (I also tell this story a lot, as my revenge, so sorry if I've already trotted it out.) But have had v good service from other shops, and i've never regretted a penny I've spent on VW clothes. Corsetry needs something to corset.

the outnet.com is the sale site for net-a-porter.com. It is worryingly addictive, but there are some real bargains on there, so long as you're quick about it.

Yy the outnet is the sale site for net a porter.

You have to be quick. And put your Suzette into the search function or you just get pissed off looking at frocks that are not available in your size.

If you don't want to ask face to face for your size then ring beforehand and say 'I'm coming in this afternoon, please have x and y in a size 16 ready for me.'

I'm craving a trip to Liberty to try on VW frocks now, but suspect they'd be disastrous on me - like Pagwatch I'm ample of hip but flat chested, and also short. I think it's like my lust for Droopy & Browns dresses twenty years ago - I loved them to pieces but whenever I tried them on I looked silly, like I was dressing up in clothes belonging to my glamorous grandmother.

Oi, headfairy

Grazia are doing 20% off at liberty.

They don't have much on line but if you could get there before 1st April that is quite a big saving.

Hiya Pag.. thanks so much for that (and the pm), but we're off to Italy on Saturday and I'm at work until then so no chance to go shopping I'll just have to go next month and pay full price dammit :o

Ahhh. What a tragedy. Holiday in Italy of get discount at liberty.

It's like sophie's choice.

Have a lovely time

Or.or. Dammit

hahaha, I know, which one of your two obssessions do you love the most, skiing or fabulous frocks? argh!

Hi

I've just bought 2 size 18 Viv dresses.....very unusual to see them....they came from the Garment Quarter (a shop in Bristol I believe but was online).

I also visited Westwood's shop in Cardiff and they had an extensive range of larger sizes...hoorah!

Good luck!