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Original poster

Help! Parisian wedding.

352 replies

Xiaoxiong · 07/05/2019 09:32

My DBro is getting married in Paris to wonderful and impossibly gorgeous French SIL. I love them both but they and all their friends are very image conscious. I always feel like a giant pale galumphing hippo when I am over there and unfortunately I can't hide this time. There is no way I won't stand out like a sore thumb among their slender tanned petite friends so I am thinking instead try to go very fashion forward (which they will all recognise and appreciate, SIL reads French Vogue cover to cover every month). Like some kind of mad jumpsuit or giant Villanelle pink tulle dress or something.

Unfortunately very fashion forward seems to be made for sample size people and I'm 5'6", 11st, short waist, big bust and wobbly belly but good legs and relatively good arms. Looking through fashion editorials for ideas has terrified me (like this - eek: www.theguardian.com/fashion/gallery/2019/may/05/rainbow-warrior-bold-colours-for-spring)

Any suggestions? Budget up to £800 for the whole outfit.

My usual style is more along the lines of cigarette trousers, striped top, blazer and converse...

OP posts:
Thread gallery
28
Myimaginarycathasfleas · 11/05/2019 14:40

Wear the Bombshell dress with the collar up a bit at the back and a fabulous necklace. Go very simple with the other accessories. You're going to look amazing!

BloomedAgain · 11/05/2019 16:34

I saw the Bombshell dress in the green silk on someone in real life and it's amazing (not sure if that helps).

ISpeakJive · 12/05/2019 06:35

Please please don't go for a 'pop of colour' shoe. Honestly it would cheapen the look (IMO)

I really agree with what Woken has said here. Go for a hot shoe but keep it simple.

Tooo · 12/05/2019 06:44

Hold on. So you're 5.6 and weigh 11 stone? You're no way a hippo!

ValleyoftheHorses · 12/05/2019 07:05

I’m the same size and shape as you OP and tempted to go and try on the phase eight dress, it’s lovely!

shiveringtimber · 12/05/2019 08:11

Just devoured the entire thread - so exciting - and yes, the phase 8 dress is perfect. Elegant. I wouldn't go for a look-at-me style unless I were totally bien dans ma peau, ie a model! You look amazing in that dress, truly.

spreadingchestnuttree · 12/05/2019 08:49

@shiveringtimber I agree the dress is lovely, but to be "bien dans sa peau" you really don't have to be a model! It's more an attitude - feeling comfortable in your own skin. Possible at absolutely any shape / size / appearance.

Paddy1234 · 12/05/2019 09:50

Place marking this thread! Some absolutely great dresses!

Justbreathing · 12/05/2019 09:52

I second the Boden shoes. They have some lovely colours at the moment. I would go bright yellow/green/orange
Navy on navy is yuck. Nude on navy is even more yuck. It’s all a bit duchess of Cambridge which is bad. Impo

Another tip is a waspie
www.whatkatiedid.com/products/waspie-waist-cincher-glamour-nouveau?variant=45457284110

They run true to size, but are much better than shape wear and you can wear them all day comfortably.

And I love the roksanda.

Samantha Chung?

lemonsandlimes123 · 12/05/2019 11:46

Really don't want to pee on your bonfire but I think the Phase Eight dress whilst flattering is the epitome of very safe, dull middle class uk country wedding style. Start wearing it with coordinating accesories and i think you will achieve the exact opposite of what you are aiming for.

Whilst flattering is good, it isn't always the central aim if you are wanting to look a bit more interesting or stylish. The type of heavier structured dress like the P8 one without any drape can end up looking very trussed up IMO.

Something looser and more drapey like the VW or even a really bold DVF print would be so much better. When you look at really stylish fashion types IME they are rarely trying to 'make the best of their figure'.

www.net-a-porter.com/gb/en/product/1131583/Diane_von_Furstenberg/lyra-printed-silk-crepe-de-chine-wrap-maxi-dress-

www.net-a-porter.com/gb/en/product/1130074/Self_Portrait/floral-print-stretch-crepe-de-chine-maxi-dress

www.net-a-porter.com/gb/en/product/1130075/Self_Portrait/off-the-shoulder-floral-print-satin-maxi-dress

Floisme · 12/05/2019 11:54

Who’s that idiot who said Vivienne Westwood understands women’s bodies? Oh Grin

I love that Bombshell dress on you op and also the green one My linked. I’ve see a couple of the body con bombshells in real life and they do look great but that look’s been around for quite a while now and I think yours looks fresher and more modern somehow, albeit in a vintagey kind of way.

StellaRockafella · 12/05/2019 12:14

Lemonsandlimes - I do agree with what you said about the Phase Eight dress is safe. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing in this instance.

As for the three dresses you've linked to, sorry but they're not only hideous, they won't really flatter OP's figure.

StellaRockafella · 12/05/2019 12:18

OP! Trust your instincts re. which dress you decide to wear and how you accessorise it.

Also, I do agree with Woken and often use Matchesfashion in addition to Net to see how they've styled a particular colour dress if I'm stumped for ideas. However, as an ex-personal shopper, I rarely am stumped, and if it was me, would opt for a silver, gold or white shoe, great bag and really good jewellery - people tend to look at the details.

Apileofballyhoo · 12/05/2019 12:18

Surely it's better to wear something that suits your figure rather than the latest trend? Isn't that what the French do? Good quality, well fitting clothes?

lemonsandlimes123 · 12/05/2019 12:25

Stella - we can safely assume that we have very different taste. No doubt i would consider some of your choices hideously dull!

WRT to flattering a figure there are many different ways to look good and/or stylish. I personally think that the Trinny and Susannah approach of essentially trying to always look as thin as possible whilst showing off your tits/legs/waist which is what most people on this thread seem to consider as 'flattering' is surefire way to end up looking very middle aged and suburban.

The op specifically asked about fashion forward and P8 is about the polar opposite. If it was a place it would be guildford!

AnotherEmma · 12/05/2019 12:26

^Exactly

AnotherEmma · 12/05/2019 12:27

Darn cross post I was replying to Apile!

AnotherEmma · 12/05/2019 12:29

There are such conflicting opinions on this thread. To be expected in style and beauty!

I think the French are more likely to be judgy about a "fashion victim" choice than a "safe" choice.

But I agree with Stella in that I think you should trust your own instinct, OP.

lemonsandlimes123 · 12/05/2019 12:37

Absolutely you should choose what you like - I like the dresses I linked to and would feel great in them. I wouldn't expect everyone else to necessarily like them as well!

IME if you go with something a bit different that you love you will feel fabulous and if you go with something safe you will feel fine!

It depends whether you are concerned about the opinion that people will have. Take the DVF jumpsuit you first linked to - some will love it, some will think it's hideous! The P8 dress is unlikely to inspire either love or people thinking it's hideous, my guess is they would not give it any thought at all. It's a nice dress, nothing awful about it, nothing interesting about it, nothing wrong with it.

AnotherEmma · 12/05/2019 12:40

lemons
I love the dress and I think others on the thread have said similar.
Just because you don't love it doesn't mean others won't.
You do realise the wedding is in 6 days? OP doesn't have a lot of time left.
OP already has 2 dresses that she likes and if she chooses her favourite and accessories it well, she will feel fabulous and more than just "fine".
I don't see the point in kicking her choices now.

lemonsandlimes123 · 12/05/2019 12:46

I wasn't kicking her choices, i was merely responding to her OP and going back to what she said she wanted.

Maybe what she wrote wasn't what she wanted at all and in fact a navy dress from P8 was exactly what she had in mind. But having been in the same position as the OP a couple of times I can only give my opinion and I think that yes the P8 dress looks very nice but that is not what she wanted so I was simply giving some more suggestions. There are enough cheerleaders on this thread for the home counties wedding look, I am sure it can cope with a post or two disagreeing!