Dress for my daughter's uni ball... help?!

[FrameyMcFrame]

My daughter has a winter ball to go to.... at uni.

It's a bit special as she didn't ever get to go to one of those prom things at school due to social problems and anxiety

Now she's at uni and away from all that she has truly come out of her shell.

And she needs a dress. We are stumped. We tried a few high street shops to nonavail.

She is 18, 5ft 3 and a size 12. She has long dark hair and blue eyes with quite an olive skin tone.

She usually shops in urban outfitters so a lot of the formal type dresses just were not her taste at all.

Any ideas of good online shops for this sort of thing??

I am ancient (36) compared to your DD, so I hope my advice isn't out of date. But, how about All Saints? It used to be good for less stuffy, but still formal enough for a uni ball type dresses.

Look at Quiz

Has she looked at Zara?

There’s quite a lot there

I’ll stop!

Adrianna Papel at John Lewis on line have some lovely things, unusual fabrics and colours, and won't break the bank.

If she wants to go long I think you'd do well to focus on sites that stock petite sizes eg next

Or monsoon
https://uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/ukcatalog/monn1,mon1.2/7450787908

Quiz. Lipsy

As someone your daughter’s age, I would try topshop, Asos, misguided, pretty little thing, oh polly or house of cb depending on budget. I assure you that 90% of the dresses others will wear to the ball will be from one of these!

I have spent several hours this week looking at prom dresses online with DD1.

Def Quiz and Lipsy as suggested by pp

ASOS and Dorothy Perkins also worth a look

Goddiva!

It's my go to and not massively heard of so a good chance no one else will turn up in anything similar

www.goddiva.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsbzWiLH85QIVFPhRCh2NQQADEAAYASAAEgLYDfD_BwE

Asos. All students go to Asos. They might do the student discount too if she registered with the student union. Choose a few and return what she doesn’t want. My DDs always used them. (still do!)

Zara too.

@BubblesBuddy for the student discount she just needs a uni email account and to register with student beans

What about Reiss . Very classy . Love this one
www.reiss.com/p/plunge-neckline-midi-dress-womens-livvy-in-berry-red-purple-brown/?category_id=10312&gaEeList=W%20-%20Dresses%20-%20Party
Or this
www.reiss.com/p/one-shoulder-satin-dress-womens-eden-in-navy-blue/?category_id=10312&gaEeList=W%20-%20Dresses%20-%20Party

Lipsy on eBay. Dd at med school, lots of formals. Lipsy are generally a nicer cut and better fabric than ASOS/pretty little thing, they do short or long and have lots of choice. But at £50/60 or so outside of student budget. My d picks them up on eBay, her cheapest was a stunning dress for £1.70 which had been worn once and was immaculate. Well worth a look x

I'm a similar height and always got floor length dresses that could easily be shortened (eg no beading at the bottom) for uni events because there's a lot more choice in the main ranges than petite. John Lewis often has reductions on the formal wear online (especially for the 'younger' styles I think!), or the dress brand Ariella has an online outlet too.

DD has a winter ball to go to. Is the dress code similar to school proms? I suspect that the dress she has isn't formal enough.

Love the Reiss ones^^!

The reason I suggested All Saints is because it used to be seems to be a bit edgier. I don't think Quiz is suitable for a cool Urban Outfitters type... it's a bit... downmarket and gaudy is it not?

Good shout re eBay if she's on a student budget! If you're treating her though op, I love the Reiss ones just posted.

Have a look to see if you have an oxfam bridal store near you /her. All the dresses are brand new from bridal boutiques that have either gone bust or last seasons stock.
I got DDs prom dress from there and it was £15 rather than the £180 we found it for online. They have all sort of style and even had a stunning Vera Wang dress for £45. 🤯

Thanks for all this

She liked this Godiva one, thanks for the suggestion @FrangipaniBlue

www.goddiva.co.uk/dresses/starburst-effect-mini-dress-blush

She is wary of long dresses as she isn't tall... I hope this is formal enough?

There's 20% off this weekend too.

I said I'd pay as she didn't get the prom experience! I also bought her the ticket too.

We have a week to find a dress she feels confident in.

Definitely formal enough OP, glad she found one she likes I work in a university and not many girls wear long dresses to the balls anymore

Lovely op!