Quick help - shall I buy the spotty velvet Boden dress

[RosaLuxMundi]

here
I am size 12/14 hourglass, big norks, red hair.
I have a wedding to go to in Jan - afternoon ceremony evening reception.
Shall I buy the spotty dress or
a) Do I need something more cocktaily?
b) Will half the other guests recognise it/ be wearing it?
c) Is it just a bit like something my 7year old DD might wear?
d) If I do get it do I go for the 14 which might be too big or the 12 which might be too small?
Please help me make this decision
Confused of Mumsnet

oh hc. i had visions of you living it up in glamourous boutique hotel.....!

. but i have high hopes for the future, as this is the first time dd has stayed away from us not in her own house. and no panicky phonecalls yet....

OK I have resigned myself to the fact that the dress may well be going back. What I liked about it was the colour - I like velvet and I don't want to wear black to a wedding -also there is upper arm coverage and I am hourglass shape so like to emphasise waist and norks and conceal jodhpur thighs.
But I do think maybe it is a bit 'droopy'as someone put it.
So if anyone sees a dress that they think might flatter a 12/14 40-something redhead please feel free to post a link! I don't get out much and I do want to look nice for this wedding!

im not sure that it looks a bit saggy in the middle maybe something with more shape would be good - sounds like you have a good figure so show it off

also looks a bit 80s to me - sorry...

THIS IS SO FUNNY! I ordered that very same dress on Friday in the blackberry colour and even before I saw this thread (what a coincidence!) I have been having doubts. I am just not sure that it works. I'll try it on when it arrives but I think it might just be either too young or too old for me, or even both. I'm 43 so I don't want girlish or sweet. I really wanted some nice velvet pieces to wear to a family Christmas wedding ,held at 4pm in the north of Scotland. Good thing is it will be so dark NOBODY WILL SEE WHAT I'M WEARING ANYWAY.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? The only things round us are floaty, chiffony things or teenager stuff.

I ordered the indigo applique coat from Boden, too, thinking that if it were really smart I could just hide anything under it.

Eliza - I think we might be the same person! Let me know if you find anything good.

20 minutes to the shop--how handy, hana!

RosaLuxMundi--I'll keep my eye open.

If only Toast would have a sale within, like, the next 2 hours. They have some wonderful smart bits and pieces.

Hanaflower, you're gonna have to rechristen yourself Hanabodenmole. What you said about the cropped jacket is very interesting because I nearly bought one.

Well the dress has arrived. Too tight around the norks as predicted. I do like it though it is not very sophisticated and it would be fine in a 14 so do I exchange and keep as a fallback in case I don't get anything better in time for January?

Oh Rosa! I was just wondering if yours had come. Our postie hasn't been yet. I'm now wondering if my size 10 will be too small. SHame we're not nearby because then I could try on your size 12 and buy it from you if it fitted.

What are you planning to wear over it, if anything? (Assuming you exchange for a 14.)

Dress just arrived. Looked nice but TOO TIGHT IN SPECIFIED AREA, as predicted! It actually draped better than I was anticipating and husband liked it.

Might keep coat. Still thinking about dress.

I'm sending mine back Eliza. Would be happy to sell it to you instead if you want to take a chance on it.

Rosa--did you get the other size? Do you think the dress would get to me in time for Christmas? We leave here for Scotland (where the wedding is) on Boxing Day, so the last post day would be Christmas Eve.

The last thing I'd want to do is put anyone (esp.mothers!) under the obligation of trooping to the post office. We'd have four (?) postal days to do it in. And I bet you're frantic with other stuff.

But if you want to email me I'm on grhelizATgmail.com

Thank you for thinking of me!

Have emailed you.