I need your help Style Gurus. Going to a Winter wedding in a few weeks and don't have a thing to wear (daaaarling)

[danceswithnewboots]

All my 'wedding' outfits are summery (4 weddings last summer) I love dresses but haven't seen anything inspirational in the sales. I'm a size 12/14 with big norks and (unfortunately) a bit of a flabby stomach (I do however possess some marvellous magic knicker type underwear to help with this!) Any ideas. Pleasey cheesey please

ok, what have you got in your wardrobe?

My stock winter wedding outfit is a brown suedey trouser suit with a camisole thing underneath, a great big necklace, bronze or brown-with-pretty bits shoes, bag etc and a big pashmina in case it's really cold.

I find I have Tights Dilemmas if I wear skirts with shoes rather than boots in the winter but you might not mind it.

Ah Mrs Badger! I was hoping you were about! My wardrobe is not smart at all. I do have a few skirts but they are cord or moleskin (great with boots and opaque tights) I'm guessing boots are out for the wedding? I don't own a trouser suit. I have a few dresses but as I said they are light, summery ones. Not much of a start is it?

I make my own jewellery so accessorising won't be a prob - it would be great to make something for the day actually

hmm - maybe versatile things you can wear again then.

What's the wedding like? Day / evening, church / civil, formal / informal etc?
If it's all indoors eg in a hotel I'd go for elegant wide-legged trousers or a long skirt and a flattering top - perhaps a jacket or wrap cardi type with a camisole/bustier/etc underneath so you can shed a layer if the dancing gets energetic.

If it's in a draughty church it's less easy - have you got a decent wool coat, or one that can become decent with a good brushing and a statement brooch?

Ok, it's in a church then on to a nice hotel for the reception. I have a wool coat in burgundy that will scrub up ok if I can sort out the pulls in it. I like the wideleg trouser idea, I could use those for other occasions too (and could I wear my boots with them?) Jackets don't tend to look that good on me so maybe the wrap cardigan...hmmm...ok so where do I start looking?

sounding good so far

Boots will be fine with the trousers so long as they have a suitably delicate heel - nothing clompy.
As to where to shop, depends entirely on your budget - Hobbs will probably cover every aspect but may bankrupt you in the process!
Perhaps try a department store like Debenhams or JL that has lots of different concessions, or even M&S. I quite like the look of this cardigan from Monsoon as it'll hide any tummy a treat, but you'd need to try it on to see how it works on the norks.
Trousers can be a minefield so I normally start in a shop where I know what size I am and how they'll fit (unfortunately for me this is Next).

oh that cardigan is gorgeous. I think it would look great with wide leg trousers/boots

I love the cardigan but the colour will look AWFUL on me! Really washes me out as I'm quite fair My boots have a medium heel on them (not clompy) so they will be fine. M & S trousers are good for me because the short length ones actually fit (am only 5ft) I saw some gorgeous dresses in the Hobbs sale but they really needed to be worn without a cardigan or jacket and it'll be too chilly for that! There's nothing on their website at the moment (thank goodness!). Right, I'm off to google wrap around cardigan...

Have a peek at Principles - they have some cool edge-to-edge ones and a rather nice pink wrap one, but it's sold out on the website - also spotted this which struck me as particuarly glam!

OOOOh, I love the pink cardigan and the blouse from Debenhams. Not sure if I can wear that colour though. I'm quite fair (pasty!) and I've got longish highlighted blonde hair. What do you think? I can wear warm pinks, turquoise/teal, apple greens but NOT beige or khaki type greens (make me look sea sick!) BTW I know I need to go and try these things on but Bluewater (where I shop) doesn't have a debenhams so I'll need to make a separate trip to try on the blouse!

And thanks Mrs B...you're a star

I'd do this coat with wide leg ice white wool trousers underneath and pointed shoes or boots

ooh, very flash, pinkcat! (rather you than me in white trousers though, esp if there's the slightest chance of mud and/or small children...)

If you're near Bluewatrer I'd just go and have a rummage and see what you find - wouldn't bother making a special trip to Debenhams for the blouse if you don't think the colour's right. I'm darkhaired and freckled so it caught my eye because I knew it would suit me!

I think something in a pink that would tone with the burgundy coat, and maybe grey trousers? TBH the fit is more important than the colour...

OOh, I like the grey trousers idea too, I was automatically thinking black but a grey would go nicely with pink. Right, I'm off to beg a babysitting slot from MIL so I can go shopping on my own(shopping with toddlers...pointless)
Oh and Miss Pinkcat, bet that looks fab! I'm a bit too small to carry off patterns like that and also far too messy to carry off white trousers...wish I could though