What do you think of this dress for Channelling my inner Marilyn?

[CarpetDiem]

Got a few do's coming up, (Good colleagues retirement, work awards. Christmas), looked all over for something a bit different and have found THIS: m.tigermilly.com/p-hell_bunny_monroe_50s_style_evening_cocktail_party_dress-2546.aspx
Not sure if it's a bit too 'raiding The dressing up box' thinking the cream one, wearing with my blue irregular choice shoes. I've brown mid length hair, size 14 age 40 What do you MNetters think? Honesty appreciated

The links not clickable for me, can you repost it?

Repost link

do you mean this one?

It's nice, but you'll get a lot of comments about ventilation shafts, skirts blowing up etc.

I think its lovely! go for it.

bit weird ooh i am quirky

Nothing wrong with quirky if it means deviating from the MN standard of 'skinnies and a naice top' for a night out.

That said, I think you can do a lot better. There are lots of more eye-catching vintage inspired dresses (and I don't mean those Lindybop or Lady V monstrosities).

It is indeed a bit "raiding the dressing up box/ "oooh look at quirky me."
Quirky is good, don't get me wrong. But there's some lovely vintage-inspired stuff out there that doesn't scream "fancy dress" in the same way. If that makes sense.

are your upper arms not of ham hock variety?

looks at own
no one likes seeing too much of a colleague at any time of day

I think it will look a bit like a fancy dress outfit too as it is so obviously a Marilyn dress.

I love it but id buy the black.

I think it looks cheap. Your breasts will be a problem, too, at forty

That's the reason I couldn't wear it, Brenda. I'm relatively slim and work out a lot, but in that my arms would look like two giant hams.

Yes that was the dress,
Point taken about it being a bit 'ooh, I'm quirky me'
I'll carry on looking for something a bit more classy.

Carpet have a look on topvintage.net.

It's a store in Holland (I think) that stocks Collectif, Hell Bunny and loads of other brands. They deliver within 2-3 days and I've loved everything I've ordered from them. Just had a look and they have lots of understated but sexy dresses.

Disagree with the mildly misogynistic comments that OP must have shit arms and boobs because she's 40 and/or a 14 .

why is suggesting her arms might not look good misogynistic?

Oi! I'm in my 40s and my arms are fine!

Like the dress but I've not got the boobs for it. Try it on, OP (I think Tiger Milly do free returns) and see how it looks.

Who said she had shit boobs? No unbuttressed and natural breasts belonging to a forty year-old could survive the evening in that dress. Fact.

This is rather nice from the top vintage site

topvintage.net/en/vintage-retro/40s-classy-floral-swing-dress-in-blue

Agree re the arms & boobs comments:

"Hey OP, you hadn't previously thought it a problem but I'm here to remind you your arms and noobs are too shit for that dress"

If she wants them out and hasn't thought it a concern, then who the hell else has the right to body shame her.

Really poor.

I am 40 next year and my D cup boobs are incredibly perky, in fact DP said they were good enough for Game of Thrones - the highest compliment possible! Why wouldn't OP have fabulous tits?

I'm 44 and I think my bobs and arms would look fine in that dress. However, I think you can do better. It's more like a fancy dress costume than an evening dress.

I don't have fabulous tits and neither do any of my 40+ yo friends! Gravity, age and breastfeeding have taken their toll. Lucky you for being incredibly perky though! However my arms are great due to swinging round kettlebells!

Ps Dowser love that dress.

The quality of Hell Bunny stuff runs the risk of it looking a bit like fancy dress. But, that said, some of the fabrics they use are fine, IME, you really do need to see them in the flesh to judge. Worth a try though. This might be worth a try too. Obviously their styling is all wrong.
Or this might be an alternative. Maybe. Might be shorter than you'd like. another, also of bargainous nature.

OTOH this would certainly the trick but it's maybe a bit pricy. Don't know if you'd have shoes either.
This is probably too dull
blue and very sweet. Too sweet?

totally different style but I think you might like it