I have always been around a size 12 and although broadly pear shaped, could find clothes that worked for me. I am 5 ft 6
I have had a bit of a hard year - family death, relationship stuff etc and found myself comfort eating A LOT, and lo and behold, I have ballooned.
I am now probably a size 16 although I am still squeezing myself into the odd 14. Everything has got fat - my arms, my tummy, and my thighs and hips which have always been big, are now repulsive.
I have also always had chunky legs, thick calves and horrible ankles - now they are worse than ever.
One of my best friends is getting married in May and I have no idea what to wear. I don't want to look frumpy which is REALLY hard when you are overweight, and i still want to feel like me - I like fashion although I am 40 and so have always tended to cherry pick the current styles that actually work for my age and shape rather than go all out, but given that I now feel like hiding every bit of me, I have no idea where to start with something that will look even half decent.
The wedding is somewhere uber cool. Everyone will look cool and skinny and then there will be me.
If it helps at all, in a parrallel universe where I had the face and figure of my dreams, I would wear a pretty/floaty above the knee dress with some cool ankle boots or strappy flats (I am not very into the high heel classic shoe thing as my ankles look even worse). But I don't have that body and NOBODY wants to see my knees :(
Any ideas would be much appreciated - budget up to £150