6 weeks fruitless search for a dress for wedding next week. Is this normal?

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For nearly 2 months I have been looking for a dress to wear to a small registry wedding that takes place next week. I have scoured every website/shop under the sun, ordered and returned a dozen items and still have nothing to wear.

Hours wasted, sleep disrupted, children neglected.... does anyone else regularly find themselves in such situations or is it just me?

I'm 5'10'', biggish busted, reasonably nice looking if a little lumpy. I don't want anything over the knee or high necked/60's so that removes 90% of clothes. Are you also picky like this and wish you weren't?

I'm 5'9 and curvy with big bust, and I have this dress (on the knee and v neck) in 2 colours. tis lovely.... I've worn with fur jacket and heels to glam up..

asos ponte dress

I could have posted this! I'm having the exact same problem, I'm 5ft 9 and everything I try is too short. I've almost given up on dresses and thinking of going for a skirt and top, assuming I can find a knee length or longer skirt of course! Wedding is next weekend and I'm running out of child free shopping opportunities so I'd love to see what you come up with.

Quite like the ASOS dress but I think I'd need something a bit more structured.

Good luck!

Gosh, you must look really foxy Mme C. Don't your boobs fall out or is that a good thing?
Red is sold out in 16 or would give it a whirl. I'm hoping there will be lots of that Ponte around this year, sounds fab.

Dress and cardi/jacket is enough of a nightmare without adding the top element to it. Anyway as you say Sun Today (we had a glimpse of sun today, very cheering, but washing on line still got drenched) we would still have the knee problem.

Nope, boobs stay put with help of a flexees onesie, and attention is drawn away from problem areas and onto my cleavage. Its not as revealing as it looks in the pic btw.. I have the burgundy which is a deep red, give it a go!

or try this one:

here

Would recommend Damsel in a Dress - would do a clever linky thing but don't know how to. There stuff is a bit of a mixed bag but some of their dresses are lovely, especially the double layer thin jersey dresses - just ordered the Capri dress in electric blue and it is gorgeous. I am 5 foot 10 and it is just on the knee and the cut is lovely - I fit their size 12 perfectly (where as I need a 14 in Coast). The Capri dress in red is reduced to £69 at the moment. I've also order the black Marissa dress for a black tie do I have later in the month - not got it yet but it looks lovely. I am very fussy too and struggle with length but this company is great. John Lewis and House of Fraser stock some of their dresses or look on damselinadress.co.uk

Thanks for recommendations I will look at all these in detail after kids bedtime.

I was also asking about this fussiness issue. Do you mentally go: " right I need a dress for x but":

It has to be on/under the knee
No crew neck
Some sleeve ideally
No flowers
Ideally blue/pink/navy/red to go with exisiting accessories
Go with a jacket (whole new can of worms)
No too clingy, not too puffy
Smart but comfortable
Under £100
Be rewearable
Etc...

and therefore never find anything? If so, is this to help cut down the outfit possibilities, cut down the cost or just because, like me, you find the whole thing a depressing bore.

Or do you love the treasure hunt?

have you signed up with www.dressippi.com?

I did this as my brother's wedding was coming up and it gave me loads of ideas, you can create a wishlist and you can indulge your fussiness to your heart's content...

I managed to get the dress I'm wearing then spent the next few weeks fretting over whether to get a jacket/cardi/shrug/pashmina....and then there's the accessories to get...and the shoes!! I keep reminding myself it's not actually my wedding, and in all truth no-one bar me (and possibly dh) will give a stuff what I'm wearing...!

I was going to link to the asos ponte dress too, the burgundy looks much nicer than the red.

Do bear in mind that if you find a dress that should be great but is disappointing when you put it on you can get it altered.

I have a great Damsel In A Dress frock from the Jan sales which is lovely but straight up and down so doesn't show off my waist (my only good feature).

One trip to the tailor later I have a perfectly tailored frock which makes me look like an extra from Mad Men.

6 weeks . I think you're over thinking this or have too much time on your hands .

this?
this?
this?

This from Long Tall Sally. Looks a zillion per cent better on than in the picture. Comes to just the bottom of my knees - I'm 5'9".

Yoox have some fab dresses: this is a selection of 3/4 lengthndresses with cap sleeves:here I like this Vivienne Westwood

Love this one and this too

You're all so right about everything, especially you Mirry. Dresses can be altered (but the thought it going wrong... plus I tend to leave these things too late), no one cares/will notice but me and just generally that in the whole scope of things it is not a big deal.

It's just that it is my best friend's wedding, I'm "bridesmaid" and I wanted to look nice for her and for me for once.

Thank you so much for all the dress links you sent but many too clingy for my bumpy backside (can't face a day in onesies whatever they are), some too bright. I envy you your gusto for clothes and think you must look like a flock of birds of paradise when you go out. Going to stores tomorrow in last ditch attempt. Wish me luck!

Right, one last try then

Hobbs - blue

Hobbs again - indigo

posted too soon - both structured rather than clingy.

You will find your dress and look amazing in it too!

This?
This?
This?
This?
This?

Obviously not Paul Ross box canvas doh!

A dress with a pattern and a slip underneath will completely hide any bumps, no need for shape wear if you choose the right dress.

What body shape are you? I know you said biggish busted and 5'10 but want to know more, I'm on a mission to find you the perfect dress! Can you post links to anything you like but aren't quite right (specifying what's wrong?)

I love a good dress hunt unless it's for me

I took no flowers to mean no pattern, but yes, pattern is what's required. Mmm. Hope it's allowed

could you reconsider the flowers? This would look so nice.

sleeves and no flowers. too bold?

You're all so very kind and you Mrs Lettuce most especially. As if my list wasn't long enough, I can add

No purple, yellow, black, orange
No animal print
If pink has to be raspberry not fushia as too bright.
Plain jersey I think too casual, shame as that D&J dress is nice

I love flowers really but in my gloaming years I can no longer tell if the flowers I am contemplating are of the feminine yet smart variety or the grandmother of the bride persuasion and am therefore hesitant. There is a large twee component in my taste and I'm always worried about it taking over. Having said that, the Untold dress is beautiful.

Also, I'm big so that's a lot of flowers. Size 14/16, biggish all over, pear I would guess as big hips and thighs, no feature that I would want to emphasise.

Who the devil is Paul Ross and why would anyone want a picture of him?