I know wedding guest dresses get done to death but you really, REALLY, pretty please have to help me with this one!

[Thurlow]

It's for the wedding of two rather cool friends - fashion, DJing, exquisitely unusual venue everything I'm not

Anyway, the code for men is all in black tie/dinner jackets, and for women it's cocktail or floor-length evening dresses. I know they are really going for a sort of American feel to the wedding. It all sounds lovely and I don't mind that there is a dress code, but...

I have no idea what to wear, I've been looking for ages

The problem, for me, is that I'm 5'1 and a bit curvy with it (size 8-10 but on my height it does mean I'm a bit squidgy and need some structure in a dress). Basically, floor length is out because they are always miles too long and I don't even think petite cut floor-length looks good when you're this short. And won't manage heels for more than an hour Normally I'd be tempted by something 50s-ish but I don't think it would be appropriate, so the standard v-neck Monsoon-style dress I have in the wardrobe doesn't seem appropriate. Have just enough boobs for strapless to not feel too comfortable either.

I could spend about £100 on a dress, but for that price I'd want something I can wear again - though it's unlikely I'll go anywhere this posh again for a while! But still, it'd be nice to have a dress I can keep in the wardrobe.

I have NO idea where to start with this

The kind of styles I sort of like are this and this but I'm not sure they'd even work.

Please, S&B, someone has to have some ideas of shops etc that might work?

I love that second dress! You'd have to add some colour with accessories but that'd be no bother.

It might swamp you actually

I'm in two minds about that dress. I think it's a style that will work on my shape, and also I've got loads more boobs than the model, which will help But the skirt could be a bit big.

this is very nice, it's sister (this one) is famously flattering and lovely - I'd be surprised if it was disappointing on.

The style of that second one - slightly 50s, prom dress style - would look lovely on your shape/height, but you'd deffo need a heel.

I can probably manage a heel for the actual wedding, but they'll be off by the evening reception, definitely!

I really like the style of those Pied a Tere dresses, MrsLettuce, but it looks long even on a model, so it would probably be halfway down by calves

Yeah, they'd probably need taking up a tad but that's not an expensive job. Still well worth trying on, I'd say

Very true! The green is lovely.

Do you like any of these from Ce Me London? I'm a teensy bit taller than you and a slightly wobbly curvy 8 as still need to shift a bit of weight from 3yo DS 5mo DD but I find their knee length dresses very flattering and the perfect length on me.

Oooh, mycat, there are some very nice dresses there! I'm going to have a good look but there are one or two in the sale for less than 40 which I'm tempted by for another wedding I have this summer too.

Hi Thurlow. I think you should experiment with a tulip, or body con shaped dress. The 50s silhouette is nice, but with your figure it sounds like you could carry off something more body con (but still structured, obv), and it is less likely to swamp you. Additionally, the body con shape is fashionable at the moment, so might pass muster with the cool guests

Lace is a good fabric to consider because again it looks up to date.

Here are some ideas:
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.oasis-stores.com/victoria-lace-midi-dress/dresses/oasis/fcp-product/5550080861www.frenchconnection.com/product/Woman+Collections+Dresses/71BYN/Belle+Garden+Structured+Dress.htmwww.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eight/Occasion-Dresses/Stephania-Dress/202424351" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.oasis-stores.com/victoria-lace-midi-dress/dresses/oasis/fcp-product/5550080861www.frenchconnection.com/product/Woman+Collections+Dresses/71BYN/Belle+Garden+Structured+Dress.htmwww.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eight/Occasion-Dresses/Stephania-Dress/202424351

Sorry, it ran all the links together! Here they are:

www.oasis-stores.com/victoria-lace-midi-dress/dresses/oasis/fcp-product/5550080861

www.frenchconnection.com/product/71BYN/Belle+Garden+Structured+Dress.htm?search_keywords=dress%20garden

www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eightStephania-Dress/202424351

Those are really nice, suburban, especially that Oasis one. You're right, I think I probably do need to experiment with different styles. It's awkward because I don't ready access to decent shops so I tend to only order online styles that I'm used to. I get worried about the usual saggy post-baby ignores the fact baby is over 2 belly!

Damn the cool guests. Any other wedding and I would embrace the fact that I am in my mid-thirties and can wear a not very exciting but flattering dress - this one feels like I should pull the stops out a little!

This is almost too cheap but I am quite tempted...

I think the Oasis one would look lovely, it's quite unusual so you'd really stand out (in a good way).

The Lindy Bop one is gorgeous, but it is quite cheap - if you are ordering online, it might be a bit of a risk as I find that cheaper dresses are sometimes less flattering - I'm not sure what it is, but the more expensive fabrics sometimes tend to be thicker and hide our muffin tops/baby bellies better!

MrsL and mycat, I have bookmarked your links. Thank you!
Good luck in your search OP, lots of great dresses to choose from.

Very true - they're always cheap for a reason! I might order it for the other wedding (sod's law the other wedding is a week before the 'cool' wedding and with the same people, so I can't really reuse the dress).

The Oasis one looks like it would work again for a normal work Christmas party, that sort of thing, which is a bonus. Plus I could get those ubiquitous nude heels from Next or M&S to go with it, which wouldn't cost a bomb at all, and I have lovely royal blue ballet bumps already which would work later in the day.

OK, am I alone in this but is this dress pretty fab?

Do you like:

this?

this?

this?

this?

this?

I quite like the second one, tethers, but I think the first one - fab colour as it is - would look really odd on me. Haven't seen that site before though!

Bit plain but could look good with right accessories

this?

this?

this?

this?

Yy, I think all those dresses would need careful accessories so as to look chic rather than plain.

That last blue one is nice, tethers. I rest are a bit too fashionable for me, if I'm being honest If I was flush I'd try them but for £100 I need a dress that won't date too much. I'll have a good look at Reiss though.