Best brands for black tie/ awards style ceremony

[PunishmentSnart]

Can anyone recomend any websites/brands for lovely cocktail dresses?

Mid 30s, size 10-12 with a slight tummy. Want something glamourous!

@PunishmentSnart you can buy suitable clothes in that style for anything from the cheapest dress in a charity shop or on a pre-owned site - let’s randomly say £3.99 - to £3k and upwards. How much do you want to spend?

And are you only interested in cocktail dresses? Not velvet suits, or shredded denim and sequins, or … ?

Budget anything up to £400 - £500 maybe? Don't mind buying pre-owned either though.

Yes, would prefer a dress or skirt and top.

Vinted

My first port of call would be Phase 8. But I am 20 years older than you!!

I always go for Forever Unique (Seema off RHOC owns it I believe- I don't watch the show but apparently that's the case!) I find it very good quality, not hugely expensive and nice things for a special occasion

I’m considerably older than @IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads and would not consent to being put into anything from Phase Eight, dead or alive. But we’re all different.

If it were me I might try to find something wonderful on a proper vintage site - late 90s Alexander McQueen for instance. Or something more recent but still ‘old’ (pre-owned) from Melitta Baumeister, maybe, or Cecilie Bahnsen. So I’ll assume you would not want the same, @PunishmentSnart.

Have you looked at Anna October?

@Doggymummar got a few saved on Vinted but don't want to pay out and they not suit/fit and can't return them.

@RandomersAssociation that's too out there for me. Although I LOVE this jacket

https://annaoctober.com/products/eiffel-coat-fw2217

I'm not waif like so don't think these would suit...

You might be able to hire this:

https://alemais.com/collections/collection-11-fall-23/products/rowena-beaded-mini-dress

Or maybe consider buying this:

https://alemais.com/collections/all/products/luca-corset-dress

But essentially, to answer your question: just go to the https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-gb/ site and browse dresses. They stock pretty much all the contemporary ‘dressing up’ brands.

Examples below.