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Fairy Godmothers Needed: Please Help Me Get To The Ball!!

21 replies

Fillybuster · 12/05/2014 17:34

More than 15 years after leaving higher education (I'm 40) I finally have tickets for a summer ball at my Oxford College Grin

I've never ever been to a summer ball and am hugely excited. There's about 6 weeks to go and I suddenly realised I have nothing to wear and no clue about how to get this sorted out

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find:

  1. A dress which will be stunning and sparkly and properly 'ball' like and which also won't make me look like mutton-dressed-as-lamb amongst all the scarily young students. I'm clearly not going to wear it again (or at least not on a regular basis), so don't want to spend a fortune, but of course don't want to look too cheap either.

  2. Shoes which aren't too high as I have no balance issues with height and crap knees. Although very blocky things might be ok.

  3. A bag

  4. Maybe a second pair of flattish shoes. And maybe new underwear too...? Hmm

Budget: about £100-150 on the dress; £70-80 on shoes (more likely to wear them again); £30-50 on bag.

Vital stats: I'm 40, 5'7", size 10/12 (smallish waist, 32E bust - so prefer not to go braless and struggle with strapless). Feet size 5.5 (39). London based, so can theoretically get to shops to try things on with patience, commitment and a following wind.

Can anyone wave a magic wand and help me out please?

OP posts:
Drywhiteplease · 12/05/2014 19:10

Love a mission like this, but more info please;

Fav/worst colours?
Styles you prefer?

Drywhiteplease · 12/05/2014 19:12

Fav shops? Least fav shops?

Drywhiteplease · 12/05/2014 19:41

Ok, well, here are a few dresses to be getting on with:
red
elegant navy
purple
coral
pale blue
drapey grey

Drywhiteplease · 12/05/2014 19:47

pale pink
bit over budget but fab

Laska42 · 12/05/2014 19:47

Have you thought about hiring the dress? there are bound to be places near you..

Fillybuster · 13/05/2014 12:43

So sorry to hit and run like that....not my normal posting behaviour! So...
I have dark red hair, very white skin. Largish norks as previously mentioned. Good legs. Good shoulders. Ok cleavage. Prefer something long, I think.

Colours: anything other than pale pink, beige, flesh tones, green, yellow and red, I think. It's a summer event, so maybe not black or very dark blue, although I do wear lots of those and know they could be more helpful at covering up spilt wine stains user friendly and flattering. I really like silver, quite like gold, but nothing too blingy.

Off to look at the links now....thank you!

OP posts:
tastingthestars · 13/05/2014 12:52

Ooh I'm going to an Oxford ball this summer too - wonder if it's the same one! I'll be looking out for a lady in one of these MN suggested dresses!

Shoes wise - I've given up wearing any heels but wedges to balls. Not worth sinking into grass with stilettos on! Plus wedges can keep me going all night and on the dance floor!

Apatite1 · 13/05/2014 12:57

For seriously comfortable shoes I recommend Chie Mihara only. I've stopped wearing any others for long periods of standing, nothing else is as comfortable and trust me, I've been through the lot!

Fillybuster · 13/05/2014 13:00

Oh, I forgot - favourite shops are Phase 8, debenhams, John Lewis, fenwicks...

OP posts:
TwoNoisyBoys · 13/05/2014 13:00

I'm watching with interest as I'm going next summer (2015) and have been occasionally thinking about this! :)

bouquetofpencils · 13/05/2014 13:17

A bit random but I currently a bit taken with vintage Monsoon Twilight dresses on EBay. If I was going to a ball I would get one of those.

Dune do great clutches and kitten heel evening shoes.

Have a ball Smile !

Lonecatwithkitten · 13/05/2014 13:21

Now I feel old I have some of those 'vintage monsoon twilight' dresses still in my wardrobe. (Sneaks off to sob quietly).

Fillybuster · 13/05/2014 14:05

Tasting would you be going to the SJC ball?

I love some of those suggestions especially the drapey grey one....and thanks for all the shoe/bag suggestions....will check out Dune and think about wedges. I think some sparkly block heeled low sandals might be what I need.

laska I think I would be too worried about damaging or dirtying a rental gown. But this is why I need you to keep kicking me over on the 5:2 threads!!

OP posts:
Fillybuster · 14/05/2014 09:10

OK, so I love the grey dress DryWhite suggested, but not sure about some of the others....thanks for the links Capsium but there's too many shoulderless/halternecks on there for me!!

Anyone else want to go shopping for me? Please?!

OP posts:
TiaDalma · 14/05/2014 10:56

If it's the strapless bra issue that stopping you going for a strapless type dress, have you tried the wonderbra ultimate strapless bra?
discounted here
I am a 30f and it stays up and it still really supportive, it has had many rave reviews on here too with large chested ladies! (And no hoiking required half way though your evening!)
Just an idea that might help Smile

bouquetofpencils · 14/05/2014 12:00

Lonecat "vintage" in this sense just means classic, stylish and good quality Smile

Fillybuster · 14/05/2014 12:09

Tia thank you - I'm happy to give that a bash, based on your recommendation....my current stapless bra (Fantasy, I think) is quite high sided and high backed, so often still visible. Plus it digs in slightly to give a very attractive 'overboob' look....Hmm

I've been looking at those Monsoon dresses on ebay and they're lovely. I got a brilliant Karen Millen silk dress for my birthday for a tenner on there, so completely up for doing that and saving some money to put towards shoes and bag

OP posts:
Laska42 · 14/05/2014 17:43

ooh filly Hi I didnt notice it was you!

Fletcherl · 14/05/2014 20:31

Have you thought about a corset. I think they help you to feel glamorous and sort the bra strap problem.

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