oh woe is me -advice for apples didnt work!!!!

[guffaux]

I am a size 16-18 apple, have the most unfortunately huge swollen and gross abdomen [embarassed]

I bought an empire line dress hoping it would do me for christmas works do, christmas day and other 'dos' = it looked truly awful- dp (who loves me, whatever shape I am) plucked up courage to tell me the dress made me look old and frumpy.

I'm 5' 3, definitely apple (am 5'5" , 13 st and look ready to give birth) am grey (which I actually love!) pale, and totally lost fashion-wise

please please help- I have a works do with glamorous and svelte colleagues -I've paid £45 deposit, with £60 to pay!!! - WHAT am I going to wear?? its cocktail dress code.

I'm an apple, I live in skater dresses with a leather jacket. Now its cold I wear scarves.

I am an apple with no waist, even before children. You have to go tunic or shift dress-ideally with v neck (but hard to find).

Same as superram and only 5'

Even when I'm thin I have no waist and have a twin skin belly these days to

Definitely tunic or shift dress with a V neck for me as short as I can get away with.

I look awful/pregnant in skater dresses!

If you can't get a v neck dress - I find a good necklace over a round neck dress creates that v shape.

And never ever do an empire line - they are the worst shape for an apple - well along with anything belted.

And I know some people on here think it is a bit 'loose women' but honestly if you have good legs then leather/pleather leggings with a silk shirt or tuxuedo jacket can look very chic.

ooh sparkly

sequinned all over and looked nice in the shop

Those 1950s style dresses look like the worst things possible in the world for apples

Am I wrong?

I wear a lot of 1950s type dresses, and I am a big fat apple!

This style is good, as long as you have a tiny bit of waist. Skirt flows over stomach.

Women's Vintage Breast Dart V-Ncek A-line Skirts Big Swing Tea Black Dresses,Size S/UK8/10 [[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0129W01YG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_h15swbFT423BD linky]]

Ok, try again!! Women's Vintage Breast Dart V-Ncek A-line Skirts Big Swing Tea Black Dresses,Size S/UK8/10 [[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0129W01YG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_h15swbFT423BD please?]]

Arse!! www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0129W01YG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_h15swbFT423BD

I am a size 14 and a very similar shape to you, I find this sort of shape flattering as you can adjust wherer the waist falls and a pattern is always good for disguising

www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Label+Lab+Tie+dye+drape+hitch+dress/218864818,default,pd.html

Otherwise a v neck and draping helps, its not an easy shape to shop for!

Still no linky

That's nice spit

Although I prefer sleeveless and then add a fairly fitted cardigan for day, or shrug type thing if it's more dressy.

I was shopping with a friend recently who's slightly smaller than you, but similar shape. She bought a lovely lace dress from Monsoon, sorry can't link on phone, but it's Azure lace one. Looked gorgeous on her. Quite structured, so no soft flowy material to cling to the wrong places.

Or I'd look for a looser low cut/v neck tunic style, sleepless or cap sleeves. I bought one like this recently from Selected Femme, very flattering.

wow, just got back to mumsnet and am so grateful for advice and suggestions - some lovely dresses on here - drapey /sleeveless and low cut are not 'me' and I like to fade into the background, - but some of the other suggestions are peaking my interest

re wheat suggestion- I'll try cutting out and see how I go on.

hope to feedback with a successful outcome.

I have a huge abdomen, too - pointless putting on things with waists because they don't fit round my waist! That worked for me before I got quite so middle aged and weeble shaped, but is uncomfortable, at best, now.

I find that what helps is to have something that is very fitted and tidy around the shoulders and boobs. I can't avoid looking matronly around the middle, but if it's tidy and/or pretty at the top, then it looks a lot less tent-like.

Layering helps, too. I tried on a fitted coat that I've had a few years that's a size too small for me, yesterday. It looked great, so long as it wasn't fastened!

Very good point

I think if poss for apples it is better to have a too tight coat that fits shoulders and gives structure...fill the gap with fine gauge scarf
It makes you look madly thinner and much more narrow
If terribly clever the jacket/coat can also give a hint of a waist

I am an apple wannabe/soontobe I'm more straight,waistless . My mum is the full keg. She is a WC user but uses the jacket illusion often for work etc

I'm an apple with a large abdomen and usually avoid dresses like the plague, but if pushed I'd probably wear something like this

Good luck with giving up wheat guffaux. It may seem hard at first as our diet in the uk is very wheat based.

It's much easier to do at home so travelling can make it more difficult it just depends where you are. Abroad lunch would often be a piece of fish with tomato and onion salad or a tuna salad or tortilla.

We were out yesterday and had a three egg ham and cheese omelette in a cafe. Last night was gluten free sausages. The black farmer ones are lovely.

You do have to watch restaurant served chips. They are often processed and can contain wheat.

Let us know how you get on. How long till your do?

its the 15th December - I've been searching the net since October I'm not much of a shopper in 'real life; I just panic and go clothes blind, usually coming home with yet more black trousers and top, (and a box of consolation cakes )

Whenever I've shopped with friends I've succumbed to reassurance that it looks good or whatever, only to fall into despair when I try it on again at home , I'm sick of embarassing returns at the counter and queuing at the postoffice with my disasters

OP - Fit and Flare, not Empire. Like this:

www.modcloth.com/shop/fit-flare-dresses

Show off your legs.

Here's a blogger who's apply and around your height (maybe shorter)

extralargeaslife.com/

Yes, fit and flare is good for apple's. What about doing huge order online with Dorothy Perkins- they have loads of fit and flare dresses and it's free delivery free returns?

That monsoon carla tunic dress and the asda dress linked upthread are both really really nice...a pair of party sparkly court shoes with nude tights (m&s autograph 7 denier) and you won't be mumsy at all!!!