Help! Incredibly unflattering bridesmaid dress (pic attached). How to look good in it?

[AngryFeet]

8 weeks till wedding. Weight loss already underway (1.5 stone done - not since pic that was today). Exercise about to start. Will be doing nice fake tan. Hair on day will be loose side bun and obvs will be wearing makeup which I am not in this pic.

I just look like a sack. I may be a size 16 but have a good waist (pear shaped) and I dress well and look good for my size. Until now!

It does need to be adjusted on top but any other tips of what I can do to myself/the dress so I dont look horrendous? Other bridesmaids are all size 8-12 and tanned so would hate to stand out.

Oh dear that pic seems to have stretched out. I am nit that wide! Will try adding to profile...

Um... I don't think you look that bad, especially if it's stretching you horizontally!! I get that you might not want to hear that. I'm sure there are maybe better colours for you, but really you are not that much a sack! I would go for strong eyes and lips, make sure your hair isn't scraped back and ideally get some colour into that as well. A long necklace down your cleavage, some high heels, big colourful cocktail ring to match and something like those mary porter armoury things - very tight lacy shrug to the elbows.

My sister got married in the 80s, you can imagine the bridesmaid dress i was in. :(

I am a bridesmaid in October and the dress really doesn't suit me either. My dress hides all my good features and highlights the worst.

I think that colour can be a hard colour to wear. Is it a nudey cream?

I think with a good fake tan, the right makeup and hair it will look much better.

Have you got shoes on in the photo? Are you wearing heels? If not a good hair of heels will make it look better too.

The bridemaids with me are a 6, 8, 8 and a 10. I'm a 12/14 so know how you feel.

Will look better when everything else is done though.

It doesn't look too bad, the colour is the worst thing. I think you need swishy hair, would you be allowed a colourful hair accessory?

Agree - worst thing is the colour. Could you wear a more supportive bra with it? That and adjusting the top would make a big difference.

Really don't think it looks bad!

It's not a great colour, but with heels, make-up and your hair done it will be fine.

Agree that the colour is the worst thing, but more makeup should help with that. Agree that a different bra would help too. And will you be wearing heels?

Firstly, I think you need a better bra as the dress isn't giving much support or structure - have you tried the panache porcelain (available in strapless if needed)? It gives a very smooth line, nice shape, and lots of support IME. I'd recommend going to somewhere like Bravissimo or John Lewis, getting fitted and then trying a few different sizes to find what looks best.

I agree with omaoma - strong lip colour, maybe a nice subtle smokey eye in metallic colours with a good eyeliner, and definitely some accessories. An interesting necklace which suits the neckline is pretty much a "must" - maybe one of these:

lace style

a bit pricey but probably easy to find for much less

same sort of thing but smaller and cheaper

Just a word of warning - Mary Portas's armery is great for some outfits but it's cut funny near the shoulders so your armpits would be on display, which probably isn't the look you're going for. M&S does something similar which doesn't have that problem - it's called Flatter Me and comes as a crop-top which joins under the bust.

Ugh no to that armoury stuff. Hideous.

Agree with what everyone else has said.

Slap on the fake tan and the make up. Wear high heels and perhaps spanx or the cheaper versions to smooth out lines.

And drink 2 glasses of champagne very quickly and then you won't care what you look like [voice of bitter experience]

Swishy hair and if possible a colourful accessory
no to armoury
You will look great!

The waist looks loose on you, can you get it taken in a bit when you get it adjusted on top?

YY to a very good bra, I'd go for balconette over a plunge style. I know Trinny & Susanna were crap, but their mantra about lifting and separating applies to a dress with that V neckline.

Congratulations on the weight loss and also, you have amazing bone structure, your cheekbones 'pop' in that picture even without makeup

yy, It's fine.

Agree on excellent foundation garments. Make up (not forgetting face arranged to hide dislike of dress) and tan. Nails. Swooshy, shiny hair. Highish shoes.

I'd avoid the bright hair accessory though - add colour to nails, lips and with shoes.

Agree about the fitting for adjustments needing to be done while you've got strict, well fitting underwear on. Will make all the difference

I have a maidenform flexees all in one in nude to go under. Just need a good bra that pushes them together a bit. Yy to getting adjustments made. No shoes on in photo and the length will be adjusted when she chooses the shoes. I dont get to choose hairstyle or shoes so side bun it is. Swishy hair would look much better i agree. Will have highlights done by then too. What is armoury?

These bras aren't properly fitted, just for the idea, but I'm pretty sure a balconette bra breasts would look a lot better than a full on plunge bra cleavage with that dress.

Sorry? WHAT? she's choosing the shoes? The hair too? Will she also be dictating make up and nails?

Yes, absolutely the bride gets to choose the shoes, hair, makeup - she wants all her bridesmaids to look the same. That's normal isn't it?

coour is wrong for you

you need a fake tan

Well yes it would be odd to have bridesmaids with different hair and shoes surely? She is paying for it all after all.

Tried fake bake and it was very orange. Trying another next week.

I'm shortwaisted and busty, I normally take sleeveless tops up at the shouders so the neckline/bust hits in the right place. I'd have that one nipped in at the waist too. Agree re good bra - I would take the dress and flexee shapewear all to Bravissimo & explain the problem. If your waist is well defined then just under the bust will be good too and that's where the dress needs to fit and flatter.

It looks good now . It will look even better when it's adjusted and you have a fake tan, a good bra and your own blusher/bronzer and mascara on hand in case she's dictating the makeup too!

If you have eight weeks, it's worth doing arm and shoulder exercises. You look fine now, but ten minutes a day for 8 weeks and you will totally rock that dress. You can buy little weights or just use cans of beans from your cupboard.

It is the time of year those 'gradual tan' body creams are out. You could try building that up, starting with one for paler skin and moving to one for medium.

It's fine. With a different bra it would be better. And fake tan, hair and so on.