Tricky one - awards outfit that is wow but not too wow?!

[Badlypaintedrose]

My team is nominated for an award. It will be a big and glitzy ceremony and they stand a good chance of winning. I say ‘they’ because I was off sick for most of the project they’ve been nominated for. So I will be there, will be celebrating and cheerleading my team, but also really want them to be in the limelight as it’s their moment.

I only have about £200 as a budget and it’s an arts industry thing so everyone is quite cool. It’s not black tie, just dressy

I’m 46, apple shaped size 12. I would love a dress from toast or gudren sjoden but they make me look frumpy somehow. I need something fitted and that shows I e made a MASSIVE effort but also that can blend into the background a bit for photos!!

it’s a tricky one - any recommendations?

To me the blue Hippie Shake dress is a ‘hostess dress’. Lovely to wear for your own dinner party, but not something I’d consider for an awards ceremony or any glamorous evening out.

Kemi T herself is emphatic that her clothes are for all women, everyone. I wear a lot of her stuff and am regularly complimented by women of Nigerian heritage.

Have you looked at Joanie at all? Their dresses are very nice fabric and reasonably priced

https://joanieclothing.com/clothing/dresses/occasion-dresses.html?p=2

Try 100 stars https://onehundredstars.co.uk/collections/spring-summer-2025?filter.p.m.custom.dress_shape=Rachel+Dress

The style 'Rachel' is great for apple shapes like us, and very structural - perfect for an arty event. Some of the patterns are stunning too, and they look great on.

I agree that the Sister Jane materials look quite cheap in real life, no matter where you purchase their frocks from. Doesn’t help that the cuts are also often odd and unflattering - the fits even look terrible on their models!

Nobody's child?

If you're confident on sizing from different brands - this is one area where vinted really shines. Ridiculous numbers of evening wear barely worn or brand new.

For example
Ted Baker Red Dress
Karen Millen LBD
All Saints Grey Dress
Vintage Ghost (before they become mass market)
kemi telford Maxi (could alter sleeves if necessary)

Ooh wow - well done! Would love to see what you go for. I haven’t quite found the thing yet. I think o am still feeling too unconfident (following a long illness) for most of the beautiful suggestions

Would you mind showing me a couple that you like? I am unfortunately large of boob so can’t do high necks and I’m struggling to imagine plumpish me in any of their dresses.

i might just need to order some and give them a whirl!

Ah, that is actually gorgeous!

Totally agree, especially that fanciful doll one - completely inappropriate for a work do, but I do love seeing people's suggestions and we're all different aren't we!

The Reiss dress is very much ‘unnamed producer standing at the back of the triumphant crowd on the Oscars stage’! So it may be exactly what you want, @Badlypaintedrose.

How about the maxi slip dresses?

These two are in the sale at Quiz at the moment, reduced to £20. Ive just got the one on the right for an event similar to the type of event you're going to.

I definitely think you should at least try this one on it’s gorgeous

oh no just seen it’s out of stock in your size

They look cheap and nasty in the pics. 😱

Fabulous 🥰

To be honest, I find the brief confusing?

From what you describe, I don’t think you’d be hogging the limelight in anything you wear if you do look “frumpy as a “46, apple shaped size 12”. Not to be rude but wouldn’t that give you the look you want ie “blend into the background”? If you want to look like you have put MASSIVE effort in with a fitted dress, you’re going to naturally capture more attention which might not be ideal if you’re not completely comfortable being in the limelight.

Each to their own but to me they look like giant rag dolls. 🥴

They look awful. Like bad Florence Welch dresses.

It’s not giving chic or classic at all.

I think some of these are wonderful. I particularly like the sequin wrap dress. As an apple myself I love a wrap dress and a blinged up version is fantastic.

It may be because I am petite so there isn't a hope in hell that a dress like that would look good on me, but that is the ugliest dress I have ever seen in my life.

Yes, The Vampires Wife dresses that were everywhere a few years ago made me chuckle. They looked so bad.

The other dresses on the website are even worse.

Prob not your style, but I have been eyeing up this dress for a while.

www.revolve.com/mobile/house-of-harlow-1960-x-revolve-jerri-maxi-dress-in-metallic-multi/dp/HOOF-WD771/?d=F&currency=GBP&tCountryCode=GB&utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=retargeting&utm_campaign=intl_P_UK_GoTest_Retargeting&utm_id=538936&cto_pld=mzX0fHktAAAnjNONpqGg9w&gad_source=7&dclid=CNyPpN-sko8DFXh2pAQdmXs9qA&size=S&product=HOOF-WD771

At least the fashionistas appear to have moved on from recommending sacks.

If you like the Kemi Telford vibe, @Badlypaintedrose there is another similar brand called Heritage Clothing.