Hell fire what to wear to posh wedding

[jocastafantastica]

Please posh ladies help me!

I am going to a wedding in a blooming cathedral next month, it is black tie and cocktail dress/evening dress affair, what the frig should I wear???

I posted here yesterday with some dresses I liked from pretty dress co (can't link thread from iPhone but it's titled 'can I wear navy to a wedding'), however since then DP has casually mentioned this criteria! I am a commoner at heart but do scrub up fairly well, 5'7, 40 yrs old, 12/14 hourglass shape big boobs.......

Any suggestions/advice great fully received :)

Black tie to an afternoon wedding?

Black tie means no hat to me....evening wear... Cocktail is knee length and black tie is full length, are the bride/groom American at all???

Get yourself to coast.... Fabulous fabrics, a satin knee length number should cover all bases and some patent high/medium nude court shoes from LK Bennett... Classic and understated

Have a nice bouncy blow dry and a good manicure....

Have fun.....xxx

Coast = every other guest

And no no dull nude shoes

I might DP has probably got male dress code wrong, no matter as he can check with pal and hire a suit anyway. Men have it so easy! It's def not tails, it may involve a cummerbund. It can't be long gown to a day do can it?? That would look odd. He spoke briefly with btb and came back with 'cocktail/evening type dress'. The invite is winging it's way here so hopefully will give more of a clue.
Will order some dresses today, so far I like simple shaped dresses in single colour. I hope to shed the (all inclusive) 5lbs I gained recently by then, but will still have large bust that looks mahoosive with lots of swirly colour over it. I think drapery or structured fabric would be best, I have never met these people and I might be the youngest woman there as DP is much older. I want to look 'calista and Harrison' as opposed to tony Curtis and old playboy bunny iyswim

Good housekeeping had an article on this in the I think current issue (mint green cover no idea who blonde person was on front) which I bought in desperation while in hospital with dd last week (it was that or men's health...). Kind of skim read it but remember it had a handy chart of what smart casual/ black tie etc actually means in terms of dress for men and women and lots of ideas for outfits. Might be useful - think you'd be able to look on their website.

John Lewis personal shopping service is ace and doesn't take lots of time if you tell them in advance the event (I did it for going back to work with promotion after may leave. Very good)

Your Dull is my Classic

I guess we all have our own thoughts, the world would be a full place if we were all the same

X

Can you get skin make-up for the tat so you are more flexible on dress? Esp with lace over, no one will notice with good make-up. Having said that, I don't know any good body make up/scar cover brands, just because I've never used any. But I'm sure someone on this board will!
X

Dermablend fir tattoo cover or find a mobile makeup artist that offers airbrush... X

Have you tried Phase Eight at all? I'm a similar age and it is my fall back for formal dresses.

www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/wedding/weddingguest?resetFilters=true

www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/occasiondresses/all?resetFilters=true

I have looked at tattoo cover up stuff, but have visions of DP trying to apply it on the day in a rush which could be a recipe for disaster. I can't to it myself because of where it is. Could look for mobile m up artist but would have to be early in morning before long distance travel in between me bundling kids and dog off to their dads, too many stressful elements

Will check out good house keeping thanks

Cummerbund only worn with a tux so that means it is Black tie. To be honest a black tie dress code for a daytime wedding really has no set rules as floor length dresses look ridiculous at 3pm in the summer in a cathedral and cocktail length dresses are widely accepted for black tie events now with a few exceptions. Black tie for weddings only really works IMO for evening weddings or at a push, civil daytime weddings. On that basis, I'd go cocktail length dress, no hat but make sure the material of the dress suggests evening rather than day wear.

Aggressive has it re hat/length/fabric. Odd dress code for daytime summer wedding IMO.

Try Topshop for fabulous clutch bags.

I think black tie for men is more of a strange idea at an afternoon wedding. I can't imagine the groom at the altar in an evening suit. A morning suit is what he should be wearing, but then all the guests would be in evening wear so it would be a bit mixed up!
I agree with AggressiveBunting - cocktail length dress with no hat.

Pin Up Girl

This would be my choice or something similar. Hair immaculate, big eyes, few accessories etc.

I covered my tattoo last year for a stage show. Estee Lauder Double wear camouflage worked really well, took a while to get it all blended in but it lasted, even through costume changes & sweating! I tried some ones that were like fake skin to go over the top but it didn't look good

They do that dress I linked to above in green too....I'd probably go green for my skin tone.

The problem with Coast and Phase Eight is that at any sizeable wedding there will be one if not two other women there in the same dress

I agree no more nude shoes. That was dead last summer and is now mouldering in the ground

Don't plaster yourself in dermablend as it is a ball ache unless absolutely necessary

I've never been to a black tie wedding, are the bride/groom from the UK?

www.boden.co.uk/en-GB/Womens-Dresses/Occasion-Dresses/WH633/Womens-Selina-Dress

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Pied+a+Terre+Katie+slinky+dress/189728589,default,pd.html

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Pied+a+Terre+Slinky+knot+jersey+dress/173991394,default,pd.html

so have ordered these..........think first one lovely but may be not right for bust, last one not sure about back/colour, like middle one best so far

Coast is dangerous. You might end up in the same frock as the bridesmaids = major faux pas!

Love the blue slinky one from pied a terre, but the boden one I don't feel is suitable for the occasion.

love the pinup girl one! Also rather like the mint velvet one too.

I like the middle one as well. The Boden one isn't really a cocktail dress but would be lovely for a wedding with a less formal dress code.

I have the blue (marge blue!) slinky knot dress but I'm finding it a flipping nightmare to accessorize (shoes, bag, jewellery). You are probably better at it than me though.

Do like the boden dress but looks a bit too casual for a posh cathedral do I think.

Jacques Vert? It is occasion wear, but is it in the 'everyone will be wearing it' category? Some of the dresses are lovely, though.

*Sm