Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

What on earth do I wear to a wedding when shitty lymphodoema makes my feet and ankles massive?? really struggling and feeling sad :-(

41 replies

doublecakeplease · 04/07/2013 21:37

Just that really. Summer wedding - posh manor house affair with DH family.

My feet and legs are pretty much permanently swollen so i look vile in anything that shows my legs. I struggle with nice shoes (although i long to wear them) because i need super wide fit.

I feel like an old lady but I'm only 35 and long to look 35 and not 75!

I'm 5'2". Size 16 with 36hh bust (which also make it difficult not to look sack lady ish)

Am i destined ti be the frump hiding in the corner again?

OP posts:
ceebeegeebies · 04/07/2013 21:41

What about a maxi dress? Wallis have some lovely ones in at the moment with wide belts to cinch your waist and also in petite range.

MrsLettuce · 04/07/2013 21:42

Och, that sounds shitty. We'll find you somethign that makes you feel great. A maxi would be good, ideal for that sort of wedding, regardless. What sort of budget are we working with? What colours do you like? Any shoes you have that you'd like to use?

Scarletohello · 04/07/2013 21:45

Yes maxi dresses are great and look really glamorous. There's loads of them on sale at the moment too, Debenhams or House of Fraser. Do u have a lovely friend u can go girly shopping with, don't be sad, I have huge noobs and find clothes shopping really depressing , it's just a case of knowing what suits you...

sassytheFIRST · 04/07/2013 21:46

Trouser suit - one that gives you a waist. Maybe a tuxedo suit with a little camisole under. Then heels and a fab hat/bag combo. You'll rock the joint!

(I've got huge tits too, and am yet to find a maxi dress that doesn't make me look like a galleon running ahead of the wind.)

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 04/07/2013 21:48

Would you consider going to a personal shopper ? The ones in John Lewis are fab. There's sales on ATM so you might get a bargain!

ceebeegeebies · 04/07/2013 21:49

Was thinking something like this [http://www.wallis.co.uk/en/wluk/product/petite-maxi-dresses-1814119/petite-265975/pink-petite-maxi-dress-1966654?refinements=category~%5b444612%7c209168%5d&bi=1&ps=20 here]]

Do you think you could cope with some low wedges?

ceebeegeebies · 04/07/2013 21:49

Try again here

MrsLettuce · 04/07/2013 21:53

skimmy navy jumpsuit with bright accessories? Nowt fuddy duddy about that.

doublecakeplease · 04/07/2013 21:56

Wow - wasn't really expecting replies! Thankyou all :-)

I kind of always thought maxi dresses looked funny with heels (not got any that i can wear for more than an hour without being in pain but i'm open to recommendations) and can't imagine flats to a wedding?

Might look into a suit but worry about looking frumpy / office like?

Not sure on budget - I'm usually a Next shopper but i have 2 weddings this summer so will get the credit card out for something that makes me feel less shit :-)

Think I'm too bashful for a personal shopper.

OP posts:
MrsLettuce · 04/07/2013 21:58

Flats with a maxi is fine as are heels with a more dressy dress.

ceebeegeebies · 04/07/2013 21:58

I think you can get away with flat shoes wirh a maxi as long as it is really long and pretty much covers them. They would have to be pretty sandal type ones though for when they do peek out.

Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 04/07/2013 22:03

That jumpsuit is fab. Nice bangle and some comfy pretty shoes and you're sorted Smile

ProphetOfDoom · 04/07/2013 22:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LilyAmaryllis · 04/07/2013 22:11

How about really smart trousers (I'm kind of imagining flowing wide leg ones)

Don't wear heels, sounds like you'd only be miserable. I'm noticing more and more people wearing colourful, sparkly flat shoes around the place. I've got wide feet and I've bought these www.clarks.co.uk/p/20355238 (unfortunately mine were in pink, seems that was last season. But I can vouch for no sore feet, they are really comfortable, with celebratory sparkle.)

LilyAmaryllis · 04/07/2013 22:14

Here they are in pink. much better! www.clarks.co.uk/p/20351144

SignoraStronza · 04/07/2013 22:14

OP, I have the same thing (lympho/lipoedema) and also get really sad at the amount of clothing I can't even contemplate. Am only 5ft but ignore the rules on maxi dresses and wear them anyway - have a small waist and reasonably perky boobs, so hope they get noticed instead!

Found a lovely plain black jersey maxi dress in the petite section of a small dorothy perkins branch the other day -looks quite good and I might see what other petite long dresses they do.

Am currently doing a very low calorie diet as find getting myself to as low a weight as possible helps (perhaps is the low carb thing), as does mad gym going and swimming- something that can't be done atm with a baby.

Have you tried manual lymphatic drainage massage? Costs a fortune, as typically the NHS won't find it unless the Lymph problems are as a result of cancer, but worth it for a bit of a pre-event boost. Try searching for someone vodder trained.

I've also found Evans Pretty good for boots and shoes. Get some funny looks when I go in there at a size 10 though.

SignoraStronza · 04/07/2013 22:17

Oh, and can really recommend monsoon for dresses - have picked up quite a few wedding appropriate ones in there.

Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 04/07/2013 22:18

I was thinking flowing trousers too.

cremeeggsrock · 04/07/2013 22:20

was just checking out monsoon for you, these are lovely!

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_24.1/3532620816

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_1,mon_1.2/3533496118

cremeeggsrock · 04/07/2013 22:20

was just checking out monsoon for you, these are lovely!

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_24.1/3532620816

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_1,mon_1.2/3533496118

SignoraStronza · 04/07/2013 22:22

Sorry, just another thought tree the confidence boosting. I know is not strictly recommended but a sympathetic gp might be able to give you a short course of diuretics to get you through the hotter/more humid weather. Found these really helped initiall, although only to a certain point.

GertrudeMorel · 04/07/2013 22:28

I think maxis look much better with flat shoes and quite wrong with heels.

Mrs Lettuce's jumpsuit has got good reviews, although I would be wary of bare arms.

cocolepew · 04/07/2013 22:31

There are Nazi dresses online on Wallis' sale.

cocolepew · 04/07/2013 22:32

MAXI!! Oh my god this bloody phone Blush
Sorry!!

Primadonnagirl · 04/07/2013 22:39

Hilarious cocolepew!!!

Swipe left for the next trending thread