A dress for a White Tie event for DD

[whiteroseredrose]

Hi. DD is going to be attending a White Tie event in May, so her dress will be her Christmas present.

She is 19, 5ft 8in and a size 10-12.

I get that it is more structured than her current slip type dresses but any guidance or suggestions would be appreciated.

(I have Googled but it is a bit confusing. Blake Lively was wearing a lovely dress but a bit above our budget!)

Full length formal dress. Think ball dress. It doesn't have to be full, it can be sleek but it must be full length. Hate should be in an elegant up do or clipped back in some 'done' way. Clutch bag. Heels obvs

www.coastfashion.com/embellished-cami-tassel-maxi-dress/BCC03861-2.html?color=128

Seeing she likes a slip dress, Would she wear this? With a wrap

You might do best to go shopping in the January sales for this - ball gowns tend to be reduced in high street shops after the festivities are over!

I assume as it's white tie, she'll need long gloves to match her outfit (that's what I've had to do in the past). Floor length gown. Tiara if she fancies it. Super bling on the jewellery if she wants it as well.

Oh to be a tall, slim 19 year old <wistful>

If I were her I'd go on Vinted/eBay or hire a dress, you get so much more for your money! E.g. this is £50 on Vinted: www.vinted.co.uk/women/clothes/dresses/special-occasion-dresses/prom-dresses/2416934791-coast-deep-orangecoral-eveningballgownprom-dress 

If she'll only wear it once have you considered renting a gown instead?

Try Quiz. Although the trouser "dresses" seem to be in fashion at the moment (I go to events with very strict dress codes, they definitely aren't acceptable)

Is this an Oxbridge May Ball? Is she in her first year? Will she being going to one every year or does her College do them every other year or is she going as a guest and so this is just a one off? The only reason for asking is to see how "wow" she wants to go.
Has she looked at photos of previous events to see what others are wearing? IME, there can be a variety of dresses with some being proper white tie, others being black tie and others even being cocktail.
As others have suggested, I'd wait until at least the January sales or even later in the year so she has more of an idea of what others will be wearing. It is a long time ago now but my parents gave me a ball gown as my Christmas present at the same stage of my life and by the time the ball came around I seriously regretted it being quite so traditional and felt really out of place.
I'd also think about hiring it. Realistically, she is unlikely to wear it again as, even if she goes again the next year, she'll want to wear something else.

Another vote for hiring, and for starting to find places to hire from before everyone else gets there first.

Good luck.

She may like The Reformation is she likes slip dresses

Or Needle&thread for a very different style

Thank you everyone for your replies.

@spiderontheceiling yes, it is an Oxford May Ball. She's a second year so I'm not sure if it will be a one-off experience or if she'll go again. Even if she did, she would want a different dress.

Rental may be the way to go, thank you for the suggestions. So now I need suggestions for ball gown rental places in Oxford!

DD rents for this type of occasion. On the other hand I don't think it needs to be Sony that only gets worn once, I had a couple of long dresses that I wore over 10 years at least in my twenties.

Lots of interest in hiring & swapping.

I've heard good things about the Oxford Students Ball Gown Swap and Shop Facebook page.

Good luck.

Try TkMaxx and spend the rest on wine.

Or

www.ballroomemporium.co.uk/prom-dress here used to hire out Ball-wear, I think they're still there.

@whiteroseredrose

This is a lovely satin dress :

www.thandth.com/gowns/isla-blush

They have it in lots of colours!

Good luck!