"Summery and elegant" for a wedding.

[AYD2MITalkTalk]

Help!

My brother is getting married in a month, the dress code is as stated, and I have no idea where to start.

I have broad shoulders, large boobs that require a full cup bra, a fat belly thick waist, and no hips or arse. I'm flabbier than I'd like. I'm maybe a 16 to 18 on top, 12-14 bottom.

My current "style" is unfashionable jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie with trainers, every day and in every situation.

I don't wear makeup, ever, have no idea how to wear it or put it on, and don't really want to change that. Short hair. Can't show my arms, don't want to show my legs. Don't like skirts or dresses and would spend the whole time self-conscious if I wore these.

And it has to be something I can take with me on a plane.

I have no ideas. Do I need a hat? Do I need to learn to walk in high heels, in a month? Trousers and jacket, or something else? :(

I'm flailing here and would be really grateful for help/opinions/tellings-off.

Sally Hansen leg make up in a spray is great. I always use it for weddings/events and it stays put and is subtle but makes me feel better about my veiny legs. By the way, your figure looks like a lovely normal shape to me, not at all what you are describing! Good luck with the dress hunt

The Nancy Mac website linked to above has some good options (I like the Bryony site too but think they might be a bit little girly for you maybe?)

What's wrong with your lower arms I don't think I've ever seen anyone with bad lower arms.

If you really feel the need to cover your lower arms, your best option is a long sleeved shrug - lots of places do them in many different colours. And if you're going to wear a shrug then it's probably best to go for a short sleeved (or even sleeveless) dress so you don't have two layers of sleeve iyswim

Leg spray! See, this kind of thing I'd why S&B exists. I had no idea that was a thing. Thanks for the nice comments I really didn't mean to fish for compliments; that particular shirt covers a lot of sins.

One of my arms is quite badly scarred hence the long sleeves. Thanks for the suggestions :) I think you're right - double-sleeving might be uncomfortable.

Try Elsie's attic or Lindybop. Gorgeous 1950s style dresses. Would fit dress code.

They also both sell lovely shrugs.

DNiece (who is both larger and a lot more stylish than me) says that for wide shoulders/bust and narrower hips, the tricks are:
Dark top to the dress, paler skirt (OR plain top half, patterned skirt)
Peplum thingy on the hip
'Unstructured' jacket - no shoulder pads.

She favours halter neck tops to dresses. But she's early 20s with glowy skin and I'm... not.

Sorry, hadn't seen your post about the scar before I suggested the halter neck.

A summer wedding could be a great excuse for long lace gloves, though!

All you lovely people! I'm going into my local naice town a bit later today (my usual preferred town for shopping is more along the lines of Peacocks (which I actually quite like for everyday clothes, troglodyte and poorish person that I am ) and poundshops, so I'm going to take you all in there (in phone format) and look at your suggestions while I wander around the naice shops and hope some of them have plus-sizes.

Lace gloves would be cool but I don't fancy eating dinner in them My mum used to have (probably still does have) a pair of her granny's? great-granny's? looong long gloves. They were gorgeous, but sheesh, did people have tiny hands back then.

The tips about colours and shape are awesome, thanks - I'll definitely be keeping them in mind in the hope that they'll help.

Honest opinions needed! I think it might be a little tight.

This is going to require control pants.

What about this OP?

www.theprettydresscompany.com/fashion/Hourglass-Three-Quarter-Sleeve-In-Cream-Seville.html

It has sleeves and could look very elegant!

Have put on more weight than I realised - that's snug in an 18.

Personally I think you need a fuller skirt to balance your top half and accentuate your waist. I think this dress is a bit too 'column'... love the print and colours on you though.

Borrow some shoes in the shop if you can....

I like it OP. Need to see the back to judge if it looks too tight.

Ideally I think something with a scoop or V neck would probably be better to break up the boobage a bit, but the print on this dress is quite good at that.

Have you got a Monsoon near you? Just had a quick look online and there's quite a selection.

Agree with minipie that a V neck would work better.

http://uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/ukcatalog/monn1,mon1.2/9520961010

Back.

I like that dress OP, but it doesn't look very comfortable.

FWIW, my Mum wore a wide legged, silk trouser suit to my wedding (in a tropical location). She looked lovely and was comfortable because she didn't try to wear something she wouldn't normally go near, just because she was MOB.

What do you think about something along these lines? Could get away with flat shoes as well:
au.johnlewis.com/fat-face-wide-crop-fish-print-trousers-phantom/p2845262?imageCount=1

au.johnlewis.com/coast-meleri-organza-trousers-ivory/p2823426

au.johnlewis.com/east-english-rose-silk-palazzo-trousers-black/p2597192

You really have a great figure, btw :-)

I think you should go for a wide leg tailored jumpsuit with a clutch badly, wedge or block heels and a large cuff bracelet.

Something like this ...

Oversized clutch bag.

You could have bright or neutral accessories to gowith that. Tres chic

I disagree with the wide leg trousers idea because I think you have good calves and should show them off

Alright. Because I crack under pressure, am easily made to do things, and there were FOUR of them, I bought the dress, but it does at least have fourteen days returns.

Oh and the dress doesn't look too tight at the back. Possibly a little across the boobs but a new bra might sort that out? Still think a v neck better though.

What shops have you got nearby - we can look online and direct your footsteps (kind of like Knightmare if anyone remembers that )

Cross posted sorry!

Are you happy in it OP - as that's the main thing?

I'm never going to be happy in anything that isn't a t-shirt, jeans and a hoodie. I have… issues with clothing. And shopping. And life in general. But I can get DP to take it back! I'll have to whiz into the shop with my the last minute. I'm doing the Debenhams personal shopper thing next week as someone suggested and will be showing the assistant some of the pictures of outfits in this thread that I like.

I live near Guildford (though I'm not there today; I'm in a small and expensive town nearer by).

Yeah the boobs are a problem. 44" bust. And I have 39" hips.

I can stop eating for the next month? Should be able to lose half a stone…