Winter wedding guest outfit

[Makingmusicinmy50s]

I'm going to a wedding a few days before Christmas and am surprisingly looking forward to it. I say surprisingly because the last wedding I went to (2 years ago) I felt so horrible all day and night, and the photos were only proof of how uncomfortable, miserable and out of shape I looked. My outfit was awful, I pulled out a dress that I already owned (too short) and looked like a chubby toddler in the pics 🙁

In the last 8 weeks I've lost 8 pounds in weight and I expect that I should be another 12 to 14 pounds down by Christmas.

So with my new positive outlook, although still lacking in confidence, I am looking at dresses for the upcoming wedding... does anyone have any thoughts on this dress from Next? And would dark brown high heeled knee high boots be ok with it? And I'm unsure about something to keep me a bit warm when outside.

For reference, I am 55 years old, and 5 foot 3, now 11 stone, small bust, fairly broad shoulders. My rib cage is the smallest part of my upper body with my stomach holding most weight with frequent bloating, but this fluctuates. The wedding is at a country manor house type thing, same place day and night. The bride and groom are of a similar age to me if relevant.

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su837292/h93958

Any opinions on this dress or other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I like the dress! Think the green version is slightly nicer for a winter wedding and will be easier to accessorise!
have a lovely time x

The dress is fine. I wouldn’t wear boots with it for a wedding though.

Pretty dress, although I’d want to touch the fabric first.

I don’t think I’d want to wear knee high boots with it though. Maybe heeled ankle boots?

Either a blazer or a leather jacket would be nice for outside.

The dress is lovely but not with boots , how much of the time will you be outside ?

The dress is … fine - but it’s not wintery, or Christmas-y, or in any way exciting. My first thought was that you’re going to be freezing, throughout the day, even with thermal underneaths - but that may be just me, not you. I wouldn’t be keen on so much polyester, either.

I cannot imagine that the addition of brown knee high boots and a blazer or leather jacket (as suggested) would compliment a wedding guest outfit; you’d look as if you’re on your way to work.

It needs a short fuzzy faux fur jacket - and if you wore boots they would need (in my opinion, note!) to be extravagantly jewel coloured and a non-workaday shape.

My assumption was that OP will be indoors for much of the day in a heated environment and therefore wouldn’t need a jacket much.

Personally I’d be looking for velvet for a winter wedding.

The OP will be indoors so worrying about warmth or what to wear on top doesn't matter.

It's got flutter sleeves and a dipped hem- 2 elements I really dislike. Dipped hems only look ok with a heavy material or a good contrast lining which is meant to be seen . This has a thin, unlined material so the dip shows the pattern showing through and the stitching of the hem. The colour is drab.

Does seem a bit summery, some venues aren’t warm unfortunately. I’d personally opt for long sleeves or something that suits a jacket more

I would just want something that looks celebratory, and seasonal!

Really, it’s only through countless years of (my own) pontificating on S&B that I’ve realised what a bugbear that is of mine - dressing without acknowledgement of the season, particularly across deep winter, particularly at weddings where the dressing up is partly costume for a lifetime of photos.

Thank you for tour replies, this is the honest feedback I was hoping for!

I agree about the boots, and after posting I looked at high heeled ankle boots, which do look like a better option. The flutter sleeves were a bonus for me as my upper arms, although not too out of shape, have become crepey and I am a bit self conscious of them, but I'll look at longer sleeves. I don't suit heavy fabrics like velvet, but will keep looking for more wintery dresses. Great point about the thin fabric and dipped hem.

I do prefer this dress in the dark green but it's only available in 8 or10 which even with another stone of weight loss I think might be too snug. Hoping to drop to a size 12 by then (currently 14).

As for looking like I'm on my way to work... this would be serious upgrade as since I gained weight I've been dressing really drably and just covering my body so I'm not naked instead of celebrating clothes (like I really used to). Over the summer I've started to upgrade my style though, so I'd like to get this dress right 😊

I'll keep looking though!

Something like this:

Stories burgundy

or something like this that may well be on sale before Christmas:

Essential Antwerp dark green

or this, which could be an amazing foil for your best jewellery, bag, and footwear:

Cos pleats

Ooh I like your choices. What shoes or boots would you get? I’m looking for a similar as a wedding guest in October where I’m meeting my partner’s extended family for the first time.

😄 This is how I’d want to do boots as a Christmas wedding guest:

Essential Antwerp example Scroll through photos.

Or this:

Essential Antwerp red

Exceptional work!

Although it's a side dip assymetrical hem rather than a back dip the red dress shows how to do dipped hems well because it's lined. The belt looks fantastic worn as a pussy bow rather than as a belt on the navy version. Great outfit.

The slightly dipped hem on the Essential Antwerp dress works too because it's a much heavier jacquard material. Great dress

Lovely suggestions here, and they look great on the models. I have to choose wisely though otherwise I have a tendency to look like Grayson Perry when he dresses up. I haven't yet ruled out my original suggestion, preferably in dark green. My problem is I don't know where to look for dresses. I go to the usual, Cos, Other Stories, Next, Nobody's Child etc, or I do a google search. You lot seem to know all these amazing places to buy dresses.

Perhaps, also, I am looking too early for a decent seasonal dress. If I ramp up my search in October I'm sure new styles will appear.

Forgot to say budget is about £100, max £150.

Love the idea of a faux fur jacket and jewel coloured boots. Especially if I got the (or any) dark plain green dress. 😀

We may not be outside at all, everything is in the one building, the ceremony, the wedding breakfast, the whole day. Maybe photos? I've never been to a winter wedding so don't know how the day works. I've now been talked out of the knee high boots. Looking at ankle boots, glam ones!

I think that green Cos thing would be very difficult to wear.

I'm sure somebody will take issue with the idea of Phase Eight but this might be nice for a winter wedding https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-gracie-satin-pleated-midi-wrap-dress-dark-green/p112773714

Or this from Monsoon
https://www.johnlewis.com/monsoon-roz-floral-midi-dress-burgundy/p113626139

This one could be hideous or great - it has slight Vampire's Wife vibes
https://www.monsoon.co.uk/pelia-satin-ruffle-midi-dress-green-20002350061.html

I'm going to a wedding at the end of November and am contemplating this with gold or silver chunky sandals.
https://www.joebrowns.co.uk/remarkable-floral-print-jersey-dress-wf341?___store=GBP&glCountry=UK&glCurrency=GBP%20&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22845676235&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5c_FBhDJARIsAIcmHK_6tlUiaz_NXdReXMnnUxJf2c0v9tqc9X8AWx7pYNv1nQ_dDDGLpO4aAkXbEALw_wcB#colour=613&utm_campaign=&utm_adgroup=&utm_kwd=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=&utm_cidCj0KCQjw5c_FBhDJARIsAIcmHK_6tlUiaz_NXdReXMnnUxJf2c0v9tqc9X8AWx7pYNv1nQ_dDDGLpO4aAkXbEALw_wcB

Nobody's Child
https://www.johnlewis.com/nobodys-child-angela-occasion-polka-dot-midi-dress/p114116323

I love the Monsoon one, even though the neckline isn't one I'd normally go for. Thank you.

Nothing wrong with a bit of Phase Eight, I've already been checking out their dresses 😃

This is really groovy! Love it, but would swamp me. 😦

Love this. It's a contender. I'd be concerned that after having a few nibbles, I'd bloat out and this would drape over my stomach. My stomach has always done this, even at 8 stone and size 8. Luckily, at 55 nobody asks me 'when are you due?' any more, but right up until my mid 40's I have been asked that, and I may have only eaten a grape beforehand 😳