Help! Parisian wedding.

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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...

lemon I like the dresses you have chosen in particular with patchwork one. Shame it’s partially backless!

I think posters who have been here from the start of the thread feel quite invested now and protective of the op, funny isn’t it.

Wedding in less than a week away now so I guess a whole new look is somewhat moot now.

I'm definitely over invested and I haven't even been here from the start

I'm living vicariously as I also need a wedding guest dress (I have my own thread) but I don't have the OP's figure or budget!

I love the dresses you linked lemon and I do totally get your point. P8 is the opposite of what OP said she wanted. However at this stage, I also agree with Emma and I'm sure she will look lovely in the phase 8 dress, one way or another. Ps OP pls don't wear navy or beige shoes - I don't think you would anyway, but just floating it. Or a fascinator. Tan shoes all the way and an amazing blowdry of some sort.

I've worn that phase eight to a black tie dinner so I'm a bit biased but it does have pockets! And you are not at risk of the dress wearing you.

Treat yourself to an investment bag with the rest of the budget

I'm another who thinks the Phase Eight is the wrong way to go for the event the OP has in mind. It's a very British thing to want to "make the most of your assets". Those bodycon dresses are fine for a British do but I really can't see them working at a chic Parisian wedding.

I'm championing the Bombshell dress precisely because it doesn't cling anywhere. It's elegant and says quality. I'm a sucker for a jewel colour so I'd love it in sapphire, ruby or emerald. It would turn heads for the right reason.

Having said all that I went back to the Phase Eight dress and realised it isn't bodycon and actually looks lovely on the OP. Whichever makes her feel most confident is the way to go.

I wonder how many PPs have actually been to any French weddings?!

I've been to loads, admittedly no posh weddings in central Paris, but they have been "chic" enough.

It's a wedding not Cannes!

I understand where lemon is coming from since I floated the same thought earlier. The OP is a far cry from the P8 dress. But I also agree that sometimes you have to go fuck it it’s good enough and it bloody fits. Unless the Villanelle pink tulle pops up for a song of course And as a foreigner I do think a British wedding look is def a look and can be a statement in itself. Les Rosbifs have arrived and are pulling no punches!

Me me I have been to 2 French weddings!

I was at one. As an au pair 25 years ago. I remember that I was out of place enough 🙄. Cannot remember what anyone else wore. Not one. I had no shoes (story of my life) so wore my canvas sneakers and that consumed all my brain cells with the sheer mortification of it. Don’t wear canvas shoes to a wedding people, not anywhere.

Emma I'm from there so yes. Like I said earlier though, the style is very much non-dressing up dressed up. Camisole tops, skirts, sundresses, usually the good old LBD is worn, with expensive bag and shoes. Formal attire is left up the bride so no structured below the knee cocktail dresses.
But I can see the OP wants to stand out which is also fine!

Such an enjoyable thread - thank you, all!

My contribution - very late, I know - is that jumpsuits are terrible with any sort of tummy. I have both a tummy and a 36JJ bosom, and the "most" flattering dresses are the button-down sort, with a v-neck (or square necks are also brilliant for bosoms), flaring out at the waist but without a seam at the waist! Those Bombshell dresses which flare at the waist look ideal.

Interesting debate. With respect to the OP, I'm not sure the original brief was quite right. It sounds as if you feel that you're the odd one out for the "wrong" reasons (different body shape to the others, feel they're slim and stylish and you're not) and if you're going to stand out, you want it to be for the "right" reasons - in a "fashion forward" outfit that wows everyone. But IMHO there are several problems with this:

• the only people who should be wowing everyone with their outfits at a wedding should be the bride and groom
• as the OP said herself, it's pretty much impossible to find a "fashion forward" outfit that fits and flatters an hourglass figure and large breasts
• with a "fashion forward" outfit, by definition some people might love it and some people might find it completely ridiculous. There is a real risk of standing out for the wrong reasons by looking as if you've tried too hard and failed. This is why people often go for the "safe" look.

I am not actually saying that the OP needs to go "safe" or bland but I disagree that the right answer to feeling out of place and unattractive in a social group is to wear something expensive and outrageous. I think it's better to be true to yourself and your own sense of style and what suits you, whatever that is - classic, understated, quirky, etc.

I'm another late contributor to the thread, but have found it a really enjoyable read. I have to say that I totally agree with AnotherEmma . I love a fashion forward outfit, but if it's not your usual style, I think there is a real risk of you getting it slightly wrong and feeling even more out of place.

OP, I think you look gorgeous in both the navy Phase Eight and the Bombshell shirt dress. With the right shoes and red lips, I think you'll look really chic. I also think you'll feel comfortable and probably be glad that you don't look like you've tried too hard.

I sort of agree the P8 is boring
But it’s exactly what I would probably end up buying.

What I have learnt, is if I go with what I really love. Then people always comment positively. Even though if I look in a window I think AAAAHH what made me think I could do that. But actually I probably can

also OP
you have a great figure. And you look fab.

Don't know if this thread has got a bit overwhelming for op, but just saw Erica Davies post some stuff on wedding outfits. She's styled a couple of ideas which I thought could be wild card type option alternatives to the phase 8 jobbie (which I do think fits beautifully and is very classic).

Dresses close up

OP, if your main objective is not to stand out like a sore thumb I think the navy outfit will ensure you fit in. French women often dress very conservatively. I can't imagine a brightly coloured outfit in a French wedding. Everyone would stare. I would put my money in quality accessories if I were you.

Yes sorry I'd almost forgotten about the whole Parisian wedding chic thing!

I’m not surprised those jumpsuits sold out. They were stunning.

OP don’t ‘blend in’ or wear ‘comfortable’ clothes!!!!!! Eugghhh

Wear something you enjoy.

I just saw your photos in your post. The first dress is very classy looking. I’m not sure which one it is. The other two do not flatter your figure as well.!

OP - would love to see the accessories you've chosen?

For what it's worth I like both the bombshell and the phase 8 dresses. Fuchsia goes well with navy.

You guys are all lovely and I'm definitely happy to wear either the Phase eight or the bombshell dress. I will keep both, because the Phase Eight is fancier and can be worn to a black tie event like chocsaregone did. And the Bombshell one can be dressed up or down. I'll ask SIL when I get there which would be better.

I think my original idea of wearing something super high fashion was probably borne more out of my own insecurity where I felt like if I was going to stand out anyway because of my appearance I might as well go over the top a la Edina in Ab Fab. But AnotherEmma and TheHounds are right, I think that was probably the wrong tack to take and I would probably be really uncomfortable anyway. My usual "style" if it can even be described as a style is heavy on the bretons, black jeans, converse/boat shoes/loafers/Nikes, blazers, and I even have been known to wear a gilet so the two navy dresses are more "true" to my comfort zone, if that makes sense.

I think in terms of accessories I'm going to wear the snakeskin print pointy toed heels I'm wearing in the photo of the Bombshell dress above (they're comfy and closed toed, it's a Catholic service and I'm actually singing a solo and two other pieces with the choir...I forgot to mention that before!) and a straw clutch that I already have which is recognisably from a place that is quite meaningful for me and DBro (and he will notice!). Add to that bright red Chanel lipstick in "Carmen" that my SIL gave me for my birthday for my "pop of colour" and a big bouncy blow-dry. I guess it will be a bit Mother of the Bride (in fact the bombshell dress is currently showing on the right sidebar captioned as "Mother of the Bride dress"!!!) but it is my little brother getting married, and I am the big sister with kids of my own so it's not completely ridiculous to dress a little bit MOTB.