I don't 'do' art and I don't 'do' dresses. What can I wear to this wedding? Please help!

[Instituteofstudies]

My nephew is getting married in April. It's in a village church followed by reception in village hall. Everyone is very un-flashy. I'm 5' with short spiky hair. Size 12 hour glass shape. Dark brown hair, pale skin tone. 54 years old.

I feel like a twit in a dress (plus can't wear heels because of bad foot) and I feel most comfy in skinny jeans, boots, jumpers and a parka! My entire wardrobe, apart from the dress (L K Bennet one) that I wore to other nephew's wedding, consists of jeans, jumpers, t shirts and gym stuff. Please can you help me look casually smart enough for a wedding and to not feel like I'm 'dressing up.' I love navy, grey and white. I look like a small box in wide trousers. Will be very grateful for ideas.

I would wear the dress you wore before too.

I would not (under any circumstances) wear leggings to a wedding!

What colour is the LK Bennett dress you have? Unless it's a very memorable pattern (and I doubt it from what you've said you like) I am sure you could wear it again and get really funky new accessories and costume jewellery. People don't tend to remember very plain dresses, they just remember what you wore them with and that you looked fabulous!

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Phase+Eight+Tabby+Textured+Dress/206440640,default,pd.html

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Episode+Pleated+shift+dress/D459991,default,pd.html

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Pied+a+Terre+Slash+Neck+Bodycon+Dress/207869237,default,pd.html

lovely shape and what a bargain! not the right size though.

Please don't ever wear leggings to a wedding, as someone else suggested!
:-S

I think you need to try on more dresses in order to get used to them. If you don't wear something for a long time, then it feels very bizarre when you start wearing them again (I used to live in jeans, and found it weird wearing anything else. Then I grew out of them, didn't wear jeans for about a year, and found it super weird wearing them again....I promise it's normal!!!)

I think this would look amazing on you, and you could dress it down by wearing flat sandals rather than heels

blue

This might also look good - generally big boobed people tend to suit wrap dresses, or wrap style tops

black and gold It looks fancy, but you can easily dress it down by skipping fancy jewellery and pairing with these on the feet if it's not too cold

I think that this one is my favourite though, and would look amazing on an hour glass. It's formal, but not too dressy, and you could easily style it for work afterwards as well.

You're all so helpful. Thank you ever so for all the links and ideas. The combo I can most imagine enjoying wearing and then being able to use in future, is a jacket and capri or cigarette pants which I could wear a smart shirt or top with and a bit of bling. Either that or if I'm really pressed for cash, the LK Bennet dress with a jacket (last time I wore it was August, but in April I will prob need a shrug or jacket), which will make it look different. It's plain purple so am sure I can disguise it so that it doesn't look the same as at the last do.

Saw this outfit and thought of you.

this might be workable with boots and bold silver jewellery of a nice scarf.

Chances are it's going to be freezing in April so hence the sleeves.

Afterwards you could wear it with leggings and dress it down.

zero - why have they made the model up to look like a heroin addict?????

Zero This is sort of look I'm after. Though a white jacket is too risky because I'm such a klutz. Five mins and there'd be all sorts down the front. But def a jacket a trouser type arrangement.

kaykay Why are you holding me responsible?????

OP I suspect you're much more an Acne Studios than Coast type of dresser!

I suggest you browse the rest of their drug addled website for inspiration.

what about something like this (dress) here

Zero I think you're on to something. I shall go check out their site and see what's there. I love Coast but their style feels a bit too feminine and pretty to feel 'right' on me. I am feminine but in a more hobbity way :)

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to think up ideas. You are all so helpful.

You may want to check out Cos

Seriously, just wear the same dress you wore to the other wedding? Will anyone even notice, and if they do, will they care ?

I have one 'best dress' that I love to bits, it is vintage (ie: I've had it over 25 years ) - I tend to wear it to every 'posh' occasion I go to, which isn't many, but it does mean that every photo of me at an occasion shows me in the same dress. So what !!

These cigarette trousers are a bit less 'pretty' than the ones I posted earlier, and would look smart with a black blazer and maybe a black silky top. There are quite a few similar cigarette trousers around, in various levels of colour, print and loudness! Polka dots!

Whoah, the polka dots! Too short to get away with that. But am going to have a good trawl through Cos and Acne in a while. Definitely like the idea of cigarette trousers, shirt and jacket combo.

Ragwort I totally agree, it wouldn't matter one bit if I wore original dress, but I do need some more smarter stuff in general as I just don't have anything apart from jeans, jumpers, t shirts etc.

Don't have two collars. If you wear a jacket then have a very simple (probably "v" or deep "u" neck) top underneath. Keep the neck area uncluttered.

How about a lace pencil skirt?

Yes re collars.

Wouldn't have thought of the two collar thing. Good point. I've had a look on Zara and there's a very tiny polka-dot pair of cigarette pants. I'm going to go try them on and try some jackets/shirts in there too.

Well do have a look at the "skort" linked above while you're there. Despite iklboo's bladder I think it might suit you.

(Though Zara's fitting is a bit hit and miss.)

Speaking of Zara would you consider this?

Zero I'm going to try the Skort thing on and see what it's like. I Like it a lot. It's how it works on a short person. I love the kimono things but a lot of them are more like full length coats on me!

I really like the skort, too. It's just me, my hamster bladder & getting out of it after a skinful one or two glasses of sweet sherry .