Aargh! Posh dinner - help needed!

[Lovecat]

My husband's company is throwing a Christmas do for the board and they've invited partners for the first time ever. We're staying over in a very classy hotel, going for lunchtime drinks and then they've hired a private dining room in the Sky Gardens or the evening dinner.

DH helpfully informs me that all the other wives/girlfriends are blonde and "tiny", and are wearing evening dresses. I'm 55, a size 16/18 apple shape, 5'4 with a face shape that was once a heart but is currently fat and round, and am beginning to get noticeable white strands in very dark brown hair that hasn't been cut since last summer. I don’t do grooming, rarely wear makeup and I'm absolutely dreading this.

Went out to Monsoon and bought a posh frock but am having massive doubts about it.

I have booked for a haircut but after 2 years of not thinking about it (and said weight gain) I have no idea what will suit me anymore.

Pic of frock attached. Stupidly wore a rather unsupportive bra in the changingroom, so I'm hoping it won't look quite as "bewbs!" as it does here. I will be wearing heels, so again won't look quite so stumpy.

Is it awful? Should I take it back? I do love the sleeves, fabric and general jujj of it, but am terrified I'm going to look overdressed/frumpy. I normally wear separates because I have a stupidly high waist and can cheat it with longer tops etc. so this is a departure. I'm fine for the daytime drinks bit, it's the posh evening dinner that's bothering me.

Advice gratefully received!

Another big yes to the dress, you look fantastic in it. It really flatters you. Defs some red lippy and with a fresh hair do you will good to go. Enjoy!

You look great in that dress, really lovely. I think you'll feel better if you get your hair done but don't go too much out of your comfort zone in terms of styling and make up. If you feel a bit "not yourself" you'll feel less confident. PS I know exactly how you feel!

Love the dress. You look gorgeous. Have a wonderful time

I think you look fabulous!

Love it.

I think DH’s colleagues will be envious of him tbh

Fab dress. You'll look amazing. I know exactly how you feel re makeup but Selfridges does makeovers (£45, redeemable against any purchases) bookings.selfridges.com/selfridges-beauty/new_booking.html?companyId=37332#/multi_service_select - it's under Beauty Concierge Makeover.

It's a it overdressed for the lunch. But maybe ok for the evening?

Get a blow dry the morning of the event. Possibly invest in a make up lesson.

Read your description of yourself and I did not have high hopes but you look great! You look much better than you think you look. Get your hair done and some make up and have a lovely time

Dress is perfect OP , as people have said Bob cut your hair nice shoes , and treat yourself to a MUA .. your look
Like a ⭐️

Eyes Up! You have fabulous boobs . Dress looks lovely! Can you do a bit of trial run? I went to a party recently, didn't really know anyone except the person who the party was for and his family. I went on my own, it meant an overnight stay in a hotel, I had NO IDEA of the dress code. I had a fit of the collywobbles a few days before so did my make up, put everything on I intended to wear (inc jewellery + underwear). Kind of did my hair. It made me feel much more confident. Have an amazing evening. I did !

Gorgeous dress! You look fantastic- its perfect

[quote Suprima]I think something that would nip you in at the waist a bit more would be much more flattering. I think that dress makes you look very apple shaped due to where it is sitting and the flow of the fabric.

This is monsoon too- did you see it in store?
www.monsoon.co.uk/geeta-animal-print-midi-dress-grey-24280828.html[/quote]
I think you look lovely OP! HOWEVER - from experience with things like this, if you feel like the dress is frumpy then absolutely keep searching until you find something you feel like a million dollars in.

This other one linked in this comment is fabulous!

Why don’t you buy a selection online, try them on at home with the heels and return any you don’t want?

You look fabulous! Truly love the dress and the look, hold your head up high and feel good.

Wondering why your dh felt the need to tell you the dress size and hair colour of the others though? Does he make you feel good about yourself?

You look really great - BUT I personally wouldn't be comfortable getting that much boobage out at a fairly formal sounding work dinner.

I don’t think the other dress is suitable if people are wearing evening dresses. And better to do cleavage and flowing.

I’d imagine op asked her dh about the other partners outfits etc? That’s what I’d do 😃

I was really expecting some sort of matronly sensible number with maybe some voile.

You’ve chosen a belter and you’re going to look FAB-U-LOUS on the night.

If you wanted to you could go black leather biker jacket to toughen the dress or a long wool
Coat would also be very elegant.

Dangly earrings and a and a berry red lip for drinks then wipe off and go for a timeless nude for dinner. Much easier to touch up and control when eating.

Take a small compact, some Vaseline, chosen lip colours and lining pencil. Do the lip switch before dinner!

It really suits you, you look gorgeous

Love that, you look fab! The 'bewbs' look amazing even without a bra! Have a trim into a longer bob, red lippy, heels, you're sorted.

The only thing I’d do, before the event, is put the actual bra on that you’re going to wear with it and sit down. Then see quite how booby it is.
As a fellow booby woman, things are more cleavagey when sitting down. So it’s defo worth a check prior to the event!

Get your make up professionally done and you'll feel a million dollars

You look amazing maybe have smoky eyes with it. I love the dress on you x

Thank you all for the lovely comments - I've put on so much weight in the last 2 years that I've totally lost sight of what suits me or not...

@Suprima, that dress is really, really not my taste, but thank you for the suggestion.

Wrt the norks of doom, I have a black overbust corset that I'm planning to wear underneath, which will hopefully nip in the tum a bit, support the floppy boobs and cover up enough so I'm avoiding the "fallen madonna-with-the-big-boobies" look.

@prisscalledwanda ha, no, not a single woman on the board, they are not the most progressive of companies...

@hopeishere I'm not wearing the dress for the lunch, I've got my black skinnies (I actually have really good legs, I'm just a beachball with narrow extremities!), biker boots and a killer top I love and feel very comfortable in.

@WouldBeGood, exactly right, I specifically asked DH what the other were wearing as he's useless with dress codes. It's a standing joke in his company that he's the only one who's still on his first wife...

Thank you to everyone suggesting how to style the dress, especially red lippy, smoky eyes and a long wavy bob, I will definitely go down this route.

@HemanOrSheRa that's a great idea doing a trial run, I'll definitely give that a go!

@MaryStuart that's a top tip

I will look into getting a MUA appointment on the day, I so rarely wear make up I'm totally cack-handed at it!

You are all wonderful. I'm actually looking forward to it now!

I love the dress, your going to look fabulous, don't ever doubt yourself.

I adore that dress! You look truly fabulous.

Wow gorgeous -you are going to knock them dead! 🔥

Please come back with a pic of you ready to go on the night !

I really like the dress - my advice is to get one of those bodysuit things to pull your waist in further - Marks and Spencer do an awesome one - and get a good bra.
I would get some highlights/ lowlights in your hair and get it cut a little bit. Can you get it lose curled for lunch and then run a big comb through for dinner so you can form sleek waves? I would get some sparkley earrings and a sparkley bracelet too. Get some really nice heels too.