Can anyone help me find a dress to wear to the races?

[storminabuttercup]

I'm going to the races in 3 months. I'm also on a diet, I am hoping to 'slim' down to a 14 by then. So I had the idea to find a drop dead gorgeous dress that I can set as my goal. It needs to be at least knee length as even at a 14 my legs are horrid. It also can't be one shoulder as I'm pretty thick set and they make me look masculine. I have short bob hair and I'm quite pale but plan to tan as I feel better with one. Im looking on sites but everything is horrid or over budget. :-(

Any tips?

I wouldn't actually buy a dress until you are close to or at the size you want to be. You don't want to end up with a dress you can't wear because you've either not slimmed down enough or you've slimmed down too much and it's ended up too big, it'll just make you feel terrible and it would be such a waste to end up with something you can't wear for either reason. House of Fraser has nice dresses, there's Debenhams Debut range, Coast and Next now stock Lipsy dresses online.

Yes, much as I'd love to help you find a dress it really would be advisable to wait. Apart from the risk of it being to big / small on the day you've no way of knowing if the fit would be good - would be a massive PITA and disappointment if you were the 'right' size but the dress was a shit fit...

If you really, really want a 'goal' dress how about a lovely but relatively inexpensive one for day to day wear?

What kind of style are you looking for? What neckline? What length sleeves? Are you hourglass/busty/flat-chested? Do you want to wear heels or flats? And what colours suit you best?

THis is very nice. What's your budget?

I totally see what you are saying. This is a very good point. (Feel a bit silly now) I have a wardrobe full of dresses I can't fit into, maybe the best bet is to try and get into one of those, but then a few weeks before the actual races and come back and ask again! You'd better all still be about!!

Oh that's gorgeous! And the style I would pick and have in my wardrobe!! I was thinking around that sort of price!

What is the web sight in that link?
The about us section is interesting!!

Hmm, that is indeed rather interesting. I've not bought from them myself so, yeah, it's buyer beware as usual I suppose.

I had to read that a few times to work out what you were on about, I think my head made sense of it as I'm used to reading badly written stuff at work. I don't think the person who wrote it has English as a first language. What do you think? Fakes?

I fear as much, can't be sure but maybe best to avoid. SOrry, I'd not looked at the site properly

No worries, it has given me an idea of what to look for at the time.

Where are you going racing? How formal/dressy you go can depend on which meeting you are going to. Eg a day at Royal Ascot is more formal than a Monday night at Windsor!

A good rule of thumb for formal racing is dress as if you are going to a wedding. Hats are not compulsory (except at Royal Ascot or the Derby), but if you want to wear one do!