2 weddings-advice needed.

[MrsJoanDanvers]

Could I have some advice please? We have been invited to 2 family weddings in May and June and I need help! One is formal, the other, less so. I had a look at the wedding guest dresses-Phase 8, Hobbs, Coast and they left me feeling a bit depressed as not me at all. Same with all the MOB stuff. Initially, I was going to hire something but am now hoping to wear the same outfit twice, so will buy. I’m 5’3, size 10 and in my early 60s. I like clumpy boots, jeans, nice knitwear for winter and linen trousers and dresses for summer. But mainly, am in leggings and fleece.

I’ve actually gone and ordered this dress to try. It’s cotton and my 25 year old daughter thinks it!s great. But I have no idea how to style it-what shoes to wear etc. Is it suitable for a wedding? Could you give me some ideas-and also any other things to try? My budget is up to £200 max but hopefully less! I also want to be able to wear it again, hence not wanting something too wedding-y.

It’s a perfectly fine dress, in itself. However, all but the smallest sizes are sold out, and it already has 29 reviews - so if you move in a Toast-y milieu you may bump into three other people wearing it at each wedding. (If you don’t, it’s less of a concern.)

This is a fantastic place to look if you’re interested in considering alternatives:

https://www.collagerie.com/en-gb/collections/dresses

Thank you for that-I haven’t come across anyone I know who wears Toasty things-our nearest shop is 70 miles away. I’d imagine one of the weddings to be very Phase 8 style for the oldies and slinky stuff for the very glamorous young ones. The other is much more alternative and casual-so I thought the Toast dress would possible cater for both. The only Phase 8 thing I was tempted by is a spotted jumpsuit which has sold out-The thing that put me off was possibly seeing it at a wedding!

The dress has arrived and it is very beautiful-the colours suit me very much but the cut is for someone taller. The length is ok, it’s actually the body which is a bit long so waist is nipped in lower than it should hang. Grrr-it’s such a pain being short!

I’ll have a good look at the site recommended!

Any other recommendations-something a little bit unusual but pretty that would do both glam and alternative?

Oh, that’s a shame. Presumably you don’t feel it could be successfully altered at the waist?

Slim pickings in the Net-a-Porter sale now (swerving polyester chiffon); you won’t like this, but it’s very ‘nice’:

Self Portrait lace

Or, this is lovely - not sure about exact proportions:

Bernadette linen

Do look through the Collagerie curation. Also

Klements

which you may love.

But I’m sure other people will have excellent suggestions!

Go to a John Lewis store and ask for a personal stylist session, they’re free.