Please help me - I haven't glammed up in years - need to buy an outfit for nephew's wedding

[lisalisa]

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Could you have a dress with short sleeves with a long-sleeved jacket over it? Any particular colours you like/hate?

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Lovely velvet jacket and skirt from Monsoon in teal - scroll down to see the skirt. Not sure if the jacket's long enough though?

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Hmm - wrap styles are good for disguising, ahem, larger stomachs. But you seem to be saying you want something tighter? Not sure - is this the sort of shape you mean? Not convinced it would be the most flattering, though (and not that actual dress, anyway).

This one looks lovely, but obviously you'd need a jacket. Not sure the colour's very weddingy either.

Think you need to bump this tomorrow for the real style shop people - you need MaloryTowers or MrsBadger on the case.

ooh, tough one!

I see what you mean about wanting something tailored to 'hold it all together', and on your budget you could have got a suit made, but I think it may now be too late...

A Galaxy-type dress like the grey checked one Jackie linked to may be an option - in fact M&S do a range of 'Magicwear' dresses that are specially designed to, um, hold it all in. I think they're long enough to pass muster, but would need a jacket as they're all short sleeved.
The black crêpe one would be wearable again on all sorts of occasions, and if you could find a jacket with a subtle dark pattern (perhaps something like this or this ) you might be onto a winner. I'd avoid putting anything too colourful over the black dress, but something subtly glamorous like this metallic one might be worth a shot.

Re makeup, I'd steel yourself and go to a department store counter for a consultation to get some tips, even if you don't buy their products.
If you're not used to wearing any makeup at all BeneFit do a very good line in concealing/perfecting stuff that just makes you look better without adding any actual colour - try saying 'I want to look less tired' and see what they do.
If you normally wear makeup but feel stuck in a rut, Bobbi Brown or MAC are good - the line to use here to stop them slamming it on with a trowel is 'I want to look like myself, but prettier'.

ooh, have just spotted a jacket on the Coast website (which is Flash and hence a pain to link to) that looks like it could be very stomach-minimising - hit 'Collections' then scroll along about 2/3 of the way to the end till you see a long green halterneck dress, and on its right an all-black outfit with a yellow rose at the waist.
It was the lovely wrap collar on the jacket that drew my eye as it it's glamourous without being too revealing - ideal showcase for a bling necklace - but actually the whole outfit is pretty good.

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hello

i would definielty go for a wrpa dress. they are fabulous and glmaorous and agreat investment. get a black one, long sleeves. and then go to m&s or rigby and peller and buy an underdress whihc is designed to hold everything in. they are brilliant and really do create a great line. then get some great high sexy shoes (easy to find) and a beaded clutch bag and maybe some hair feathers or whatever-accesorise is not too expensive and really has some great evening stuff. and a wrap should finish it off nicely.

do the beauty counter thing. its a good idea, and practise at home. some undereye stuff - touche eclait or ebenfit do a good one and a decent powder. concealer, should you need it, rimmel hide the blemish is the best out there. stick to comething subtle - good base, lashes (good tip if it makes you feel too made up - but a clear one and mix in some black - makes for a far lighter finish) get some benetint for a healthy (and foxy) blush and some lip gloss. and, in the meantime, got some exfoliating gloves (body shop) and get to work exfoliating and moisturising. and drink 6-8 big glasses of water everyday so you look and feel radient

you'll be gorgeous

x

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Do what I did and go and sort your underwear out first!!

A proper bra that fits is very important and some good knickers that hold it all in helps a lot.

Principles have some lovely things in atm. I dont know about wrap dresses as they always need pinning because they gape and drive me mad.

what about a plain dress with a dramatic coloured jacket and shoes? Lots of greens in today I saw. Wallis have some nice things too.

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Principles, Next and Wallis all have greens atm.

Must be the colour for the season.

sounds like we're getting there slowly but surely - sorry my initial thoughts weren't in the right direction

Take the bulge-creating M&S knickers back and try something else - maybe an underdress as suggested by maggiesmama?
They showed some very effective underwear on How To Look Good Naked - the kind of thing that goes up to your bra and down to your knees, and it made a huge difference. I reckon a visit to Rigby & Peller would pay serious dividends...

lisalisa go treat yourself in rigby annd peller, ypou might find yourself sepending £80 odd on underwear, but it will make a cheaper dress look like magic IYKWIM

I liked the Gold metallic jkt that was linked earlier - BUT forgive me for saying this, I think it might make you look very 'jewish mother' esque (I can say this being jewish myself IYKWIM)

Anyway a lovely teal or sea green would be fab. If you get teh right undies, then teh first suit could be beautiful (a bit different too)

What about this

Not too pricey either and would hold in your stommach without squidging it elsewghere

Thys have seriously good stuff at R&P and if you are bigger than some I would go for a fitting and ytry evrything. A smooth bodysuit will work under loads of stuff and give a sleek line to all your clothes

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lisalisa, I have those shoes in brown!

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