So, what does one wear to a ball please?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

?!?!

Help! :)

more info please, context required, what does one's invite specify?

You personally? SOmething simple yet stunning I suspect. Strictly speaking it should be full length but cocktail is more acceptable than it used to be.

Budget?

Me.
5'2, hourglass, size 12, brunette, pale skin. Budget - if it's a Westwood sale up to £150 but anything else, substantially less! Real shops, not online only.

Cocktail length probably better than full length due to short arsedness.

I wear black or grey pretty much exclusively, but can cope with purple, red or pink providing it'snot shiny, or with deep blue maybe. I am scared of colour on the whole. :)

Oh and nothing that draws attention to norkage.

I have decent legs.

No man made fibers IIRC?

online only but free back and forth grey silk. Probably too fussy

I KNOW it's too expensive

navy silk + orange too weddingy?

gold / olive silk again shame the pink is sold out in a 12

and silk again neither colour in stock in size online but maybe IRL

would you do metallic?

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Eliza+J+3/4+sleeve+ruched+waist+dress/144532692,default,pd.html
See above from House of Fraser, I recommend!
I never contribute to Mumsnet threads (but lurk sometimes), but today lots of answers from me. See above link, bought it last Xmas in the midnight blue for a ball, it is VERY flattering, VERY comfortable and has a great vintage look to it. Now I see it's in stock in purple and VERY tempted to get another colour...except I have no summer balls to attend.

I like this
www.tkmaxx.com/dresses/blue-scalloped-lace-party-dress/invt/53106998&bklist=icat,4,shop,1,3091

purple

greyish

Are the necks on those too high?

I love Coast dresses

metallic again

This could look good.

www.tkmaxx.com/special-occasion-dresses/sleeveless-red-occasion-dress/invt/53053631&bklist=icat,4,shop,1,3091

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Eliza+J+3/4+sleeve+ruched+waist+dress/144532692,default,pd.html
didnt link properly last time...looks good on but maybe too covered up for summer/your age (great for hourglass/big boobs shapes though).

Or this

www.tkmaxx.com/dresses/ladies-shift-dress/invt/53073889&bklist=icat,4,shop,1,3091

Grey silk = gorgeous, but that's the kind of thing I'd wear to work with a blazer stuck on top.

Helmut Lang = love it, but can't afford it and it might make me top heavy looking (Iwell, I am anyway, so more so!).

TK Maxx link not working for me, nor are the FC ones.

I think the metallic Westwood is too high necked tbh and a bit scary, colour wise!

Eliza one not for me - I'd look frightful in it.

Max M grey one too worky.

Purple link not working.

Second metallic one = terrifying.

Thanks gals - keep em coming please. :) Am bloody awkward, sorry.

This sort of shape could be good on me but this one is far too shiny

Ooh is this too boring? I love it!

But maybe too norky?

I'm going to one next week, am dreading it but that's a whole other story!

I'm considerably bigger than a size 12, have ok legs compared to the rest of me! I tried on lots of full length which were ok but not great, tried this on and best friend and shop assistant liked it much better (was £100 less than the full length ones so don't think the assistant was telling lies!)

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_1,mon_1.2/3235180108?pageSize=&showAll=true&sort=score

Am wearing it with black tights if its cold and patent platform high heeled shoes. Still bloody dreading it!

I like the 'too shiny' dress (and the 'boring' one but think not dressy enough).

Shame about the links, (worked for me when I checked). If you google the site they have loads (very reasonably priced) occasion dresses.

That's nice, Allice - you'll look great! :)

Will look on TK Maxx, but would prefer to avoid the hell that it is tbh.

Have looked on Ted Baker, Coast, Reiss, Whistles, Warehouse, French Connection. Where am I forgetting?

What is occasion?
Do you know anyone else going??
And venue (hotel/marquee/golf club)?
Fundraising?
Birthday party
Work function for you?/DP?

These will also help perhaps work out what other guests might be wearing

IME wearing long when everyone is wearing short (or vice versa) is awful