Help with a shrug/cover up for this dress

[britespark1]

Sadly I am not as slim as the model in the
photo and will be wearing this as a bridesmaid dress in May. I have tried and tried and cannot find something to cover my shoulders that is the right colour (that’s not just essentially a piece of fabric that would have to be held or tied). Can anyone please help as I am already dreading showing so much flesh on top due to my size 😔(18)

Would the bride throw a wobbly if you wore something like this?

Faux fur jacket

Crop jacket

Is the dress the bride's choice? I'm a 14 and I wouldn't wear that dress. Frankly if the dress is the bride's choice I don't think she can complain about what you wear on top. The scallop crop jacket comes in black too.

Any of these?

I think the Monsoon scalloped edge one is the best length and shape.

Hobbs cropped jackets

Ooh thank you both! The dress was chosen out of a selection by the bride and the two other bridesmaids- I much preferred the others and I did say! I am really nervous about wearing it as I am ALWAYS covered up in clothes and the thought of being judged (and photographed!) absolutely fills me with horror.

The Monsoon scalloped edge one is being modelled over a dress the same shape and length as yours. I like the fact it's not an edge to edge jacket so most of the front of the dress is still showing.

It's going to be impossible to find similar in the same colour as your dress. If it were me, that's the one I'd go for
and just say sorry, you're making me wear a dress I hate and I will be uncomfortable in.

Not particularly relevant but it's not a nice colour either.

Is it possible to get some of the chiffon and get some little sleeves added on? If you wear a jacket and the others don't you might feel self conscious too.

Hi, I think I’d go for a chiffon in the same colour and drape it over shoulders x

Just like a wrap or pashmina.

Have you asked the bridal supplier if the dress manufacturer makes any bits to go with it?

The OP said have tried and tried and cannot find something to cover my shoulders that is the right colour (that’s not just essentially a piece of fabric that would have to be held or tied)

It's an off the peg evening dress from Monsoon so I think that's a non starter. Monsoon don't have anything in the same colour.

Monsoon dress

Would you be more comfortable in this Monsoon dress in the same colour? Would the bride agree for you to swap to it?

Or have a look for something like the other two, the mohair wrap looks a good colour but the seam looks ugly the way the have styled it - I assume it's a tube and so that seam could be placed at the back in which case it would look a million times better

Could you have it altered to add on some little floaty sleeves in tulle or similar to give you a bit more cover? I am similar size to you and would similarly feel very bare in the dress as it is.

I agree with others - can you get sleeves added somehow? I think you’d be terribly self-conscious in that dress at size 18. It’s a lovely colour though.

I'm a size 22 and wouldn't feel remotely self conscious in that dress! ... I'd look great 👍🏼

Thanks very much for the replies! I’m going to risk upsetting myself and try it on again in a bit to see if there’s any way of making some sleeves from the long skirt😂I am slowly losing weight anyway but there’s not enough time to make a massive difference. The only plus really is that my colouring suits the dress as I have reddish hair and pale skin.

Hi OP. The dress is beautiful, but, I'm a similar size to you and totally understand how you are feeling.
When my friend was in this exact situation she found the same dress on eBay for a fraction of the cost and had that cut up to create sleeves. Just a suggestion if there's not enough material on your actual dress. It looked stunning when it was finished.

There’s one on Vinted for £25.

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/3404333621-monsoon-embellished-maxi-dress-in-green

I’d buy this and make a wrap out of it or get a dressmaker to make a shrug.

You could create a wrap similar to the monsoon dress pictured above and use some of the beading from the bodice around the neckline

Don't go hacking at the actual dress to make sleeves! It would not be the same dress, it would look totally different. I assume the bride wants you to look the same?

buy the Vinted one and make sleeves out of that. Or maybe a kind of poncho out of one layer of chiffon? That would stay put.

Loving getting a cheap one off vinted for the extra material. Thank you!

If you could get someone to create the green twist wrap posted above, that would be lovely

something else you could do is some weights work (even with cans of beans) to tone your arms.

i

I’ve ordered that dress off Vinted for the material so fingers crossed! Thank you all so much!

Well good for you. I'm a size 14. I'd hate wearing that style of dress. People are different.

I think that would look lovely with some chiffon sleeves that are full length to the wrist with a flare on them.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle

There's no 'good for me' I was just a little 👀 at the patronising/ sweeping statement "yes, you'll feel terribly self conscious in that dress at a size 18"!