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Original poster

Wedding outfit - where on earth do I start?!

25 replies

HappyLondonWoman · 17/03/2022 21:40

First wedding I've been to in almost 20 years.
I don't dress up much but I'm definitely comfortable in smart casual.
I'm mid-50s, size 10, 5'5"

It's a very small wedding, register office followed by reception for 20 guests in a french restaurant.

I will need everything including shoes (I live in DMs!) and bag (generally carry everything in a tote!

Where do I start? Help please Smile

OP posts:
KimikosNightmare · 17/03/2022 22:17

You need to narrow it down a little. I have no idea where to start with the information given.

All I can say is if it were me I'd wear almost any of the dresses from these sites

eponinelondon.com/collections/ready-to-wear-spring-22

www.edinaronay.com/store/c28/Autumn_%2F_Winter_2021.html#/

palava.co/collections/womens-dresses

tolerable · 17/03/2022 22:28

budget/colours/

TunaPaste · 17/03/2022 22:48

Eponine dresses, amazing, I'd look like I'd stepped out of the film 'Big Bug'

So crashing this thread, not been to a wedding in years, what's normal these days?

Anything goes? Bizarrely traditional?
I'm nearly 50, ten years ago I was covered in toddlers, 20 years ago I was a bit vintage bit Karen Millen. What now?

CoffeeBeansGalore · 17/03/2022 22:57

Your colouring?
Colours/patterns?
Budget?
When is the wedding?

Shoemadlady · 17/03/2022 23:20

Make an appointment at a department store and they'll help you. They have personal shoppers which will help you find an outfit x check out Hobbs though, lovely, classy and great for a wedding x

Kite22 · 17/03/2022 23:58

Shock at the prices on the Eponine site - they aren't even attractive on the models!

I'd go with ShoeMadLady 's advice.

Depends if you are near one of the designer outlet parks - can get some nice outfits from some of those.

KimikosNightmare · 18/03/2022 01:28

The Eponine dresses are stunning.

Hobbs is a safe bet and will have pretty dresses but they're not in the same league as Eponine.

Original poster
HappyLondonWoman · 18/03/2022 07:28

Thanks for the advice.
I think I was really asking not necessarily for specific outfit ideas but more starting points like a personal shopper.

I just don't want to feel not me iykwim!

Anyway for those who do like a challenge....
Budget - nothing ridiculous (not 3 or 400 for a dress Confused was thinking nearer the £100 mark

No big florals
Nothing with capped sleeves
Nothing super tight
Not short

I like greens and blues. Stronger colours rather than pale.

OP posts:
TunaPaste · 18/03/2022 08:26

Hats? Is that a thing these days.
Heels?

What do people wear? I think in my head, I've got Four Weddings & A Funeral. But I want to look like me in 2022, a made an effort not dressed as a throwback or extreme mother of the bride.

changmynameasoversharing · 18/03/2022 08:44

www.pinkboutique.co.uk/products/little-darling-red-batwing-frill-detail-midi-dress

you are only 50 year old some of the above are very aged..

KimikosNightmare · 18/03/2022 09:23

@TunaPaste

Hats? Is that a thing these days. Heels?

What do people wear? I think in my head, I've got Four Weddings & A Funeral. But I want to look like me in 2022, a made an effort not dressed as a throwback or extreme mother of the bride.

Heels if you want, hats probably less so. As you can see from the suggestions here already there's differences of opinion.

Personally I think the orange batwing dress is hideous and looks terribly dated and the pure polyester maxi dresses are meh.

Hobbs and Whistles are safe choices. There's several other current threads on this subject. The one featuring the Boden dress had a good division of opinion and some suggestions (some better than others)

TottersBlankly · 18/03/2022 09:38

Right now I’d start with something like this Zara silk blouse, and add a fabulous brocade A line skirt, belt and some great shoes.

Wedding outfit - where on earth do I start?!
GettingStuffed · 18/03/2022 10:40

My go to is Monsoon, especially in the sales, luckily they usually have one near my birthday. It sounds as if it's quite informal so just a pretty dress, or separates no need to go all out on the formal wear front.

Oddbutnotodd · 18/03/2022 10:43

The Pretty dress company has plain dresses in different styles and colours. About £129 I think

RunnerDown · 18/03/2022 10:47

A bit over you budget but definitely something you could wear again
www.whistles.com/product/snake-animal-dobby-dress-34820.html#cgid=Dresses_Clothing_WW&is=true&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=snake-animal-dobby-dress-34820&pos=1
Could be dressed up or down
www.whistles.com/product/spot-print-robyn-shirt-dress-34731.html#cgid=Dresses_Clothing_WW&is=true&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=spot-print-robyn-shirt-dress-34731&pos=35
Not in your colours but still lovely (imo😄 )
[https://www.mintvelvet.co.uk/products/valentina-heart-shirt-dress#images-single-6]]

TottersBlankly · 18/03/2022 12:16

Alternatively - the extremely simple option. I’d want to try this with and without a belt, but definitely with a very majestic brooch and beautiful grooming.

MalmseyWhine · 18/03/2022 13:35

I went to a wedding last month for a couple in their 20s.

It was a sunny but cold day. Female guests wore a mix of midi dresses in lovely floral prints, a few shift type dresses in bold colours on older female guests (50s+). I recognised at least 3 dresses from Next! None of the guests wore hats/fascinators but it was a fairly relaxed local church ceremony/country barn reception event. Most wore heels of some description. Very few wore coats 🥶🥶🥶🥶.

Male guests wore suits or blazer/trousers combos.

Not many children there but the few that were wore chinos/shirts and a waitcoat or jacket. There weren't any teenagers or younger girls that I recall.

MalmseyWhine · 18/03/2022 13:41

These were a couple of the Next dresses I recognised. The other one was one I'd ordered myself and sent back!

Wedding outfit - where on earth do I start?!
Wedding outfit - where on earth do I start?!
TunaPaste · 18/03/2022 13:50

Thanks @MalmseyWhine , I'll have to ask again when we're in full wedding season. Maybe stand and take notes at our local venue. 😁

Pinotpleasure · 18/03/2022 14:27

@HappyLondonWoman - do not rule out looking in charity shops, especially in “posh” areas like Kensington!

I’ve not that there are lots of really nice ‘smart’ dresses and skirts which are in pristine condition and probably only ever worn once for a wedding or to say, Ascot races.

I was thrilled to buy a silk dress and matching three quarter sleeved coat for just £45 last week to wear to my niece’s wedding this Summer. I can’t wear high heels any more (I live in trainers or walking boots) and will wear shoes with kitten heels and as my sister’s family and the groom’s family are religious, the women always wear hats in church so I may wear a fascinator (the British Red Cross shop I was in sells brand new ones).

Kite22 · 18/03/2022 15:02

do not rule out looking in charity shops,

Definitely, I got a beautiful Jacques Vert dress and jacket in a charity shop for a wedding I was going to, just before Covid. I also go a lovely David Emmanuel dress a year or so before that, that I wore to another special occasion.
As pp said, they have often only been worn once - for someone else's fancy occasion - and are then ridiculously discounted.

caringcarer · 18/03/2022 18:46

When my only dd got married several years ago now, I made decision to buy a skirt and matching top that looks like a dress but for me fits better as top and bottles different sizes. I know I have worn it again and again sometimes together sometimes with a different top/blouse. I did wear a fascinator because she wanted me to. It was quite posh in a country hotel and I knew future in-laws would all be wearing hats/fascinators. I wore high shoes to summer wedding but changed to lower ones for evening do. I had lovely bag to match both Pair of shoes.

Original poster
HappyLondonWoman · 18/03/2022 19:09

Thank you all for your great ideas/suggestions/tips. All really useful in my quest to look fab!

OP posts:
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