Please come and talk me into or out of buying this dress

[DialsMavis]

I went shopping today as I have 3 weddings to go to this year (with no overlap of guests at any of them) and I finally fit back into a size 12. I fell in love with this, it is 20% off with the code at the top of the screen. But that is still a hell of a lot of £ for me at the moment. Would I be able to wear it for years and years? or do you think it would date and go out of fashion? I also tried on this. Do you think the FC one is worth the extra £? If I go with the cheaper one I am stuck between the coral and the blue, could anyone give me any tips on what colour shoes etc to wear with each of them?

Please also feel free to tell me if they are all hideous and I should start again

Sorry, got sucked into RL! I couldn't wear leggings/converse to any of the weddings (although anyone will be welcome to wear that sort of thing to mine next year). I am liking the look of some of the coast ones and wondering if I could wear them to my graduation in July. I think the tesco one is nice but wondering if it would still look good by wedding 3. Also that is my usual budget, but my lovely Mum has given me £50 as a well done for finishing my degree and I expect my Dad will do similar. The thing I like especially about the two I originally linked to is the knee covering length for awful legs/chasing the baby round/ being drunk and undignified. I could try and get down to gun wharf or send my mum as she is on the south coast. I know DP will not be up a for a trip down in the car and the train more DC and I will be £££. Does anyone know when the mid season sales start? I will try and stay away from Westfield until then...

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_038010681010_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7EWomen%7EDresses

I saw this dress in store today and it is really pretty, much better than in the picture.

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_038010681010_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7EWomen%7EDresses

Thanks will check it out in real life. I have been fat for so long that I have no idea what suits me anymore. It has that extra couple of knee covering inches. I am quite a 'young' 30 but its hard to try not to look frumpy but be camouflaged from from top of waist to knee. I am usually quite casual too but these weddings are not. One is DBs so need to be pretty dressed up and one of the others will be full of TV tyoes and is child free and glitzy.

It sounds like I'm a similar shape to you, 5ft 8 size 12 and I'm 30 too.

Personally I find fitted dresses more flattering (with a decent set of shapewear knickers on!) I always feel a bit frumpy in floaty dresses. I tried these on today and they were very nice

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_103020619260_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7EWomen%7EDresses

m.oasis-stores.com/aliza-print-dress/shop/Oasis/fcp-product/5550048600

they are both lovely. I can do fitted if the fabric is good and strong and its not too fitted across the lower stomach. I actually weigh a bit less than before I had DC2 but I now have a fairly sizable CS over hang and the little beast was 10lb and she has stretched my rib cage out a bit, I am quite bony there now but its wider than before

Love the Oasis dress but it's miles too short.

Could you try booking a personal shopper at John Lewis OP? They stock lots of relevant brands and could be very good for a simple focussed task like this.

Maybe, thing is I am such a ridiculous people pleaser and stupidly suggestible- I would come away with whatever they suggested. Another problem I have with going for fitted is that my mum (aged 65 but looks 50) is wearing a lovely fitted dress and has a much better figure than me, she has always been really slim and has now had her tits done

So wearing something floaty and tent-ish will make you feel better next to her? You have put yourself in a no-win situation, nobody will be comparing you to your mum! Bung on the shapewear and go for the fitted - it will improve your posture and you'll look great in the photos.

how about this (also in blue) or this? I adore the second one.

Mavis, I have been touched by your plight, having similarly grim legs that need to be hid to the knee.

How about this Oasis number? Pale pink, like the FC one, but cheaper

Or this, with a groovy print

Or maybe this? It's a bit above the knee on the model, but she's no doubt about six foot.

A pencil dress will never blow up and betray your thighs, a floaty number is very likely to.

Floaty number will muffle your hard-won new figure, fitted will place emphasis it.

Love that 2nd damsel one and the pink oasis ones, also like the one in Jessie's thread ATM from DP, can't link as I am on the bus and on phone. Thanks for the suggestions , maybe I should go cheaper for dress, so that I can get decent shoes and my hair sorted out.

All Oasis dresses are always too short - the model is 5'10". Pity, because the printed one is lovely.

Caveat - except the first "Esme" dress, that looks a good length.

this DP one Mavis?

I like it too. Much harder to accessorise non-frumpily than the grey, but I think MNers are up to the challenge

Just seen there's only one of the grey damsel dresses left in a 12. Have seen it other places too I think, maybe JL, but no idea of their stock levels.

Oh, just bumped into this.