Advance shopping spree - desperate planning help needed

[LoopyLooplaHoop]

I will be in the UK at the end of June, but will have only one day to go shopping. Live in SEAsia, and find nice cotton clothes difficult to find and expensive.

So, during this one shopping day, I need:

A year's worth of summer cotton dresses for DDs age 2 and 4
A number of modest (knee length and cap/short sleeve, no cleavage) cotton dresses for me (size 12)
A number of thin cotton trousers... NOTHING fits me here.

A dress for a wedding (UK wedding)
Shoes for said dress
If possible, a hat for wedding too

High street prices, sadly can't afford designer unless 2nd hand.

Can you help? Thanks

Cotton dresses for you?!! Good luck. Are you staying with Family? ie could you order on line for delivery to a UK address, and then try on and send back what you don't like? If so, I'd suggest Boden. I (shudder) would also try M&S to meet the length/sleeves/cleavage requirement.

Kids: supermarkets and primark!

Dress for wedding - Debenhams?

Disclaimer: I have no fashion sense!

Could you arrange an appointment for a personal shopper at somewhere like Debenhams or John Lewis and let them know all your requirements in advance so they could have stuff picked out for you in advance, including kids clothes?

There is a Debenhams here, not sure if the range is the same, but very rarely find anything I like.

Ordering lots online and taking back is a good idea, thanks. Not massively keen on Boden.

Yes, cotton dresses for me. It's always over 30degrees here, and humidity is at 98%. Locals wear a lot of synthetics, but I just can't.

Thanks both. :)

Loopy I've lived overseas (=away from good shopping, similar climate) from until my children were born amd H&M has always been the easiest place to find good quality clothes for my DDs (now 3 and 5). They still do a lot of cotton and the clothes wear really well.

For yourself, I'd suggest the personal shopper appt. Cotton is scarce on the high street these days (rife with viscose and polyester) and this has pushed me to buy high-end clothes, or, alternatively, consignment/thrift/charity. It sounds like you'll be in the UK during the summer sales time, which may mean that you'll be able to find better-made clothes at a discount.

Sorry, that punctuation was more good luck, its what I aspire too, but usually find synthetics rule the high st.

children's stuff - can you get to a big sainsburys?
M&S is one of the few places with lots of knee length dresses - don't look online as the styling/photography make everything look hideous. It's all much better in the store.

www.marksandspencer.com/gp/search?node=42967030&field-keywords=cotton+dresses&extid=ps_ggl_WomenDressesExact_DressesCottonDresses&kwid=92108000_Google+Adwords

Note, most say cotton rich!

www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk/women/clothing/dresses-and-tunics/dresses

Lovely ones there but online.

Lovely, thanks so much

H&M would be my choice for the girls, and might have something for you as well - worth a look.
GAP is good for cotton trousers (get your hands on a 30% discount voucher before you go) but the dresses will be too short.
BHS is very cheap if it has one of its discount days - worth a look for a wedding hat (they're big on wedding-y stuff) and dresses for DD, but all their dresses will be polyester.

If you're near a big Tesco/Sainsburys then they will do cheap cotton basics better than anywhere else.

Best way to keep to your budget is to post the night before you shop and let us tell you which shops have sales/discount vouchers etc.

Mango and monsoon both often have cotton dresses.