Phase eight? Ok or frumpy?

[MyballsareSandy]

Need a smart dress for a christening. Friend told me phase eight were flattering for pages 40s on the chubby side .... Bit rude but views please!

Age 40, late 40s!

Frumpy imo. (I'm 41).

Selectively ok. I have some beautiful things from phase eight but you have to rule out a lot of it due to frumpiness issues. A lot of the tapework dresses for example look very frumpy.

I'm 41

Variable I think. Just got a beautiful plum coloured dress from there for my brother's wedding, and it's really lovely. Looked fairly dull on the hangar though so it may be worth trying a few on even if they don't initially look up to much ... (I'm 36 btw)

I totally agree some Phase Eight things are frumpy and some OK. But not with the implication that being over 40 (or indeed 50 or 60) and being 'chubby' equals frumpy!

I have lots of really lovely work dresses and tops from there. I'm not a grumpy dresser and I'm 34. All in the sale (I think they're over priced full price but the quality if good). There are clothes in there that ladies of a certain age would wear but definitely worth a look.

Grumpy?! I'm not a frumpy dresser either!

Variable. I have a lovely dress that is favourably commented upon, a lot. But quite a lot of their stuff is the very definition of frumpy.

I shall be 50 in a couple of days and I buy all my dresses from charity shops in posh places

Bit of both. Have found some really great work dresses there though- I'm 37.

They can have some beautiful bits but also some God awful things my Nan wouldn't be seen dead in. Very hit and miss.

Oh and just to add, I'm 25 and wore a beautiful phase 8 dress to a wedding last weekend. So not all their bits are old.

Depends on your shape. They seem to do a few styles in different colours/patterns for years and years.

If one of their styles suits you, and the print/colour they've chosen for that season is ok, then you're laughing, otherwise it can be very slim pickings.

This dress for eg - the one I have is about 6 years old and makes me look great. However that print is not great. Even the model looks awful. Hit or miss.

OurBlanche I'd love to buy from charity shops but there are no posh ones within 50 miles and the travel negates the saving sadly.

Phase 8 is odd. Some of thier things are really nice but others are horrendous. They have no 'image' really. I've got a lovely black draped slim fitting dress from there which I've never worn as it's too small (label says size 12 - it measures 34-26-26). Is this normal? I thought size 12 was 36-28-38)?

Fab I'm an 8-10 but my dress from phase 8 is a 14. Completely bananas.

I have that dress variable in about four different prints! My favourite one is black with little red apples all over it and people often comment on how nice it is.

The sizes can occasionally be off fabulous. I bought one in the size that always fits me in there but I couldn't get it over my head. It was a bit depressing.

Most of my workwear wardrobe comes from Phase 8 and it is NOT frumpy. But you do need to be selective and some years the prints will be bloomin awful. And try to stay away from tapework and maxi dresses.

Generally speaking the sizes are pretty generous.

I like phase eight for dresses. Their knitwear is frumppy.

I wear their dresses daily for work. Not frumpy but not uber fash either

I'm short with very big boobs and their jersey dresses really fit me well

The quality of the fabric isn't too great. I think they do good cuts, fits, styles but the fabric lets it down I think.

My sister is 20 and owns 2 phase 8 dresses. I have one which I don't think is frumpy but definitely some of the stuff is. It does tend to be flattering fits with the ruching etc if you have some bumpy bits to hide.

I got married (very small, civil wedding) in a phase 8 dress which I loved but I have since read terrible comments about phase 8, eg that they're generally mother of the bride dresses etc I'm always a size 8-10, everywhere, in everything I wear but had to buy that dress in a size 12. I was 8.5 stone and am 5ft 3 that time, but the 10 dress didn't fit. So in my experience, very small fitting!

The fabric may be another of those things they do both well and badly. My dress is lovely, washes well etc.

I think we can surmise that Phase 8 is very much like a Curate's Egg

They have the odd really nice, well cut dress, and a fair bit of frumpery. Just have to be selective.

Thanks all. I do like the look of that dress, if it had a different print.

Can anyone link more ideas for a 5ft 9, 47 year old, size 16.