Help - formal cocktail dress needed soon for dumpy size 14 - shopping in Manchester

[millifiori]

Just discovered what I thought was an informal dinner next week is a VERY formal dinner and I'll need to wear a very conservative (no patterns) dark cocktail dress.
I'm 5'4", dumpy size 14-16 :( and fair. I look hideous in classic shift dresses so need something with a bit of flow and give. I look best in empire line but that's so not in fashion this year. Budget is up to £100 but very happy to look at the cheaper end as I don't intend to be this porky forever.

Please can anyone help? This is so not the way I usually dress, I don't even know where to start. I'd look in Jigsaw or Karen Millen if I were slim but I'm not.

Panicking a bit, especially as I'm in Manchester all week which isn't my usual base, and don't know the shops. So any advice on where to look would be very welcome.

Thanks

I'd get yourself down to the Trafford Centre. That's my go-to on a tight deadline. See what Coast have in, look in John Lewis and House of Fraser. Maybe Selfridges, though I never have any luck in there.
You might even do OK at Debenhams. JL and Debs have personal shopper services you could book an appointment with - they're open late so you could go after work.
Size 14/16 isn't huge. I'm sure you'll find something lovely.

Thanks NC4. If they have a JL, Debenhams, Selfridges and House of Fraser all at the Trafford centre I should be able to find something. Great idea.

Does anyone have advice on styles? I'd love something classic, not too high fashion. Something understated. Don't want to draw attention, but do want to look like I've made the right effort.

TIA.

Just wanted to follow on from the pp suggestion of using the Debenhams personal shopping service. I used it recently (fellow short and dumpy size 14) for a wedding and it was fantastic. I've ended up with something I'd never have picked out and I love it x

What about something like this? www.hobbs.co.uk/product/display?productID=0117-5780-9029L00&productvarid=0117-5780-9029L00-NAVY-12&refpage=dresses The skirt would hide a multitude of sins. You could order for delivery to the hobbs store in Manchester and try it on there.

Link fail, try again www.hobbs.co.uk/product/display?productID=0117-5780-9029L00&productvarid=0117-5780-9029L00-NAVY-12&refpage=dresses

Don't know why the link isn't working. It's available in a 14.

That Hobbs dress is lovely but I'd prefer to hide my arms and it's actually too formal an event for shoulders on show. It's not this, but equivalent to a formal law dinner. Not glamorous. Just formal and smart.

That's a shame. Such a good price too. Obviously you know where you're going but are you absolutely sure re dress code? I've been to formal legal etc dinners as part of my, quite senior, role (currently on mat leave) and this would be absolutely fine, probably on the more conservative end of what other women were wearing. It's just that you're limiting yourself quite a lot on colour etc and it's the end of the summer sales so opening up your options a bit might make life easier.

I wouldn't want to go to an event that dictated what item of clothing I must wear and what the pattern on the fabric must (or must not) be.

You sound like me Size/shape wise. My best formal dress for flattering my shape was a Coast Jocasta. I'm not sure if they still do them but there are a few on eBay.

My one is black but they came in lots of colours.

Phase 8?
www.phase-eight.com/fcp/product/phase-eight/occasion-dresses/petals-lace-dress/204078911

They've got lots of occasion stuff. I'm in finance and have been to various balls and shoulders have never been taboo.

I've got this in the raspberry (now sold out) but it's still in stock in the black. Might not be dressy enough but it's incredibly flattering. I can't wear shift dresses as I have funny shaped hips. This looks like a shift dress but has pleats at the front which make it much more forgiving. With the right jewellery and accessories it might be a winner?

Simons it's a work do. Obligatory. It's a formal academic dinner. Bare shoulders will make them think I'm not a serious bluestocking. ;)

Thanks for the Coast Jocasta tip Rocky - I'll take a look.

I can't do links but on debenhams website the Jacque vert black zip back dress? It has satin detail to give a bit of "lift", you could go to town on shoes and bags as it would be a great backdrop for something jazzy/sparkly/detailed as much as something more subtle like nude accessories, and also it is completely inoffensive so you needn't worry it's too this or that.

Wuthering tights - that could be the sort of thing I'm looking for. But I could also end up looking seriously frumpy in it because of my shape. Really I need to lose weight. But probably within a week.

Oh God, I am officially old! I really like that Jacques Vert dress Star. It's what I was looking for. Very conservative on its own but you could do make it sparkle or tone it down. If that looks half decent on, I'm getting it.

Not seen this in the flesh but looks lovely online.

Or the Sisterglam Jadey black dress. The bardot is summery but would still enable you to wear a proper bra and the wide shoulder bands would balance out the tops of your arms. The v neck is not too low. Again, inoffensive but a bit more glam.

One thing I've done when pushed for time is do a big online order for store delivery of lots of things I might like to try, then collect and try on in the fitting rooms in store so I can return stuff straight away if it's no good.

That Jacques Vert dress is lovely, you must get that! The shoes the model is wearing in the photo are horrible though, don't go with the dress at all. Nude courts would look lovely with it.

Yes, I'm happy with that Jacques Vert dress. Thank you so much everyone, especially Star

There's a debenhams in Manchester town centre if you are staying there, also there's the Trafford centre which you can reach by metro (or taxi if you can't be bothered with metro. Or you could order it to where you are staying. There's also a Jacque vert in Manchester on king street in the middle of Manchester, if you ring ahead they can probably tell you if they've got it in stock. I think house of Fraser on deansgate in Manchester will also have a concession, if not they will certainly do lots of other similar brands.

Thank you Star!