Help find the impossible frock!

[nancy75]

Going to a wedding early Sept & need help!
Wedding is posh venue, we are just going to the evening. Couple getting married are quite a bit younger than us, so most guests will be too & they dress up (in a boohoo, tight dress, high shoes kind of way)
I am rapidly approaching 50, have had various health issues (and too many cakes) and have put on a lot of weight - size 22.
Don’t do tight, can’t really wear heels & generally feel a frump!
Help me find something to wear! Olive skin, almost black hair, short & round - prefer to cover arms & legs budget up to £200 (preferable less!) General style is kind of hippy dresses with sandals/dms! Hate chiffony mother of the bride stuff. Is there any hope 😂😭

Sahara and East have lovely fuller figure frocks.

Like the anthropology dresses, but are they dressy enough?
like the shape of the last red dress but not the material

The Selkie stuff is FABULOUS. So refreshing to see recommendations for ‘plus size’ that aren’t boring old frump wear from Scarlett and Jo et al.

East is very much the kind of stuff I wear - but is it ok for a wedding?
Never heard of Sahara - I like this too but sizing is weird (I’m obviously going to be ordering and sending back more stuff - the postman already hates me 😂)

If I turned up in some of those selkie frocks DH would be ordering me a straight jacket!

That yellow dress is 😍

It's perfect OP. Buy it.

The yellow dress is nice, if I grow 3 foot & lose half a tonne by Sept I’ll get it! On me it would be too much dress (big sleeves & big skirt) I’d run the risk of looking like a large custard in full sail!

OK, so what does your DH like?

Do you want to be classy and restrained, bright and flamboyant, sweet and flowery, tight and sexy or ... what?

Can you pick anything you like from Nicola Coughlan's wardrobe, for instance?

I think you'd be better looking for pencil or shift type dresses.

I'm not good with links but have a look at a website called Scarlett & Jo

https://www.johnlewis.com/live-unlimited-curve-petite-abstract-tiered-dress-multi/p112140667
https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-shakira-floral-dress-teal/p112198801
https://www.johnlewis.com/live-unlimited-curve-petite-paisley-print-dress-blue/p112045671

scampanddude.com/products/navy-sequin-midi-dress-with-puff-sleeves-and-v-shaped-back scampanddude.com/products/navy-sequin-midi-dress-with-puff-sleeves-and-v-shaped-back]]]]
Maybe sequins are a step too far for you

Do you like shift dresses? could suit your shape

https://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/p/ii083?optionSize=12&promo=6202&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_UHHfL9A3zBn-H8ybLiSsaJuh78&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsy1BhD7ARIsAHOi4xYVBhY4covxXglLZX4I7QVElncbIpPMkV_p4Vq9l8XUax-M0lo28GYaArK1EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://liveunlimitedlondon.com/products/cobalt-v-neck-maxi-dress?currency=GBP&variant=41519696871484&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=a0f962034706&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACsrG-Ld1m6d-WY7ESMSF7SpwAygS&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsy1BhD7ARIsAHOi4xaH-iLBmL_i2f4zlhKNEb9XpBRjGYUdgBEmzrueYfdeIRWMP08d0FoaAoM1EALw_wcB

https://gb.marinarinaldi.com/p-3221174206004-evelin-coral?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAoneyS93WdhmgqarzLcxqOIUDgDT3&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsy1BhD7ARIsAHOi4xYWny0RJeLwnhB7lm7-liWsR0sKK3YXne9kxcND2d5KhuqtqdVaItcaAqz7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

They’re nowhere near what OP is after!

I think your best bet is East. There’s some that are suitable for a wedding. You might need them shortened

Be fair, @Bignanna, she hasn't told us what she's after!

I think the Selkie dresses meet her only given criteria of non-frumpy, non-chiffon and somewhat bohemian. Maybe she'll come back with more info what her husband she envisages for herself.

I've recommended this before. I'm a 20-22, 5'5" and the XL fits well and is knee length on me. Got lots of compliments when I wore it last week. It's a crepe-style fabric rather than chiffon.

www.monsoon.co.uk/alice-embroidered-short-dress-1000238277.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsy1BhD7ARIsAHOi4xZ0j2tdBDpafvMptdTx4denhCsGKfwn1gRLEW7TLKM3qobZKPI_iwoaAh60EALw_wcB

This any good OP? (I wear a lot of East, and also wade through the 80% of "librarian wear" at Seasalt for the odd thing. So maybe there's some overlap in taste?

www.seasaltcornwall.com/long-sleeveless-printed-organic-cotton-maxi-dress?color=38978

Or in their eBay outlet they have this in velvet?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314757494681?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=de2w9mvbtla&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=wyw97jnbrcw&var=613270221840&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I think your best bet is East. There’s some that are suitable for a wedding. You might need them shortened

They have much fewer dresses than normal this season and I think they stop at an 18.

She doesn’t want sleeveless, and the second one is plain and shapeless. There are others out there,surely?

I’ve been pretty clear about what I do/don’t like. The comment about my husband was a joke - he’s happy for me to wear whatever I want.

Ah I didn't see the sleeve post.

OP I'm breaking your no chiffon-y material rule and I apologise, however the first one has an underskirt in a not-chiffon fabric and you definitely won't be washed out in it. https://www.coastfashion.ie/product/coast-plus-hand-embellished-mesh-midi-dress-with-short-sleeve_bcc06247?colour=black

These don't seem see-through but look a little floaty, and are in colours that will work great with olive skin and dark hair.
https://www.coastfashion.ie/product/coast-plus-wrap-front-fit-flare-midi-dress_bcc07529?colour=orange / https://www.coastfashion.ie/product/coast-plus-wrap-front-jersey-fit-flare-midi-dress_bcc07289?colour=pink

And a slightly shorter sleeve https://www.coastfashion.ie/product/coast-plus-lace-midi-dress-with-puff-sleeve_bcc08470?colour=green

The green coast is the closest to what I have in my head (although I don’t love green, would love it in red 😩)
the first one - great for someone - too bling for me
sorry, I know I’m the problem!