Please help me find a dress for a wedding in November.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

I am not a dressy person so I am finding this a bit difficult.

In the past, when I have bought a dress for an occasion, I tend towards frumpy. I want to avoid this this time. I don't want a very posh dress because I would like to be able to wear it again - eg for Christmas day maybe?

I am approaching 50 and usually (ie when not buying for occasions) dress rather below my age, eg right now I am in a short dress from Apricot with leggings underneath. For this wedding, I am thinking maybe a wrap dress? I like the look but have never had a decent wrap dress before. I am a size 12/14, 5 foot 8, so quite an easy figure.

I don't have loads of money to spend (understatement!) but don't want to look like a country cousin (it is probably going to be a fairly chic wedding). Maybe £50?

I like the look of this but think it isn't chic enough?

This is quite nice but probably too short? Also, I think the print is rather dull.

Can anyone show me a few alternatives please?

Also, I am guessing it is not on to wear such a dress with long boots is it? In which case, I need shoe ideas too.

The last winter wedding I went to I wore a suit in a dark plumb colour. It had an midi length skirt and a short fitted jacket. I wore it with knee boots and a sparkly top underneath, so I could remove the jacket in the evening and swapped to strappy sandals for the dancing.

It was inspired The wedding was almost 10 years ago but I'm still wearing the suit regularly for work , have worn the jacket lots over dresses or with jeans and the top got worn a lot with trousers or jeans until the sparkly bits started dropping off. And I was warm and comfy for the churchy bit.

My mother suggested I get a suit, but, as I don't work, it just wouldn't get a second wear. Also, although it is a winter wedding, I forgot to say, the ceremony and the reception are being held in the same place so I don't need to worry about being warm in a draughty church!

Do you have a cover up you were hoping to use?

x post and posted too soon

What sort of colours do you like? How do you feel about ptterns? Also, what size shoes are we after?

Length wise, as long as it's not arse scrapingly short then you really don't need to worry.

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/closet-cross-over-tie-back-kimono-dress-pink/p1537142?un_jtt_v_pdp=yes&un_jtt_v_from_product=un_product_46#page_loaded What about this one?
Wrap dresses don't seem very weddingy to me, but this one's a lovely colour.

I think it is safe to assume I don't have anything So, no, nothing to go over the dress. I usually end up looking all mumsy and country cousin-y with a fluffy cardigan But rest assured, I am determined not to do that this time. I am hoping to find a dress that will have long sleeves and I am mumsy enough to have a plethora of sensible vests which I hope I will be able to hide underneath so that I don't need to fork out for a jacket I will never wear again.

Colours - anything considered as long as it's not pastels (not likely in winter I realise). I like black, but guess that is too funereal? I am dark haired if it helps. Shoe size 6 but shoes are a lot harder as I have very wide feet and don't wear heels.

Oh - wrap dresses are not weddingy? In that case, show me something that is. I really am completely ignorant of these things. Just please bear in mind that I want something I could wear again and I lead a very boring sheltered life.

FWIW, I don't like the kimono dress. It looks too short and the sleeves are definitely too short.

Ok, so long sleeved, knee length? Or longer? Does it have to be a dress? Would you consider trousers/skirt?

www.phase-eight.com/fcp/categorylist/garment/dresses

Any of these any good?

Knee length preferably. Long sleeved preferably. Um, dress preferably because skirt or trousers would require a top to be found and bought too.

The sherry wrap dress towards the bottom is nice.

Ok. We need to know, preferred length, sleeves or none. Pattern or plain, colour.

That will help. Are you tall, short, curvy or skinny? Large of chest or not. We need to know the preferred shape.

Cross post!

Of the PhaseEight dresses, this one stood out for me initially but it's frumpy isn't it? This is the trouble I have. In an attempt to look chic, I always end up going frumpy.

Also, is black ok for a wedding?

bananarepublic.gap.co.uk/browse/product.do?cid=1006130&vid=1&pid=000214636H114-17810

Some nice wrap dresses in Banana Republic. I think black ok for a winter wedding. Add some nice sparkly jewellery.

Too loud?

Black - too worky?

Very very cheap

I have no preference over plain or pattern. Nothing too loud, I suppose. I prefer a narrower skirt over a full one. I am a 12/14. Quite decent norkage - 34DD - usual middle age spread so I have a bit of a tummy and fat upper arms - all the more reason to wear long sleeves. Good legs - long and shapely, but as I am nearly 50 I don't want to look like mutton dressed as lamb in a mini skirt.

Gosh it's hard to find dresses with sleeves that aren't black!
How about this one (it's in black or blue)
(Sorry about long links, can't figure out how to do them properly on my phone)
m.asos.com/mt/www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Ponte-Drape-Wrap-Midi-Skater-Dress-with-Half-Sleeve/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4426715&cid=8799&Rf981=3679&Rf-800=5,60&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=50&sort=-1&clr=Black&totalstyles=569&gridsize=3&un_jtt_v_frompage=0

BananaRepublic dress - hmm, could be ok, looks a bit workaday?

Coast dresses - the loud one is too loud and too expensive! The plain black one looks lovely but also too expensive. The animal print one - gulp. I've never worn animal print before. It reminds me of a barmaid. I could get over that, but I don't like the blue bit at the bottom. Shame, because it was within budget.

Yes, that Asos dress is quite nice (I can't get the picture to be in focus so I can't look at it in detail to be sure). I'm glad you think it is hard to find long sleeved dresses that aren't black as that is exactly what I thought before starting this thread. Although I like plain black, I can't get away from the idea that it is wrong to wear it to a wedding.

Sorry - I missed your budget.

Not wrap and maybe a bit too loud for you but it is cheap!

Gorgeous and a bargain but only a 14, no 12

Another plain black bargain

I think this one is lovely - and meets your requirements! With some nice heeled courts and a clutch bag?

quite good for a Winter wedding - velvet and printed roses

tribal

plainish, cerise and gold

navy, very versatile

in teal

I think the last 4 might suit knee boots.

Ooh I love that Damsel in a Dress one emsyj

How about
bit young?

Print dress

high neck

floral

lace

more lace

floral

looks terrible on model!

very cheap and might not be right for a wedding but theses are cheap as chips and REALLY flattering. I bought one and went back for another (the black/cream one and the grey/black floral one).

cannot fault them for the price. really lovely soft fabric too, much nicer and softer than normal jersey. But the best bit, TWO people asked me in work if I had lost weight when I wore one! I haven't btw [