What to wear to an October wedding?

[RejectedAgainandAgain]

BIL's. According to DH dress code is anything you want although he will probably wear his smart trousers and a shirt.
Helpful.

No idea what SIL-to-be wants the dress code to be. FIL says he will wear jeans and T-shirt (pretty sure MIL will not allow this and he will also wear a suit/shirt.)

I'm not good at stylish or elegant, more clunky and chunky. Size 10 tops, size 14 trousers, boat sized feet. Don't have any going out clothes beyond black jeans and a smart T-shirt but feel that's not enough for a wedding?

This

Do you have any shoes?

I saw somebody trying this on in M&S and thought it looked really nice, if you don't object to black for a wedding. I don't know what the fabric is like though, but it seemed to hang really nicely on her.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/printed-round-neck-midaxi-tea-dress/p/clp60633478#intid=pid_pg1pip48g4r1c2

It doesn't seem too 'out there' and overly dressy in terms of being vastly far away from black jeans and a t-shirt, in a way that something like a slip dress might. It could be worn with chunky boots/leather jacket after the wedding too.

Flamboyant floral Kemi Telford dresses for a woman who has not worn anything but jeans for years?!! She needs something discreet and quiet. Maybe a plain navy dress she can wear later?

It’s a long time since I’ve seen the word ‘flamboyant’ directed at women’s clothes!

It’s just a printed frock, in a simple shape, @Lentilweaver. (With no flowers involved.) But I personally dislike the idea of buying single use only clothes (at any price). As the OP has a budget of up to £150 she’s presumably free to buy one good thing that might continue to look good for years. (And find the rest of her outfit on Vinted, if necessary.)

And there’s no particular merit or spiritual sustenance in timid clothes …

The Kemi Telford dress is by far and away the nicest dress. Cotton, a little bit different, doesn't scream "I Googled wedding guest dress", can be dressed up, dressed down, wear with shoes, boots , sandals and will last for years. Good call.

Is flamboyant like frumpy? Banned on S and B?

You are right, those are not flowers on the Kemi dress. Are they snakes? 😀Hard to tell. Either way the OP and her non- dressed up family might find it too much, IMO.

I think the Kemi T print could well be too OTT for an OP who generally lives in head to toe black.

I'm definitely someone who loves wearing dresses, but recently wore a classic black jumpsuit (which I thought I'd be too old and wide for!) And actually they are so comfy and easy to dress up or down! Best of luck, and enjoy the chance to dress up :-)

Is flamboyant like frumpy? Banned on S and B?

Not as far as I’m aware! But I’m old enough to remember when it was used by ‘society’ reporters as code for ‘gay man’.

I dunno … Obviously the OP hasn’t said what sort of dress she’d prefer - which is why I’ve suggested three very different possibilities, none of which might suit - but I know that, at times when my clothing options were limited, I craved something fabulous and beautiful.

(Also, I can see why separates might be easier if you’re different sizes above and below the waist. It’s a consideration if a dress will generally need alteration to fit properly. But it’s so much easier to look cohesive in a dress, rather than having to coordinate things.)

Separates a good call, actually.

OP - how might you feel about a coloured satin skirt, for example? There are some lovely ones around at the moment.

Clearly over-invested, but I keep coming back to this. It is rather beautifully crafted. And as the bodice looks narrow and the skirt very full, it might fit without alteration. Also the sleeves would balance out wider hips. I know it’s not standard MN wedding wear, but the fabric is lovely, and no jacket would be required. Perfectly wearable for any socialising.

https://www.matchesfashion.com/products/Wiggy-Kit-New-Market-cotton-corduroy-dress-1506694

Hire a dress from Hurr.
It's very reasonable for 4 day hire.
Especially as you don't normally dress up, is there much point in buying something that's just going to sit in the wardrobe?

(But then, if it’s not in her wardrobe, the OP won’t feel compelled to find somewhere else to wear it. And the more she wears it, the more her sartorially disappointing family will feel compelled to up their game … 🤫)

Flamboyant is not me, I would look ridiculous. Mind you, right now I think I'd feel ridiculous in anything posh, it's been so long. Dress wise, I like a couple of those @Mummyoflittledragon posted. I think, having seen these links I'd be looking for knees to be covered (just!) and shoulders too. DH says no to black or plain navy as it's a wedding. I don't only wear black. I have black jeans as good jeans. I wear blue jeans day to day, one lighter pair one darker blue. And I have the same T-shirt in various colours I tend to wear blues, pinks, red, green, purple, navy and black. Never yellows or burgundy.

shoes...I have black shoes. I do have long black boots somewhere but haven't worn them in a while so not sure if they still fit as I bought them pre kids. Ditto purple heels.

I’m glad you like some of the stuff I posted. I noticed a typo in a couple of my posts, everything I posted is with a pear shape in mind. I am also a pear so it’s really a case of what would suit me. So if you decide to look at other things, just bear these shapes in mind as bodycon dresses tend to work better with off shoulder or one shoulder looks on pears and you’ve said you want your shoulders covered.

As for black and navy, these colours are fine for a wedding as long as they aren’t a block colour, eg like the ones I posted, which have flowers, are multi toned etc. The purple heels will be great, if they fit, with just about anything as the current fashion is not matchy matchy. The black shoes will also likely be fine to wear. The last thing you need to do is break the bank just to buy new clothes for one day so it would be great if you can reuse anything.

The only other thing you may need to think about if you don’t buy something with long sleeves is a jacket or cardigan etc. Depending on the style of dress you choose, this Next blazer may suit, available in your size in cobalt blue, bright pink, black and off white. Prices vary the blue and pink are £23. The black is cheaper but it isn’t as nice. I have the off white one for an upcoming wedding.

Perfectly wearable if you’re a monk or participating in 16th century role play. I quite like quirky and unusual, but that’s just awful imvho.

Fair enuff, @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie! All the more for me. I might actually have bought it by now, if they hadn’t sold out of my size. Sort of thing I can see working well over a plain white shirt.

But anyway, I’m glad you’re making progress, @RejectedAgainandAgain.

I thought it better than that Raey number with the scary looking model. Idk how old op is. But her dress sense does not sound flamboyant and a size 10 top and 12/14 bottom won’t look great in a straight up/down number with no waist and no neckline detail.

If we are suggesting corduroy, what about this in green? Not a huge fan of Nobody's Child girly milkmaid aesthetic but I think this works because it is in cord. https://www.nobodyschild.com/green-cord-long-sleeve-starlight-midaxi-dress.html And can be worn later for out to dinner.

That Matches number would be appropriate for a bell ringer in the plague.

DH has decided he is going to wear jeans, a shirt and tie and jacket. He'll remove the tie once the ceremony is over.

I've ordered some things and sent them all back 😫Jumpsuits were all too short in the body. Still no closer to finding something!

What length skirt would you wear with boots which come to three finger-widths below the kneecap? Wondering if I should go separates rather than a dress.

Skirt length for knee length boots can be whatever you like apart from maxi… The longest I would go is midaxi and preferably a shirt dress and open the buttons up to above the knee or high / low hem. Eg this sort of thing. https://www.kaleidoscope.co.uk/products/together-mixed-animal-print-shirt-dress/_/A-45J006_8?searchResults=true&PFM_rsn=search&PFM_ref=false&PFM_psp=own&PFM_pge=1&PFM_lpn=1&PFM_trm=shirt+dress