Please help me find a dress.

[TickledOnion]

I had a look in town today and think I may have missed the good sale stuff.
I'm looking for a dress under £50 for an evening do. I'm a curvy 12-14 and seem to suit structured dresses. I want to show off some cleavage as it's my best asset but most dresses seem to be high necked. I don't mind shortish as I'll wear opaque tights. I like black and jewel/deep colours. I did see some lace dresses that looked quite nice but I'm not sure if they are a bit tacky.
TIA

going to watch this thread as i'm a similar size and looking for a dress. plenty of lace ones but i agree with them being a bit tacky.

i definitely seem to have missed the best of the sales too!!

Forgot to mention that I need to wear a bra with fairly thick straps as I'm a 30G, so that rules out lots of styles.

Have you looked at AX Paris? The dresses don't always look great on the website, but I've two from there I love and get lots of compliments on. The body con styles may suit.

Thanks FruitBased. Do they have shops anywhere? They look a bit too skimpy for me but I'd like to try some on.

Honestly, I don't know where might stock them - sorry (I'm not in the UK so a lot of my shopping is online!). One of the dresses I have is similar to this one but it has short sleeves. I'm quite a conservative classic dresser, and I was a bit scared by the website, but I love the dresses I bought.

FruitBased New Look stocks AX Paris

sorry I meant Tickled

Have you looked at Pepperberry TickledOnion? Lots of black dress in their sale.

Any of these?
Kaliko
blue

last link failed try again blue

Closet? Think they do sell in stores but I've ordered online before, quick (free) delivery and any returns have been processed quickly too.

I'm a short, very hourglass size 12 and have this in 3 different prints (very flattering!) though it may be a little too casual/not show off enough cleavage!
Otherwise -
Purple
Green
Black

Or Joy (again, do have shops but also online)
Red
Red - would add a gold belt though to show off your waist

Vintage style? I've never personally ordered from here but friends have and have good things to say...
Print
Purple

I couldn't find anything I liked on the Pepperberry website.

I quite like the blue kaliko one jimmybim, but it's knee length on the model so will be even longer on me.

It's my work annual (late Xmas) party. I think people tend to be dressed for a night out clubbing rather than a cocktail party. Mind you they are all a bit younger and slimmer than me, so I know there's a risk I may look like mutton dressed as lamb.

have you looked at closet? some are a bit over priced / tacky but i have a very nice dress dare i say it...by amy childs might be worth a look.

I like a few of the dresses on the Closet website.

what about this? amychildsofficial.co.uk/index.php/dresses/bianca-navy.html

this is nice too,could get a maching lippie amychildsofficial.co.uk/index.php/dresses/hailey-claret.html

sorry rambling but try vesper and paper dolls too. asos also do their own branded dresses and have some lovely styles usually quite reasonaby price too. if you go on asos search dresses and then filter by brand. they sell vesper and paper dolls too however there are probably more styles on their own sites.

Your body shape sounds similar to mine, I look better in structured/fitted dresses too. Have you tried Lipsy? I've got three I love, they're even quite forgiving on my horrible mummy tummy. Next stock loads so if you've got an account you get them next day delivery. If you do buy lipsy, buy a size up from normal, they're small made co pRed to most other brands. Next also stock Paper Dolls.

Any good?

or this?

The joy ones are really lovely. I'm even tempted (love red and no red dress!)

Thanks everyone. Lots of lovely dresses to consider. Would a black dress, coloured tights and black peep toe shoes look OK or a bit weird?

hmm i duno about peep toe shoes and tights? have u seen a black dress you like?

I haven't seen a particular black dress gingerbreadmam, but I have some nice black peep toe shoes and thought black dress, black opaque tights and black shoes might be a bit too much black.