Been invited to a wedding in May, but I haven't worn a dress for 2 years, help please?

[TennisFan]

the title says is all really

Wedding is at end of May, I have no idea what to wear to it. I am overweight, size 18-ish and 5'6" - I have turned down the past 3 or 4 weddings and parties as I haven't got anything to wear, and don't know were to start.

I have access to most high street stores I think, and I'm a casual sort of girl, so it will freak everyone including myself if i turn up all glammed up.

It would help budget-wise if same dress/outfit could cover another wedding at the start of September.

TIA

something like this?

you dont have to wear a skirt. a pair of smart cullottes or cropped trousers with a blouse and heels could work just as well, and suit a Spring wedding

Ok what are your best features? What's your budget? Do you wear colours or patterns? What do you normally wear for work etc?

BTW you must promise not tp turn down any more inviitations on the basis that you don't have anything to wear . That's is NOT ALLOWED here on mumsnet [ raps knuckles]

I like this

I had a similar Planet dress for a wedding last year and it hangs really well. YOu could accent with red, cream, silver, purple...

oh yes, and I'm about the same size as you, but a bit shorter!

thanks ladies - sorry i didn't get back to you last night

the bravissimo one looks lovely, but at the mo, I dont think i would feel confident enough to pull it off and it will look clingy and make me look even fatter than i am!

I am dreading this - I haven't worn proper heels (not including wedges) for years, and I have no idea about bags and shoes either.

I wear casual to work etc, so winter is smartish jeans & boots with tops/scarves.
Spring/summer i will wear linen trousers and sandals - yes i am boring

as smokinaces says, do you HAVE to wear a dress? if you prefer trousres then what about palazzo pants, which are in for thsi summer? i know you are curvy but you are reasonably tall and a pair of wedges with even a modest heel woudl make you 5,8,,

you woudl need a fitted top half though

you haven't told me your best features yet so how do we know what to highlight?

How about a maxi dress with a little bolero cardigan in a contrasting colour? I'm a size 18 too and almost never wear dresses. I bought a maxi dress recently and it feels really comfortable yet "dressy" but it doesn't reveal any bits I'm not used to revealing. I've got fat ankles that tend to get worse if I'm standing around. A maxi dress means that my feet are not especially visible either!

Or, if you like linen trousers, you could wear a nice new pair of these with a pretty, wrapover top and a long /cardigan and a dramatic scarf.

No I definitely don't need to wear a dress, you're right - the last wedding I was at 2 summers ago, i wore cream linen trousers with a long-ish tunic style top. It was a bit casual probably, but it was a casual type of wedding and we left during the BBQ reception to go straight to the airport for our holidays.

I don't really have any best features - but i would fell reallly self-conscious in a short dress, or knee length dress.

Where would I buy palazzo pants (?) and what kind of top would I need to wear.
thanks

what about this kind of look?
or this
bit more tailored