What on earth to wear to an awards ceremony?

[CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo]

My boss is up for a volunteer heroes award and has asked me to go to the ceremony as I've helped him out with admin / fundraising for his charity. What do I wear? I've a two piece dress - top with elbow length sleeves and calf length skirt in navy. I don't know anything about the ceremony, is it table seating or cinema seating. Trying to look at last year's but not much online.

It's next month, I've got three weeks. Size 18/20, don't like low cut as very booby. Suggestions gratefully received. Can go to £100, not much over.

I've seen this https://www.lightinthebox.com/en/p/women-s-dress-set-two-piece-dress-midi-dress-green-blue-gray-half-sleeve-floral-print-summer-spring-u-neck-casual-2023-s-m-l-xl-xxl-3xl_p9042089.html the red one.

That’s lovely and you’d get loads of wear out of it afterwards. A winner.

Face book have a preloved occasions page which has some lovely preloved outfits.

Its mostly female wedding attire but lots of lovely 'other occasion' wear too.

This is a bust friendly site. fairliecurved.com/product/aimee-plisse-elasticated-waist-wrap-over-jumpsuit/
There's a lovely tulle skirt and other options that may suit?

I have this jumpsuit and I wear it to evening thingies quite a lot. It’s flattering, easy to wear, and most importantly, easy to take on and off. The also have a dress version of it.

If you want something with stretch, Jolie moi do faux wrap over style dresses in lots of colours, patterns and lengths etc, also bodycon shapes. I find the wrap dresses relatively big in the bust and in your position, I’d go for a size 20.

https://joliemoi.co.uk/products/rashelle-jersey-long-sleeve-maxi-dress-burgundy?variant=42637307609286

That is absolutely my style and colour! Thank you, it's fabulous, a serious contender. I have black dress boots and my friend has a black clutch with a burgundy panel I could borrow. I'm not familiar with Jolie moi but if their other stuff is like this dress I'll enjoy a good look round the website. This dress is a good halfway style between day wear and evening-out but not formal wear. And I'd definitely get lots of use later.

This

https://www.marksandspencer.com/jacquard-polka-dot-midaxi-tea-dress/p/clp60609148#intid=pid_pg1pip48g2r1c2|prodflag_New

Covered but award ceremony suitable. I am a J cup and it fits me and is very flattering.

I've been to quite a few charity and public sector award ceremonies and people do tend to get dressed up - it's often a really big deal for people who've worked hard on a cause they believe in. Doesn't matter if they are hands on rather than donors, in fact hands on people are less likely to get invited to fancy events and more likely to really make an effort with their outfit imo. I'd wear similar to what I'd wear to a work Christmas party - black trousers and a sparkly top or a nice cocktail dress. If you don't want to stand out go for a black dress with some sparkly jewellery.

I am the same size as you and I would go for something like this Navy Embellished Twist Waist Stretch Dress - Roman UK

Some of the colours are reduced too

How about something like this? The sheer sleeves make it a bit more dressy and you could wear with heels or boots.

www.pourmoi.co.uk/products/willow-chiffon-long-sleeve-midaxi-shirt-dress/?styleid=95733&source=findologic&curr=GBP

@CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo could you maybe tell us more about the navy 2 piece you’ve already got? Sounds like it could be perfect.

This gives the arm coverage abd a v flattering to a full bust.

Can be dressed up or down so has versatility.

https://www.cos.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/dresses/product.voluminous-v-neck-dress-black.1199474001.html

Morning all, thanks for your responses.

The navy dress is a button front top with just past elbow sleeves, comes to between waist and hip in length, ties with a little tie at the back which pulls it in to give a bit of shape at the waist. It has self embroidery on the front only, back is plain. Skirt is fitted to hip then flares out a little just past where top ends, and is lower calf length. Made of heavy polished cotton but not shiny. No embroidery on the skirt.

I got it out this morning and put it on with my black boots, not worn either since a 40th party in March. Thinking it looks pretty good and I might wear it to the awards, spend my dress budget on a hair appointment that day and taxi rather than bus to the venue so I don't need a coat.

https://www.johnlewis.com/our-services/personal-styling

Free personal shopper service at John Lewis, book online for an apt at a store near you.

Would love to buy this one suggested by @Mummyoflittledragon but now thinking as I hardly go out and have hardly-worn stuff in my wardrobe, can I justify the cost. Although having said that, do I want to be in the same outfit for every special occasion? I don't wear trousers much, just for gardening, but maybe a new top for the skirt of the navy dress. A dilemma!

Really love this style -

https://joliemoi.co.uk/products/rashelle-jersey-long-sleeve-maxi-dress-burgundy?variant=42637307609286

Buy the dress OP. Life's too short.

I’m a big fan of Jolie Moi dresses.

Your idea to wear the navy and use the money for hair and taxi is also a great idea.

I would go for either one of those options - which would you rather treat yourself to (if not both)?

I was at an awards recently and it was black tie.
Not many ladies there but all apart from one wore a dress of one plain colour. Not much print / pattern.

I don't like the Jolie Moi dress and your own outfit of heavy, polished cotton is a much better material than it and sounds nicer.

Re getting a new top for the skirt, if the skirt and top are separates but are the same brand and same material intended to be worn together I'd leave them as they are.

You don't need a new dress for something like this if you don't go to that sort of thing regularly. I've got a heavy, silk jacquard green and navy embroidered dress I've worn to several, including annual repeats of the same event. I've got loads of day dresses but I've no qualms about repeating formal dresses.

I can't recall what anyone else was wearing at last year's ceremony of the one I'm going to next month. If someone remembers mine, then the dress did a good job of being noticed. I've worn the green and navy dress to at least three of them. I can guarantee that absent weight gain, all the men have been wearing the same black tie suit, every year.

I think if you want to spend or treat yourself you'll get better use of your money either as you suggest or something you'll wear more often.

That looks terrible

I went to a wedding recently and someone was wearing a jolie moi dress (I recognised it as I nearly went for it myself) it LOOKED so so cheap. I think it was the fabric

https://www.oliverbonas.com/fashion/crinkle-sleeve-dark-green-satin-midi-dress-359137

Light in the Box is generally cheap and nasty and you can't return anything unless you pay an extortionate amount to ship to China. Get something better quality. I bought a silky, light weight trouser suit a couple of years ago that is very comfortable (can't wear dresses/heels). It has been ideal for a couple of weddings and black tie events. I am sorry, I can't remember where I got it now.

Buy the dress op and make sure you wear it. I don’t agree they look cheap as a pp said. Ok they don’t look hundreds of pounds as they aren’t hundreds. I wear JM dresses all the time, like practically every time I leave the house. And I’m not doing glam things. I am disabled, can’t wear skirts or trousers due to extensive stomach surgery and need the stretch.

The bonus is if you put on or lose 10 kilos odds on they will still fit. You can totally wear that dress to the shops/ supermarket, to your friend’s house or out for a coffee etc. I’m on a mission to lose weight and I’ll be using the larger ones as winter night wear once they’re really too large.

It's usually a meal for an awards do. At John Lewis they do a personal styling appointment - it's FOC and they help you find an outfit. I've been really impressed in my experience of it, especially for things like events and weddings and christenings etc