A style challenge: help dress me for a posh dinner, when I have almost no money

[ExasperatedSigh]

DH's work are paying for us to go to a naice restaurant, which is good of them. I have £40 to spend and almost nothing I could wear. Also I have no idea what actually to wear, since this sort of thing never happens and I can't remember the last time I ate out anywhere more costly than the library cafe.

I am 5'4", a size 12, with a bit of a spare tyre. The meal is a couple of weeks away, so I could order something online in time. All thoughts gratefully received!

Also, TK Maxx is always worth a rummage. I'm currently wearing an amazing and very flattering 50s style dress, very well made, looks very smart and was reduced to £13!!!

March - I am very narrow shouldered, so they are always far too big across the shoulder in order to fit the norks in! I love their stuff, but lots of it just doesn't work for me, sadly. :(

I've just bought this

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/The+Department+Sleeveless+structured+woven+dress/176413997,default,pd.html?cm_mmc=Criteo--Women--Dresses--Sleeveless+structured+woven+dress&$ja=tsid%3a45091%7ccid%3a11371.583275

on the instruction suggestion of MN and it is super flattering. It gives me a perfect hourglass shape and I'm a 14 with a belly.

this is silk and bang on budget

You're determined that somebody will buy that one, Tethers! It was nowhere near as nice irl as it looks online - well, not for me anyway.

what about this. www.tkmaxx.com/view-all-womenswear/purple-shift-dress/invt/30002921

this www.tkmaxx.com/dresses/purple-chiffon-occasion-dress/invt/53025240

this. www.tkmaxx.com/dresses/taupe-lace-layered-dress/invt/53033650

www.tkmaxx.com/mobile/homemobile/page/homemobile.

In short Op look at tk maxx online

I am, Remus! Wish I was a 12 TBH... Is it really shite IRL?

Ebay. If you know your size in a really nice label look for it on ebay. I've got 100 pound dresses for a fiver.

I went there for a dinner a couple of years ago and wore a turquoise Ted Baker silk dress and silver heels. It is a fab venue and the food was both beautiful and delicious - have a fantastic time.

Remus that dress def wouldn't work then - it has shoulder pads!

tethers that MP dress isn't good at all. Sorry :(

All of the MP stuff is v long and shapeless and cheap feeling, from what I've seen - and the colours are v garish generally too.

Maleness Birger?

Malene. Bloody iPhone.

I'd go on e bay and look for a second hand LK Bennett dress.

Do you have anything at home first? If you have nice shoes etc in a certain colour I would make sure the dress goes with them

John Lewis and house of fraser have a good sale ATM if you can get there and try a few different ones on

I agree about ebay. I got a lovely black dress - dressy but be can made up or down for £7. It's BHS and was probably about £50 ish new.

at Maleness Birger

Thanks everyone, I love you all - so many brilliant suggestions. You have also reminded me that I have a £50 JL voucher upstairs going begging, so maybe I can splash out a bit more than I thought and/or get accessories too.

Marcheline to answer your earlier question about what I imagine myself wearing there, I suppose I want to look modern. Being a small, curvy, strong-featured type with nice calves and bigger thighs/hips/tum, I frequently end up in 50s-style frocks which I love and which are very flattering to my shape. But for this occasion I feel like I want a more modern look, and all the aforementioned attributes make it harder to carry off certain shapes (I think?) I love those boxy, drapy dresses that look so effortless on coltish models, but they hate me!

However, there are lots of things here that I LOVE and that I think could work. My ebay watch list is bulging

You might be surprised at what a well placed belt and pair of good heels can do :)

Keep looking on eBay and def get down to the charity shops in good areas - I got a gorgeous printed silk shirt by celia birtwell today. Ours frequently have lovely dresses for about a tenner, and you can spend the extra on shoes / jewellery / makeup / hair.

I would wear the ruched grecian drape dress from me+em £35 from 118 in the sale and the zara shiny court shoe £20 from 60 in their sale. Sorry cant link now but could tomorrow if needed.

The problem with ebay is that you can't return stuff if it doesn't look nice on. I would do charity shops, tk maxx and cheaper end of high street, and maybe get skirt and top as maybe you could then wear the top again with jeans too.

Restaurant looks lovely btw!