HELP NEEDED TO FIND DRAMA DRESS!

[heldinadream]

Help needed, oh Mumsnet S&B afficionados!
Not a one for dressing up or for events, an event has been thrust upon me.
Basically I’ve got a painting into Grayson Perry’s next Art Club exhibition (shameless name dropping), and there is a launch party with Grayson and Philippa and people like Jo Brand, who chose my painting (more utterly shameless name dropping) so having been mulling it over for weeks and looked at more than a bazillion dresses but bought nothing. So, inspired by the ‘artsy’ thread I thought I’d see what you might all come up with!
I’m five foot three, age 67, probably a size 14-16 (but I never buy anything nowadays).
I’ve got a wardrobe (and many, many drawers and bags…) full of mismatched shite and if I could be arsed I could pull something together from what I already own.
I don’t really want to buy more stuff BUT it would be nice to make an impression, albeit fleeting and instantly forgotten I’m sure.
I love colour. Drama. Well of course I do. So something Philippa Perry-like would be marvelous. Not fussy – simple flattering shape.
I really think a dress is best rather than separates – just to keep it simple.
No bows or tiers or flounces. I adore patterns but I’m thinking either one striking colour or a simple two colour pattern better.
I’m really into yellow at the moment and I don’t really have anything yellow so that would be good. But bright is good – greens, blues, reds. Not keen on pink or purple. Well I am but not at the moment, I’m not feeling it.
Pale complexion and grey hair, finally given in. I quite like the grey hair – it's not white grey more salt and pepper.

Budget – the lower the better because I’m never going to wear it again probably, unless it’s to lie on the sofa and eat chocolate in some deranged fantasy.
Please don’t suggest anything over £100 I AM NOT INTERESTED.
Fabrics – natural – cotton or probably even better stretchy viscose.
NO POLYESTER OR NYLON OR ACRYLIC. I paint in acrylics, I don’t wear them. Comfortable not structured.

I don’t want or need accessories or bags. My handbag is lime-green leather and it’s fine, I have no use or desire for another handbag.
I’ve got jackets and cardigans and shawls and scarves coming out of my ears, so if I can’t find anything amongst that lot that will go with it I’m a lost cause.
So just a dress, a single, impressive, bright or striking, easy to wear dress.
NOT SLEEVELESS.
In a bit I might post pix of a couple of the dresses I’ve been looking at.
THANK YOU! 😂

www.joebrowns.co.uk/funky-floral-dress-we622#colour=679

www.joebrowns.co.uk/oh-so-lovely-paisley-dress-we627#colour=667

www.joebrowns.co.uk/fabulous-floral-dress-we626

Congratulations! How fun and wonderful for you.

Zuri dresses are very colourful - but sadly out of price range (130) but you might get one on ebay or somewhere.

John Lewis have a good range of stuff and their everyday range has some good value options (they also do a dress hire service I believe)

Monki have lots of stuff if you can navigate the terrible website! I bought one of their jumpsuits recently (bold pattern - quite arty) and always get complimented on it (and I'm a short and round 50 year old!) Quality obv not brilliant - but they actually wear quite well and are quite fun.

Blue dress
Print dresses
Jumpsuits

Also look at scamp and dude, neverfullydressed and Oliver Bonas (Oliver Bonas also have an outlet on ebay)

Congratulations! I spend a lot of time when watching Portrait Artist of the Year thinking about what I'm going to wear when I'm on (I'm not going to be on, ever, btw, it's only ever going to happen in my mind, still ...) and my current front runner is this:

www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/women/clothing/dresses/day-dresses/red-star-patterned-dress/p/30557688

Closely followed by this:

www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/women/clothing/dresses/day-dresses/multicoloured-sunshine-shirt-midi-dress/p/30507982

Although dungarees and a Stones Roses t-shirt are also a distinct possibilty (I reiterate: never going to happen)

Right at the top of your budget but how about this?
www.neverfullydressed.co.uk/collections/dresses/products/ombre-liberty-dress

OMG yes to NeverFullyDressed

Amazing clothes. Half my wardrobe is full of them. https://www.neverfullydressed.co.uk
ALL the colours

And I have a referral reference for a tenner off 1st purchase . (Disclaimer: I get a tenner when you spend over £100)

Love all these suggestions! I wanted to add that I got a jolie moi dress this summer (one of their long ones) and it’s so nice and easy to wear.

Oh gosh SO MANY lovely things! I've also got blinkin covid at the mo so when I'm in bed scrolling on my phone I keep falling asleep.

However I've got up outa bed and I'm on my laptop looking at EVERYTHING on the Monki website - oh my god so much brilliant stuff, @MrsFrisbyMouse I think I might be going to make a purchase... might take me a couple of days to decide. Thank you! Not a jumpsuit though, one of their dresses.

@hoorayandupsherises you should enter though. I tried for Landscape Artist last year and I'm going to keep trying, and I put 2 into the Royal Academy Summer show with no success, and a couple of other places. Don't give up! I love your second dress but largest size is 14 and I suspect I'd need bigger. So you should buy it!

Huge thanks to everyone, looking at stuff I wouldn't have found has expanded my ideas on what I could wear.

Thanks, I am 100 per cent prepared in every way, except being good at portraits 😂

Glad at least you've got Covid out the way before your big - whatever you wear enjoy the glory - you've earned it 🏆

I bought something. In the end I went back to Roman, but I'm def getting something from Monki at some point. I did NOT get the blue dress though, I got this - in the sale! You all helped me make a decision, I'm terrible at choosing things. I've got a boiled wool plain black jacket that should go beautifully, and I've got a green jacket that would go too I think. Fingers crossed it looks good on me!
www.roman.co.uk/ditsy-floral-midi-shirt-dress-14228958

@hoorayandupsherises paint some landscapes. Honestly portraits are so much harder. You can make all kind of mistakes in landscapes and turn them into part of what's happening. But I'm sure you know this. I admire you trying for portraits, I think the pressure is much worse, personally.

Wow, congratulations. And I love your choice of dress. I liked the long shirt one from Cos. Have a lovely time.

I really like the cos dress that you linked to earlier @heldinadream I think that fits the 'drama dress' brief a lot more than the Roman one. Perhaps you could order both and see how you feel in them - then return the other one ?

Ok, don't want to shock anyone here but have you looked at Monki? They have a lovely splashy patterned dress in bles and greens that might be just the thing (sorry not sure how to post a link). If Monki are too low budget then, at the other end of the pride range is Sahara. You might find a Sahara bargain on Vinted. I have.
And very well done!

Vintage.....ebay. Unique. Congratulations! I go to quite a few PVs, and they are a wonderful chance to enjoy dressing up. As Anna Matronic from Scissor Sister said ' If you have a dream.......wear it'.

This......?

Have a look on Vinted they have some great bargains to be had and you can put in a make or designer and your size and see what comes up.

I love the Dawn O'Porter maxi dress and I think Philippa would too. Takes us right back to the 70s.

I think the OP already chose something. However, thank you and also grr to whoever recommended madkollection, I am now a bit obsessed with this dress (but don't have anywhere amazing to wear it 😕)

Yes I got a cheap and cheerful Roman dress, and I'm very pleased with it - not least because after it arrived I realised it's the same colour palette as my painting! If I get any good pix on the day I'll come back and post one if I'm feeling brave! It's on the 1st December so couple of weeks away.
@tryingabitharder that is amazing but you sure couldn't wear it to Tescos! I'm def going to be able to keep wearing mine after the event, which I'm quite pleased about.

Flip just realised I name changed! OP here! @heldinadream and @UndisclosedBlackPudding
Screwed that up! Wasn't for any dramatic reasons, luckily...

I love those Madkolletion dresses. Fab prints.

Basically I’ve got a painting into Grayson Perry’s next Art Club exhibition

Well done you! How lovely!!!

Sorry, no advice on the clothing front!

You know that Jo Brand is on MN, don't you? Hope she sees this.

I did not know that! To be honest I'm much more excited to possibly meet Jo Brand than Grayson Perry. But I've no idea how many people are going to be there and I'm not one to push myself forward so my DH and me might spend the whole evening hanging around at the back scoffing canapes. All the way from just south of Bristol to Birmingham too. I am looking forward to it but no expectations of being noticed by anyone famous! 😂I was however deeply deeply chuffed that Jo Brand chose my painting, especially as the theme was Heros and Heroines and it's a portrait of my daughter and her little dd, on the grounds that parenting (especially mothering in my book) is a heroic thing.

Aww thanks! And dress is sorted!

Namechanged back now hope I've only confused myself. 😂