Dress help please?

[RedRobyn2021]

I'm wearing a dress very similar to this to a wedding with heels, the skirt on top is quite long and I think it's supposed to just touch the floor. I am going to be carrying DD 14mo around with me and I am going to need to scoop up the top skirt when I walk to stop it from getting mucky and I would also worry about tripping over in it as I'm not used to wearing heels anymore.

At one point we need to walk from the cottage we're staying in outside to where the reception is being held.

My mum suggested getting some kind of clip to hold it up when I'm carry DD but I wanted to know if anyone here has any ideas?

The thing is…it looks a bit bridal, no? And the only thing I can think to hold it up is the clips you have on wedding dresses…is this serious??

Are you a bridesmaid?

I think that's a bridesmaids dress. Definitely not wedding guest

Op may well be the bridesmaid she hasn't said. I think it'll be fine as it is op. Realistically you're not going to take out a clip and do it every time you need to pick up child, and to have a clip in it all the time will totally change the look of the dress and look weird.

If it's literally to clip just to walk from cottage to venue while carrying child, I'd use a hair clip like this

No I'm not in the wedding. I have only been to two weddings in my life and one was just a small reception the other was my parents as a child. This is like a big big wedding and I thought I had to get something really formal. I found a dress similar to this one on eBay.

I am stressing massively now, I thought it was ok. Please can anyone tell me what you're meant to wear to these things? I was so worried about being under dressed

I really don't like my legs so I wanted something long

Something slightly less “ball gown”. Either a nice knee length dress, or if you want to go maxi, then turn it down a few notches (no sparkle, but sleeves or wider straps). What colours do you like?

This is the first party I've been to in years partly because of covid and the baby and I was so anxious about it

I feel like I've made a huge mistake

For example Monsoon have a whole section of “wedding guest” dresses which might give you an idea.

www.monsoon.co.uk/wedding-occasion/wedding-party/wedding-guest-dresses-outfits/

Which section of the Coast website was that dress from?

@RedRobyn2021

This is the first party I've been to in years partly because of covid and the baby and I was so anxious about it

I feel like I've made a huge mistake

You haven’t been yet. So no mistake made.

PPs are just trying to help.

@Thoosa

For example Monsoon have a whole section of “wedding guest” dresses which might give you an idea.

www.monsoon.co.uk/wedding-occasion/wedding-party/wedding-guest-dresses-outfits/

Which section of the Coast website was that dress from?

I'm not sure I bought the dress I have second hand from eBay, the one picture I screen shot it a while ago to show my mum

Maybe something like one of these? The beige one also comes in navy if the pale colour is a problem, though with the pattern I think it’s pretty un-bridal.

Don’t panic. How long have you got to finesse this?

It’s a lovely dress bit unless you are a Bridesmaid or Bride it’s too much in afraid
Don’t panic yet (unless the wedding is today)

It’s a beautiful dress but more suited to a prom or ball than a wedding.

What sort of colours and styles do you like and what sort of budget do you have - and maybe we could help you find something? Also are you going to the full day or just the evening do?

You've got a baby to deal with, so midi rather than floor length, or go for wide legged trousers.
Avoid high heels, so find something lower and more comfortable!
What colours do you suit?.

@Howmanysleepsnow

Maybe something like one of these? The beige one also comes in navy if the pale colour is a problem, though with the pattern I think it’s pretty un-bridal.

The beige one is lovely. I think it would pitch it right- it's special but not OTT The Monsoon ones are mostly awful and many of them are just ordinary day dresses.

The OP's dress is a ball gown

There was an article in The Times about best Bafta red carpet dresses- the OP's dress wouldn't look out of place there,

Hobbs has a wedding guest range. I liked this one

www.hobbs.com/product/petite-rosabella-dress/0122-5921-3793L04-IVORY-MULTI.html#cgid=occasion-wedding-guest&is=false&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=0122-5921-3793L04-IVORY-MULTI&pos=43

Maybe don't look for "wedding outfits" as such, you don't need to. Just look for something you'd enjoy wearing that looks nice and is relatively baby friendly!

I think we need to respect the fact that the OP has bought the dress and may not have a money tree.

It also sounds as if she is long overdue a lovely time and some comments made, albeit well meaning are causing her to get stressed.

Maybe it would be worth speaking to the bride about what would work.

I recently loaned a friend a dress to wear as a wedding guest. Maybe there are options there too?

See a loop inside the skirt. Hook it round your wrist

I went to a wedding where the (youthful) MOTB wore a similar silhouette but as separates (top and maxi skirt). She added a simple cropped cardi in a matching shade and it didn't look bridal at all

Sorry to have gone quiet, I have been looking on eBay since I made the post trying to find something.

We don't have a lot of money, I paid £30 for the dress. I put it on and felt so pretty. Now you've all pointed it out, I don't understand why I didn't see before that it wasn't right. Im definitely not going to wear it now. I just hope someone will buy it from me.

The wedding is in a couple of weeks. I just got something sorted for DD and just needed to do shoes and cardigans, feel so stressed and DD isn't well atm so she's being hard work today. I wish I could just find something so I didn't have to think about it. Tbh I wish I wasn't going at this point. The couple are Scottish so they're doing kilts and my partner is in the wedding so we need to rent a kilt and it's so so so expensive

@StarlightLady

I think we need to respect the fact that the OP has bought the dress and may not have a money tree.

It also sounds as if she is long overdue a lovely time and some comments made, albeit well meaning are causing her to get stressed.

Maybe it would be worth speaking to the bride about what would work.

I recently loaned a friend a dress to wear as a wedding guest. Maybe there are options there too?

I completely get your point. It's a beautiful dress but I think it's going to be very overdressed at a wedding. Think of say Harry and Megan's wedding- teaming with A listers. This was one of my favourite dresses

Abigail Spencer's

No event should give you this much stress. It sounds like it's not just the outfit. Do you feel like you need to go?
Could you just not attend?.

On your budget I think Zara is your best bet. Almost anything on here would be fine.

www.zara.com/xk/en/woman-dresses-midi-l1081.html?v1=2026605&page=3

This green dress is caught my eye as it's not an everyday dress but it's not OTT. It's £39.