Help please - I need a dress for summer weddings!

[Roseylea]

Hello,

Ineed help please! I am going to a couple of weddings this summer and need a dress to wear! Something pretty and a little bit individual. I am a pear shaped size 12 and in my early 30s, pale skin with red hair (I can get away with bright colours but beige / creams make me look ill!)

The thing is, I am not the richest woman in the world, so I want to buy something that will look good and not date for at least a coupe of years. My budget is around £120 at the most, including some sort of jacket or some such...I've looked on a few websites but I've not seen anything I would go for.

Any ideas?

[bizziebee]

I had the same problem but found my dress on sunday. It's phase eight and cost £85 - there is a little shrug that goes with it about £35. Look on phase-eight.co.uk (don't know how to do links sorry). Mine is the green one with leaves on - not sure if it is your colouring - but there are loads of lovely dresses on there. Bought it at John Lewis.

[Roseylea]

Found it bizziebee! Lovely dress! Just started browsing their site so i'll see what else they've got too! Thanks v. much

[bizziebee]

I just hope you aren't coming to the same wedding!!

[Wolfgirl]

I got one for sale, if you looking for 'used'. Might not be your taste of course m'ear, but heck, wont harm for you to take a peek now, hey! LOL And heck, mine is £22 deliverd, so out of your £120 budget you could buy...tights, shoes, jewels, make up....loaddddddsssssssssss!

click here

Label says size 12, but I think it is a large size 12, nice and comfy like... you know!

[Roseylea]

I really like the orange one

[Wolfgirl]

er...mines green LOL. ah well, not sure my dress can compete with that Rosey, it is lovely!

[Roseylea]

It looks lovely Wolfgirl! Tbh I'm a bit leg-phobic (my legs are a fair bit chunkier than the rest of me and my knees are horrible!!!) So I'm not sure about the length. Is it above knee length?

[Wolfgirl]

WEll, Im 6' and it came just to below my knee, or rather touched my lower knee cap. I can measure if you like, but phone just rang and DH says Im here, so have to go and talk to someone. will get back to you if you interested. Please dont worry though if its not yur cup of tea. xx xx

[littlelapinWearsBoden]

Hey Roseylea, you ARE me (well, late 30s).

LOVE that Phase Eight dress (I have a couple of their things, gorgeous), but I prefer the pattern to the plain.

Have you looked at Kew? It's Jigsaw's diffusion line, pretty much. Very good value.

[Roseylea]

Hi Liittlelapin!

I like Kew, but I got a bit too carried away looking at the other stuff on their site..! Not sure about a dress for weddings there tho. One of the weddings I'm going to is a bit grand...and I know that everyone else is going to look like a million dollars (and their outfits won't have cost far off that! ) Oh, the pressure...!

Not v. impressed with Boden's dresses either. I guess they go more for casual clothes anyway, don't they?

[littlelapinWearsBoden]

Boden is not weddingy at all.

LK Bennett? They have some very pretty dresses and jackets at the moment. Or Hobbs have some gorgeous things.

How about Paddy Campbell from eBay? I've got one of her suits... diviiiine (except I'm too fat for it at the mo )

Ghost

[littlelapinWearsBoden]

Not to mention LK Bennett, French Connection and Monsoon, NJ!

[Roseylea]

NJ where do you get details of discount / outlet shops?

I know someone in Leicester and I have a feeling there is some such place there...

I am feeling the need to go and try on loads of dresses and see what they look like on!

[Slacker]

Has no one mentioned Coast ? Loads of lovely dresses there, and lots on ebay if you don't want to pay full price.

[AnneJones]

IMO the issue with Coast is that someone else may well be in a Coast outfit, or, if not, many of the ladies at the wedding will have had a look in there. Not very individual if you care about such things (clearly showing my shallow side!!)

Maxi dresses are supposed to be very "in" this year and might be a fab idea if you are not keen on your legs. Fashionistas say the way to wear them is to ensure they are truly maxi (ie as long as possible) otherwise you run the danger of looking mumsy.

Don't worry about the £££ of other guests at the wedding - find something that you are comfortable in and that makes you happy. Accessories are key to a look too. (I actually quite like the plain jersey dresses in Jigsaw - not too ££ and you can get a lovely long necklace to individualise it.)

[janeite]

This is lovely methinks:
voila

Lovely colour here:
not sure about style though if you have curves?

I like the shape of this one:
silverdress

[Roseylea]

eeekk since I posted this our bank statement has arrived and it aint pretty!

So I'm going to wait until the summer sales...ho hum...let's hope that a beautiful dress that fits perfectly and flatters me in every way will be half price!

[Bouquetsofdynomite]

For bright colours and relative cheapness, search on Ebay for 'Uttam'. Bit hippyish but nobody else will be wearing the same thing.

[nuttyworkingmum]

hi,Roseylea, Im exactly the same red hair the lot, plus going to a wedding in July, I love the 1940s look so want to find a lovely dress or top and skirt with peephole high heels.
Im not really into the 1960s big print look which seems to be everywhere... <br /> if anyone knows any high street shops or websites with this look would be most appreciated..as cant be arsed to travel to London or any major city, I`m far too lazy to do that!!
If all fails Monsoon or Jigsaw are favs of mine , not sure if their your cup of tea! but worth a try.

[Dogsby]

i got one reduced at phase 8 too