Can I winterise this dress for a wedding evening do?

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

This dress has done sterling work for me this summer - it's been out to a couple of restaurants for friend's 50th, and with DH. Garden opera event. A wedding.

Whistles Dress

I'm going to a wedding evening do at the end of October. Can I "winterise" it at all? Not sure it cuts the mustard for winter, but I'm curious of any ideas.

Wedding reception is in a country house hotel. Service beforehand will be in the bride's home village church.

D’you care for suggestions?

(#EntertainMe!)

I’m not sure if it’s too casual rather than too summery? Not helped by the model’s posture, the customer who has styled it beneath makes it look much more appealing!

I’d also go vintage but maybe more 70s? Either gold platform heels or knee high fitted boots in a jewel colour (burgundy or purple), a faux fur longline gilet, layers of delicate gold necklaces and either a fedora in a complimentary colour or a floppy hat? By the time you’ve got all the accessories though I’m wondering if it will be more cost effective/easier just to buy a new dress? Especially if you get something that will go with shoes you already have.

Nobody’s saying you have to go to Hobbs - what about the dress do you like the most, the colour? Fit? Sure lots of people will be able to make suggestions. I’ve done a five minute search based on purple dress and found a couple of options - shirt dress], [[https://www.wolfandbadger.com/uk/brooklyn-retro-midi-viscose-dress-in-purple/ more 40s style.

Messed up those links…
shirt dress
cotton and belted
burgundy
Not sure about your budget/size, have literally just selected a few at random that I thought had a vague crossover of yours.

Bit of velvet.

Long, simple, silk.

Not Hobbs.

I wonder if you’d like this, @IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads?

Beautiful detailing.

Though I was looking on the Sula website for this.

I think boots and stole as mentioned upthread would make it really nice, and wintery.

But, why is it so badly modelled? It really isn't doing it justice.

I agree that the dress looks much nicer in the customer photo than in the Whistles one (the model looks like shes got a bad back, flat feet and the dress is 2 sizes too large)

Bloody hell, why would that styling appeal to anyone?

OP, agree with some of the other posters. Some closed toe Esska type shoes and a nice coat/faux fur wrap and you’re good to go!

It’s not esp formal or summery so upstyling it for a wedding is very doable. Statement piece of jewellery necklace, smart jacket/blazer, pashmina/scarf, nice shoes etc.

This model as well. What is with all the droopy shoulders?

I agree, I would never choose this for a wedding. Unless it’s a very low key casual affair.

Can they not hear my mother yelling "Stand up straight" from the after-life?

Reay use that model quite a lot. I think the model may possibly have a physical disability rather than Raey styling her like that.

The current fashion for baggy, droopy clothes styled with baggy, droopy models makes me think of Dorothea Lange’s portraits of migrant workers in Depression America.

I don't actually know this brand, this is the first time I have seen any of their models. But I went into the site now, and the other models are standing quite strangely as well.

But as I was scrolling through, all I could think was I am sure some of these items are beautiful, but they just are not advertising them to show them off well. The sullen look. It didn't make me happy to look at them.

Which made me think of this clip. Its a few years old now. I know I would take notice these dresses way more due presentation alone.

[[https://www.google.com/search?q=amba+african+models+dancing&oq=amba+african+models+danci&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgBECEYChigATIGCAAQRRg5MgkIARAhGAoYoAHSAQ8xMDAxNzYzNjEyajBqMTWoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:1bcdc07b,vid:5zV2tKuwNdA

but they just are not advertising them to show them off well. The sullen look. It didn't make me happy to look at them.

Have we not seen enough inanely grinning models?

I imagine Matches does pretty well with their current client base. Clearly people who actually buy Raey like the way the brand (Matches house brand) is portrayed. (I do!)

very ugly dress, horrible colour, terrible shape, wrong material , nothing can save it
find another

But I posted the link because of the beautifully simple, silk dress. Bit surprised anyone would comment on the way it’s styled on the website - obviously if one were wearing it to an evening wedding reception one would style it accordingly.

I think it matters personally. But it may not to all, I do get that. I would just rather just see an item modelled where the wearer seems happy enough to be wearing it. And I also do like to see how they have styled it.

But I am not in the UK, and styles / ways of selling are different here. Most people still go into physical stores, rather than buying online.

Ah that is a difference. I shop almost entirely online so maybe take model poses a little less to heart!

But one reason I really like Raey is that they’re not ashamed to be seen selling fashionable, and not bog standard, clothes to mature women alongside younger people. It’s incredibly rare on other sites.

Well. What a discussion.

I like the idea of that Raey dress, but hate the colour.

What is like a about the Whistles Dre's - it's patterned but not floral; it's colours that suit me; it's not tight and restrictive. I don't love that's it's viscose, but it hangs njcejy and has washed well. I don't particularly like tiered dresses, but this one big tier stake is better than several small ones.

The summer wedding was church/pot luck/BYOB/church hall. The autumn wedding will be more formal , in a country house hotel. It's not family - the bride is my graduate, who I trained up a few years ago. She's marrying one of our ex-apprentices - all very sweet.

Oh @MuddlerInLaw, my bank account was blissfully unaware of Sula until now, though struggling with why the Whistles dress is too informal (I agree), but the red floral print dress you've linked isn't.

Working on the basis that I'm 5'8", size 16, busty, curvey, size 9 feet, can't stand restrictive clothes and normally wear wear shorts, t shirt, hoody, sandals - I'm open to suggestions. I'm not in the market for single items costing upwards of £200-300/item, not for one evening.

@annlee3817 I think has the best suggestion. If this dress is one you are comfortable in, this I think is a great way off making it perhaps more "wedding". Your could maybe add a 40s style headband with birdcage veil similar to this? Or a vintage cloche hat or something?
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1027739545/handmade-headband-french-birdcage?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_a-accessories-hair_accessories-hair_jewelry&utm_custom1=k_Cj0KCQjwuZGnBhD1ARIsACxbAVhjickCJZqFgPkqvjVl1wkvRs6M96e7XGDelzzt63HWHkxyHTdqojgaAhAuEALw_wcB_k&utm_content=go_12576524555_123489354710_507649803040_aud-2088843937128:pla-352315194222_c__1027739545engb_573267391&utm_custom2=12576524555&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuZGnBhD1ARIsACxbAVhjickCJZqFgPkqvjVl1wkvRs6M96e7XGDelzzt63HWHkxyHTdqojgaAhAuEALw_wcB

Agree with all the others who say it's not particularly summary and I love the idea of going with a sort of 40s vibe and faux fur stole. I'd wear t-bar heels!

God how I hate all the faux vintage cos play! Surely 21st century women can find ways to be glamorous that are not a pastiche?

The Raey dress probably comes in other colours and there are probably similar ones in the Matches sale.

I thought someone might question the Sula dress! I dunno - it’s instinct. I gasped when I saw it - which is what one wants from a special item of clothing. Maybe it’s the generosity in use and crafting of fabric. The unfinished-ness, certainly. (All my favourite clothes include ‘unfinished’ hems.) The strength of the colour. They’ve taken an everyday fabric like cotton and turned it into something fit for a Ladybird book princess. On most people it would be gorgeous. On a tall woman - she’d be the best dressed person in the room.

To me it doesn’t look like a dress for a wedding but that just may be the slouchy model and Birkenstocks 🤣. Smart shies, bag and accessories and it would probably look much better