Where to look for a dress for a traditional, black tie dinner

[dottygamekeeper]

Help - I have to attend a black tie dinner, in the City, at a Livery Company. Dress code for ladies is knee length dress with no bare shoulders. I am (just!) 50, 5' 10, size 12/14, with silvery grey hair. I would prefer the dress to have sleeves, ideally just above elbow or 3/4 length and preferably a scoop/round neck, although V neck would be OK. I find black no longer suits my hair and skin colour - any suggestions for alternatives? I have Wednesday afternoon in central London to shop...

Could you rock bright yellow?

you might find this deeply dull but I have one of these issa dresses and they are insanely flattering in the right circs

love a bit of rose Pucci

furstenberg

love this

love this

Dotty I would go to Fenwicks: it is a shop for real people who are grown up, so you might find what you want there, and if not Liberty are close by and not as wacky as they used to be so might have what you're after.

Designer or high st?

Monsoon

Blue lace dress

Edana embellished dress

Rosetta ponte dress

Layla lace dress

Love this comes in purple/navy or black.
or
lace in green or navy?

I would start at Matches, walk to Selfridges, then walk down South Molton Street to LK Bennett & onto Fenwicks on New Bond Street.

Thank you for all the suggestions, I think I am more high street than designer price wise, but if I fall in love with a perfect dress I am prepared to pay a bit more, as the older I get, the more I appreciate quality!

Winterhat - I was considering the first Monsoon lace dress you linked to - I will have a look tomorrow. Have been worried by on line reviews about quality of Monsoon stuff lately.

Twinkelstein and Bearleigh, I think you have a good plan, I have meetings in the morning in Piccadilly, so will head up to Bond Street/Fenwicks and on from there. I had forgotten about Liberty, have been meaning to pay their dress department a visit for a while. Where is Matches?

FauxFox - I am really loving the purple dress, Westfield have it in stock so if I have time I will nip over there.

hey dotty
I guess none of my suggestions were any good
good luck with finding the right thing

Ronald - sorry for missing you out, I did like the Issa dress, but am worried that it looks very low cut. Your other suggestions were probably a little over budget (and may be a bit too edgy? - am based in Suffolk, so designer fashion is not my natural habitat!)

my mother has often claimed that if my taste were in my mouth it would poison me
i flounce off

the issa is very useful but you are right about the v neck

get the yellow!!