Wedding guest dress - splash out on silk or stick to budget?

[PopsicleSchtick]

I have two weddings to attend this summer (a cousin’s and a friend’s) - both similar in style (country hotel) but with completely different guest lists, so thankfully I only need one dress for both!

I’ve fallen in love with dress A from Hobbs. It’s definitely over budget, but it’s also pure silk, and part of me is thinking “You get what you pay for”.

https://www.johnlewis.com/hobbs-ann-floral-pure-silk-dress-multi/p113606997

However, £350 is a hell of a lot. So I’m also looking at dress B - also from Hobbs, but viscose, so significantly cheaper. I don’t think the quality will be quite as great, but on the other hand, anything from Hobbs isn’t going to be your standard Primani viscose:

www.johnlewis.com/hobbs-carly-floral-dress-blue-multi/p113526626

What would you do? Also open to other suggestions! I’m tall (5ft 10) and a size 12, with dark hair; I find bolder colours and prints tend to suit me.

I'm sure you looked great and the dress suited your figure but I don't see how this is less frumpy than what op posted.

Please don’t buy silk

it’s very cruel

www.peta.org.uk/issues/animals-not-wear/silk/

Not meaning to be rude Carriemac, but these are all blue floral dresses - which is fine, but it's not like any of them are super modern and edgy, and that is ok.

but do you see why the Vinted dress posted is better?
It is still classic, which seems to be your style (mine too) but the pattern is more delicate and unusual. Plus the style - with its round simple neck, no handkerchief hems, no extra frills - is cleaner, less fussy. And the material is silk - you can always tell the polyester is polyester and it just looks cheap and sweaty.

Well with all due respect, I don’t believe it is objectively “better”. It’s nice, but not better.

You’ve said the pattern is more delicate and the colour is more unusual - but I’ve said I suit bigger prints. You’ve said the neckline is better, the details are cleaner - but I personally don’t like the neckline, or long sleeves on dresses in general. I get that those things are personal taste, but they are why it is not objectively better.

I don’t want to sound ungrateful, as I genuinely appreciate all the advice on this thread, but I do feel a bit like I’ve said “I really love this classic style dress with a strong floral print in strong colours”, only for some posters to respond “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have a plain dress in a more muted colour and in a completely different style? Much more 21st century!”

I agree - eek.

Wow, could you be any more patronising? This reads like someone trying to educate a child.

It’s a dress for a wedding. As long as the options are wedding appropriate, none of them are “better” than others. There’s what you like best and then there’s what the OP likes best, and they are not quite the same. Happily for the world we all like different things.

I prefer the second one.

The outnet has this

@minipie, I meant to be helpful, not patronizing. The OP didn't understand what was meant by "fussy" and asked this directly.
She didn't understand why certain dresses looked really dated and really cheap. And she asked for explanation of this.
With height and an ability to wear bold patterns, she could look amazing. But, if she prefers the fussy polyester dress, well, she should go for it.

I would sit down with a friend and together look through examples, explaining why certain fabrics might look less cheap than others. I would certainly not sit down with a friend and say, "Wow, could you be more patronizing...." But, clearly, in both our cases, tone doesn't always translate well online.
I was trying to be helpful.

@Ruthietuthie that color green isn't for everyone, and can look terrible on some. I don't find it particularly less fussy that what op posted, as both dresses have a clean cut.

Most of these options come down to how they look/fit on the individual as opposed to being objectively better.

I recognise you were trying to be helpful but it came across very much as “educating” the OP about what she “ought to” be looking for - clearly based on the assumption that you know better than her about fashion. Read it back and you may see what I mean.

Sorry if you found my comment rude. I was trying to be helpful.

@Bigcat25, of course, it is all about fit, I agree. And the OP will know what colors are best for her (and it may well not be green, agreed!)
But I just can't imagine how polyester (in a dress that looks polyester from a mile away) can ever look better than silk or another natural fabric, or even a high quality viscose (which is less than ideal, yes, but is a step up from 100% polyester).
For me, if it isn't made from a natural fiber, and I can't imagine wanting to wear it for years to come, then I just don't want it and don't buy it. OP may well feel differently (but her original question was whether to splash out on silk... for me, I always think it is worth splashing out on).
I was trying to helpful in all this. I wasn't saying, "this is the dress, this green one, which isn't even in your size, particularly when the OP is tall, and likes bold patterns. But, as she asked, I was trying to explain why the details on the green dress (which we all agree isn't "the dress") might read as less fussy and less cheap...
Honestly, when other people post, "well, it's all subjective, you can't say one dress is objectively better than another," I feel confused. We all might have very different opinions on preferred colors, preferred styles and shapes, what looks best on us, but a polyester dress, poorly constructed, isn't "better" in any world, than a dress well-made constructed from silk. (And, to be frank, the original silk dress isn't that well-constructed - look at the pattern match. But it is better made, and better fabric, than the others).
At the end of the day, OP should and will wear what she likes. But it might help, say, to watch the videos made by Andrea Cheong. I don't actually like Andrea's style - her clothes wouldn't suit me, in their shape, colors, or design - BUT when she explains how clothes are made, and why they don't last and don't actually look good on, well that applies to all clothes, all colors, for all body-types, including our individual styles.
https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/article/2024/aug/15/the-care-label-queen-how-andrea-cheong-will-stop-you-buying-bad-clothes

But the OP is tall, slim and said she suited strong colours/patterns.

I’m similar build to the OP albeit slightly taller and also suit strong colours/patterns. Having tried on many Hobbs dresses of standard length I can pretty much guarantee the green dress sleeves would be just that annoying amount too short and the length would also be annoyingly “just a bit short”. Unless they have shorter sleeves and are intended to be midi length Hobbs dresses tend to look as if I’ve grown out of them.

Even if you ignore the washed out pale green that dress is objectively fussy by comparison with the original silk dress the OP fell in love with. It may be silk like the original posted but its a fussier neckline, flappy sleeves and “decoration" belt and a much fussier fabric pattern. Whoever designed it did not design it with the long and lanky customer in mind, whereas the simpler cut and style of the first will suit a lot of tall women (and I take the point about seam pattern matching, its the overall style which works better).

Op, I like the new Phase Eight dress you linked.

I also spotted this NRBY dress this morning , in spam that fell through the door, and thought it might appeal - silk, strong colour, suit someone tall.

nrbyclothing.com/collections/dresses/products/ines-silk-butterfly-print-dress

Regarding polyester v silk; it’s worth noting that plenty of high end designers are perfectly happy to use polyester, nylon and other man made fibres. I’ve just been looking at evening dresses on The Outnet, and there are stunning gowns on there by Jenny Packham, Marchesa, Zac Posen and more, in these materials. Dresses that are beautifully cut and designed to hang well. Some of which are priced at several thousand pounds.

Now you may say, ‘overpriced, I’d never pay that for man made fibres.’ I’d say don’t be so quick to judge, as if you hadn’t read the label, you’d never know they weren’t silk. They move beautifully. It’s all about the cut and design.

I don't think you can beat silk, I am loathed to wear other fabrics except linen, cotton and wool. As long as it's not polyester, that's the main thing. Hideously unthethical and wearing plastic is just - no. Viscose might feel and look decent. The first dress is way nicer in my opinion!

You can also try Rixo, who have a sale here
https://rixolondon.com/collections/archive?pg=1

It's still unethical and horrible though. Jenny Packham for example used to make things in silk all the time, now it's cheaper to make from polyester. Trust me, they do not look remotely the same as silk. Nor feel it. And anyone would be a mug to pay thousands for them!

Plenty of people would argue that silk is pretty unethical.

It’s tricky - I have lots of silk clothes, and I also have some really nice things made of man made fibres. I’m uncomfortable about the fact that the latter will be hanging around on this planet long after I’m gone, but I’m equally uncomfortable that living creatures suffered a grim death and badly paid women and children had to put their unprotected hands into boiling water to make the former. I still wear both, because better alternatives like linen and wool aren’t always suitable.

I’m not pretending I have the answer! Fashion is pretty unethical whichever way you cook it. I suppose the best thing we can do is get as much wear out of our clothes as possible, and avoid items that will only be worn once or twice.

Lovely .

I think strong colours look great on most people (if its your colour) - I personally dont think strong patterns look great (especially if your are tall) on anyone really. Large prints look like wallpaper or soft furnishings IMHO.

I have just bought this - will get me through two summer weddings and a couple of Christmas & NYE events.

https://www.meandem.com/draped-halterneck-maxi-dress-golden-olive-green?glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpm&utm_campaign=BT+%7C+UK+%7C+PROS%26RTG+%7C+CVN+%7C+Purchase+%7C+ASC+%7C+EVG+DYN+%7C+031425&utm_term=UK+%7C+PROS%26RTG+%7C+CVN+%7C+Purchase+%7C+ASC+%7C+EVG+DYN+%7C+031425&utm_content=EN_CAR_PP_15112024_F_CC_SC21_DRESSES-CAR-DPA_USP14_DPA_BRAND_DRESSES_FP_MID_NO+EDIT_MIX&utm_id=6723519530980&fbclid=IwY2xjawKTCENleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQAAAYe5VF11GJyaWQRMGZnRzZFRmRpUlp1U3h2d08BHj9N1ww2MFXC2FdelLZ2h8ySLlcMlgb74iMsbe-HfIvaKFndgN2gODlr_ikh_aem_0nDrKsQk1Dk9uN2IM8jzsA

That is crazy. In addition to no white, no black, no cream, no red, no pale pastel dresses, we are now saying no printed dresses as they will draw attention away from the bride? Come on!

I don’t think black red or pastel colours are an issue

that is gorgeous!

I would love to wear something like these but I am too short!

According to MN, black is funereal, pastels are bridesmaid-y and red has some issue with it; I can’t remember!