Ball gown- old school glamour 🤩

[Askinvillarblues]

I’m very excited as we’ve been invited to a fancy-pants ball with a theme of old school glamour! But I don’t have anything to wear (well, I have one dress that would do but it’s a bit boring). I need some ideas for something fabulous please! Realistically budget is up to about £200 but any suggestions appreciated for inspiration.
The challenge is that I am 5’2” and petite in build -although I do have boobs/hips/bum so not straight up and down. Cool to neutral colouring so can get away with a soft gold but not a bright one. Would love suggestions!

So full length gown - save some budget to get it taken to the right length as short if you can’t find petite. Old school glamour sounds like a north Albanian wedding - I search mainly on the bridesmaid pages of major retailers. Even if you are not a hair and make up person (I’m not) get it done anyway. Old school glamour equals proper grooming. Before anyone throws comments about men my husband is in the barber shop for the afternoon too. If you have evening shoes and bag then use them to guide on colour. Over the years I collected a few so now I just have to think about dress. I am pear shaped so don’t do the tube dresses plus I like to dance.

This is one example Dress

I'd start by looking at second hand/vintage shops or hire places - better to spend £150 on hiring something stunning than try to buy something outright that you'll probably never wear again?

Oh that’s a beautiful colour dress @MrsPear - I love the soft blue! The dress I have is actually quite similar so it’s good to know it’s the ‘right’ thing. I have a yearning to go more glamorous though having just looked at photos from the Emmys and the Met Ball 🙈. Obviously those dresses are way out of budget but some definitely stand out more than others! I like the idea of hiring one although it might be a struggle to find one due to being short and most dresses needing to either be petite or to be shortened… Any suggestions for good agencies to try? I do actually have another ball coming up in November so don’t mind buying something as it will get used again.

I got a very glam dress recently and it's roughly in your budget and I am smaller than you and it didn't need to get it taken up. I have yet to wear it but it is gorgeous

black slinky dress

Oh wow @MollyVolley that dress is stunning. I have a short dress from BA&SH which I love. I’m tempted but if I’m honest it’s a bit more revealing than I’m comfortable with - I tend towards covering up, although am trying to break out of my dull and boring comfort zone, hence the request for more glamour! I’ll definitely keep that one in mind though.

Have a look at bombshell dresses OP

www.bombshellhq.com/collections/dresses/evening-dress-2020

Check out By Rotation or one of the other dress hire sites and you could get something fairly high-end for a few days on your budget. Better that than a bridesmaid-style dress. They tend to be pretty but "safe" and rarely fall into the old-school glamour category.

I would defo rent something, or buy second hand. Or maybe try T K Max - prior to renting being a ‘thing’, I got a stunning glamorous dress for a similar bash and it was not expensive.

yeah I didn't realise quite how low the back is on the one I got so definitely needs to be the right occasion for it!! good luck

Oh they are stunning dresses. I don’t think they will work for me unfortunately as I’m a 6 and the smallest size is an 8. Very lovely dresses though!

This is pale gold and glamorous
www.hellymoon.co.uk/products/silver-sequins-long-prom-dress-with-slit?currency=GBP&variant=42585052774645&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwpqCZBhAbEiwAa7pXecrNLl2JAk8KOpGTXalYZmPRE5ecMJ4Zs13r_gN9S9WTbV4Hc9lAQBoCu70QAvD_BwE

Oooh @Howmanysleepsnow now that is glamorous!

Look on Amazon or places like ever pretty then get it altered by a local dressmaker to fit you perfectly (I paid £45 for alterations)

Search Vinted, unworn and once worn bargains. Your money might buy you something fabulous at a bargain price. You can also make an offer to sellers.

Some ideas - ‘designer’ brands rather than high street or fast fashion.

www.vinted.co.uk/women/clothes/dresses/special-occasion-dresses/evening-dresses/2159156023-prom-dress

Gorgeous and unworn. www.vinted.co.uk/women/clothes/dresses/special-occasion-dresses/prom-dresses/1819245860-silver-sparkley-prom-dress

Less than a third of the RRP of £650.00!
www.vinted.co.uk/women/clothes/dresses/special-occasion-dresses/prom-dresses/1898965478-prom-dress

If you are anywhere near London try looking around Finsbury Park. Lots of shops selling glamorous old school style evening dresses and full length ball gowns. All very reasonably priced. Not all brilliant quality, so you have to sift through it, but none of it worse quality than most high street stores.

I would go vintage. Are you near any good vintage dress shops?

Look to Audrey Hepburn for inspiration. You need a ball gown, not a cocktail dress. She was petitie also.

www.ghost.co.uk/collette-dress-d04g018-n29

These are timeless I always think

Thank you, I’ll have a look at Ghost! Not near any vintage shops unfortunately and probably haven’t got time to travel which is a shame. Definitely leaning more towards Audrey Hepburn vibes rather than more obvious glamour - I’m more petite in frame than the dresses suggested on Vinted so need something that won’t overwhelm me - but not so understated that it’s boring 😩. I do have a perfectly adequate navy dress (probably my best colour) but it’d be so lovely to find something nice. I’m probably better buying new at this stage as at least I can return if it doesn’t fit (speaking from experience, I usually have to order 5-6 dresses before finding something that fits).

Is there any way of adding to the boring dress you have to make it old school glamour? Could we see a picture of it maybe? Would a petticote work under it, or a sash added to the waist etc

@WibbleBibble not really I don’t think - it’s a simple dress but adding to it would spoil the simplicity if that makes sense? I’ve been trawling through Vinted and there are some lovely things but I’m just not sure on sizing. If the dresses were brands I knew I’d know what size I need, but they all seem a bit random (lots advertised as size 6 for example but some of the ladies modelling - who look lovely, not meaning to criticise - look bigger than a 6 to my eyes so I’m not sure the dress would work for me)

This arrived today in navy petite and I think it might work! I am definitely a lot less curvaceous than the model but if I can get the top altered so I don’t flash my entire torso I think it might fit the bill. Not the best quality but apart from the top it fits nicely and I’m not going to trip over it 🤣. What do you think? Old school glamour or a bit too Kardashian (ahem)?

That link doesn’t work, OP