Tried every dress on in town and nothing looks remotely good on me :(

[Chipschipschips]

I'm 5' 7", size 14-16 (sadly) and I don't have a very well defined waist. I've got an important social event at the weekend (meeting BF's family for the first time) and the party is on the beach with lots of kids. I want to be able to run around with them but also look really nice so I feel confident but I can't find anything that suits me. I was planning to wear a short dress with leggings and sandals with a thin khaki or denim jacket. Everything makes me look frumpy or pregnant. Any ideas? I've only really got today to buy something.

This weekend.....I hope the torrential rains don't find you!

What about knee length fit and flare dresses? Something that skims your figure yet allows you to move freely. Could still wear with the sandals and jacket.

Not sure how much you want to spend, but take these as shape ideas at least if you don't like the prices:

Jaeger silk blend (i have this, and very nice it is!)

www.asos.com/Boutique-by-Jaeger/Boutique-by-Jaeger-Cross-Hatch-Print-Dress-with-Frill-at-Waist/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2788721&cid=12506&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Blue+%2f+white

Hobbs floaty

www.asos.com/NW3/NW3-Loops-Dress-with-Yoke-Detail/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2910562&cid=8628&Rf900=1465&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Lichenmulti

Pattern fit and flare

www.asos.com/YMC/YMC-Tea-Dress-in-Pop-Floral-Print/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2784828&SearchQuery=tea%20dress&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Multi

floral tea

www.asos.com/Denim-Supply-by-Ralph-Lauren/Denim-Supply-Floral-Print-Tea-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2862086&SearchQuery=tea%20dress&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Blue

sundress

www.asos.com/French-Connection/French-Connection-Daisy-Embroidered-Sun-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2825975&SearchQuery=tea%20dress&sh=0&pge=1&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Daisywhite

Thanks, they're all lovely (well above my price range though). These are the sort of shape that I've been trying on but my waist always seems like it's the wrong place or is not defined enough so that dresses don't hang right. Anything that comes in at the waist generally makes me look frumpy because of this. I've tried a few long empire line dresses but they make me look pregnant which, sadly, I'm not :(

hey OP, what is your favourite part or parts of your body? shoulders, ankles, colour of eyes?

erm.... I'm not happy with any of it, I sometimes think my face is ok but then I look awful in photos :(

I think if you don't have a defined waist than fit and flare don't work on you. I am apple shape and just can't do any of those unfortunately.

Have you been to gap - I've had success with their dresses recently. Also amazingly next.

Also, the weather forecast isn't looking great this weekend so do you have any nice roll up jeans/khakis already?

You sound similar bodyshape to me and I have a lot of success with Matalan dresses that are either empire line or just below empire- I have no natural waist to speak of so can never wear anything that doesn't give me a fake one.

I know, the weather looks shit but BF thinks they will go ahead anyway for the kids' sake. I've given up with fitted tea dresses, they will never suit me, even if I lose 2 stone. I've bought this today which actually looks quite good on me and it's quite quirky (the polka dot overlay is in 2 overlapping pieces and just hangs from the neck of the jersey dress underneath). It hides all my lumpy bits and doesn't show cleavage - perfect :)

www.wallis.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=1&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33058&storeId=12557&productId=9336634&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=209168&parent_categoryId=&pageSize=20&refinements=Colour{1}~[black]&noOfRefinements=1

I'm glad you found something! I think it'll strike just the right note of having made the effort but not overdone. Fwiw I think it would look great under a denim jacket with the sleeves cuffed.

that you don't like anything about your body though.....get your bf to tell you what you're missing. and have a lovely weekend x

If you want to be able to run around, how about a playsuit? Like this maybe? m.newlook.com/mcs/publish/4923/76718?prodid=283406341&cat=cat870034&name=playsuits-and-jumpsuits

That's a really cute dress Chips! A bit of nail varnish and some cute shoes and you'll be looking pretty in no time. Feeling pretty is another thing, as Rooty says, it's sad that you don't like anything, do get your bf on the project!

rootypig I feel a now, I'm not a disgusting mess it's just that I've put a couple of stone on over the last 3 years and I used to be really slim and fit. Plus I've avoided buying 'fat' clothes so I've hardly got anything decent, not a single pair of jeans look good on me (body shape problems again) so I live in leggings and tunics. I'm TTC atm so I've all but written off losing weight for the time being.

My BF does really fancy me tbh, I feel very confident around him, he's always telling me how gorgeous I am :)

Glad you all like the dress, I was thinking denim jacket too. Now I just have to hope I don't get a bad case of verbal diorrhea!

oh, thats a lovely dress. am picturing rolled up sleeved denim jacket, converse-style plimsoles (sainsburys ones are great, and a tenner!)
and a scarf in case it gets chilly.

top tip for kids on the beach- take some talc, it gets all the sand of feet!

have a lovely time :)