Help me find a dress please

[Recycledblonde]

I’ve lost quite a bit of weight recently and want to get a new posh frock. I’m 60 and now a size 14. Happy to pay £100-£150. Needs to be mid calf length and have at least elbow length sleeves.
I’m clueless about where to start looking for good quality dresses.

Hobbs, Phase Eight and Monsoon all have quite a few that fit the bill

I like this dress. Everything from this site is made from natural materials. It's also good value as its really well made
https://patra.com/product/lsbd/womens-bamboo-cotton-stripe-dress?_gl=1il5g1n_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjw782_BhDjARIsABTv_JD_BQXgAkXCeibLX7DkFxuy2-dQynNRvaOQe8u-MkLCnGjThIitHxMaAlTUEALw_wcB

What’s the context, @Recycledblonde? Day or evening, work or play?

I’m over 60 - and wouldn’t consider any of the brands suggested in the first post here. It’s actually possible to find a great dress at Zara if you look carefully, and I’ve seen a few at Mango this season, though I don’t think I’ve ever shopped there. I’d expect to pay considerably more than £150 (full price) for a ‘posh’ frock - anything with weighty material, expert cutting and natural fabrics - but summer is easier.

What do you need your dress to do? Underline your gravitas at a conference presentation? Impress new colleagues with your zeitgeisty awareness of contemporary trends (ie be fashionable)? Take your godchild for a celebratory meal? Seduce a date on a first weekend away together? Or simply be in your wardrobe for any eventuality?

Summer dress, firstly for a box at Goodwood, evening meeting so not glorious Goodwood. 😀 but the group is mostly composed of women who dress well. I would be happy to pay more for the heavier material etc. I do want something that hangs well and will take me to various events without looking like a badly ironed tea towel.
I’ve got smallish boobs and am 5 ft 6 with long legs and a short body, fair skinned with dark blonde/light brown hair.
I would also like to treat myself now I’ve lost 3 stone.

Ah, so properly dressy?

Would you consider renting? https://byrotation.com/ is quite day at the races oriented:

I would be happy to rent sometimes although I would like to have something in my wardrobe ready to go. Also it’s harder to rent as a size 14.
The unofficial dress code for Goodwood within the group is tea dress style.

Ahhh you just need to treat yourself dont'cha and Why Not ? 😊 Well done on your weight loss , health benefits too as well as how you look and feel.
Phase Eight is well worth a look I bought myself a nice special occasion outfit from there.
I love Monsoon, mainly for evening wear but some nice day wear too .

And I got a lovely Phase Eight dress on eBay , floral, would suit a wedding guest or a day out like you're planning.

Have a look at Sahara @Recycledblonde . Their fabrics are lovely and have a good weight to them. This one has some drama to it, I feel.
Just as an example.
https://saharalondon.com/products/print-dress-ss25-noen

https://www.debenhams.com/product/coast-short-sleeve-jacquard-shirt-dress_bcc10253?colour=navy

I rather like this

Thinking about it, what I really fancy is a midi length, geometric print, heavy ish material dress with longish short sleeves. Does anyone know of similar?

https://gatherandsee.com/collections/dresses/products/pink-green-checkerboard-shirt-dress ?

(Bear in mind that you will probably suit smaller patterns than you’re used to, now you’ve lost weight.)

That’s lovely 🥰

Not exactly a geometric print, and over budget, but pure silk and suitably dressy:

https://klements.co.uk/collections/dresses/products/pre-order-peggy-silk-dress-in-paint-blurs?variant=44211438551198

Also silk; also way over budget … But very nice:

https://lisou.co.uk/collections/dresses/products/lori-silk-twill-purple-tartan?variant=45632180486380

That is gorgeous.