Favourite glamorous brands for occasion dressing in 50s

[PermanentTemporary]

Any tips?

Thinking about wearing something non bridal for my wedding dress. Am 56, 16/18, usually a John Lewis dresser at most. Id like to increase my range of brands to look at. Probably up to £1k.

https://www.hollandcooper.com/products/paros-shirt-dress-macaw-cobalt

dvf?

That's gorgeous - & the print is less intense than the pink & green dress. Odd though that it's polyester with a silk lining!

I love this dress. The shape of it would be good on most people, IMO, & having exposed ankles & wrists adds elegance I think.

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/peacock-manor-silk-satin-gala-maxi-dress-000798996.html

The Liberty one above comes in various prints & fabrics, silk or cotton or even lamé - & there are a couple of other styles you might like.

If you're going for a garden party vibe, I thought this one (in linen) very pretty? But it may be too low-key if you're wanting something very dramatic.

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/senlis-canna-maxi-dress-000840127.html

Still going with the garden party vibe, which I appreciate is less dramatic/evening-y than the dresses you first posted.

Personally, I'd want to be wearing silk or another fabric that felt beautiful against my skin ...

https://www.suzannah.com/products/veronique-silk-tea-dress-cloves-x-rachel-levy

Hmmm - pretty in a Needle & Thread way, & very garden-esque - but all that money for 100% polyester!!! Don't know the brand either, think it's American.

https://macduggal.com/products/5533-sage

A completely different colourway, which or may not be you. Silk chiffon.

https://thefoldlondon.com/product/yvelines-silk-chiffon-dress-pale-yellow-rose/?glCountry=UK&setCurrencyId=0&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19783005286&gbraid=0AAAAADvgiGoGecgDUTWd2uKaXihzPZgEy

This one's beautifully simple - but any shorter than 6' & that neckline would be closer to one's bellybutton!

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/celeste-maxi-dress-000862307.html

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Nor with this one.

https://rebeccavallance.com/en-uk/products/annette-button-gown

Comes in several colours. Has a slight late 30s/early 40s vibe.

https://www.needleandthread.com/products/mila-gloss-ankle-gown-cream

A slightly less full-on sequinned one?

@PermanentTemporary I'm just thinking about the dresses you posted first, & then you saying that you're going for a garden party type of reception. That did make me think that, if your wedding isn't going to be tiny, it's likely that lots of women will be wearing florals?

So some of the dresses I've posted (while I would happily wear for my own wedding as it's going to be tiny!) would equally be suitable for wedding guests - eg the Liberty green one, the floral linen one. I'd even say the Erdem & the Oscar de la Renta too. Depends on whether you like the idea of being a floral bride among floral guests! I'd be happy with that but ...

... if you want to stand out, then wearing white/off-white or sequins or more of a "gown" (like the Norma Kamali) than a dress will all help to ensure that?

Am enjoying all these suggestions - hard to pick, although loved the second Needle and Thread one in the post of three, the final Needle one and that Suzannah one is fabulous. It’s clear that I’m not sure yet which way I’m going to go. My first thought was definitely to stand out - you’re not a bride every day after all - and I think I want an element of drama, but when I saw the de la Renta I thought that a dramatic floral could do what I would like. Good advice about not letting the dress wear me though.

I’m 5’9” with broad shoulders, fair/pink skin, my colouring is brown/brown (going blonder with age) but I do have dark eyebrows which gives my face a bit of definition. I’m not going to manage more than the most low of heels so can’t get drama that way.

The Rebecca Vallence dress is beautiful but I’m an apple with no waist so I tend to avoid belts unfortunately.

We started off thinking 6 guests and at last count we’re at 150… so yes it’s going to be a biggish do.

@EleanorMc67 love the Celeste dress. How do breasts get managed?? Tape?

This is stunning!

Do keep scouring the Outnet, it’s a goldmine for formal gowns.

@PermanentTemporary please don’t allow yourself to be put off from wearing whatever makes you happy by pointless second guessing about your physical presence. It’s perfectly clear from your choices that you’re used to and/ or not frightened by strong, dramatic clothing - and those clothes suit anyone who chooses to wear them, regardless of their height, size, hair colour or facial features.

I despair of the MN need to tell every woman who isn’t 22 and size 6 that she isn’t good enough to wear fabulous clothes.

So many gorgeous dresses, I love the idea of non traditional…my suggestion would be to go into Liberty’s in London and have a try on, they seem to always have a wider range of ideas and don’t ‘push’ a specific style

@ColdHenrietta bless you for saying that, I didn’t take it that way… I’m an 80s kid at heart, always longing to get into my highwayman kit and thigh high boots so yes I’m very much one who loves to be the centre of attention. But I do completely see that I don’t want ALL the attention to be on the clothes.

I suppose you're referring to my posts! I wasn't pointlessly second-guessing - I asked the OP at the very start about her height/shape/colouring etc. And I'm all for body positivity & wearing what makes YOU feel great. But - taking your point to logical extremes - if clothes suit anyone who chooses to wear them, regardless of their height, size, hair colour or facial features - well, then the OP wouldn't be posting her question & there wouldn't even be a style & beauty thread, would there???!!! And where's the fun in that ...?!!!

There are lots of styles, prints etc that I wouldn't have worn in my youth - when I was tall, red headed & very slim & did some modelling. Ditsy prints, fluffy jumpers etc just didn't feel right on me - & I really envied my 5 foot blonde friend who looked just fab in pastel angora & tiny florals. But equally she loved the wide trousers & huge jewellery I wore.

And my questions to the OP were because it sounded as if she's just starting to think about how she wants to look & feel on her big day - so knowing more would help guide me & other posters in coming up with some ideas?

Def go to Liberty for a try on!

so many gorgeous options above - the first green dress with cape is fab - lovely wedding option

You sound very similar to me, height & shoulders & age-wise too! I'm also an apple shape (these days!!).

My colouring has 'faded' a little with age - my hair has gone from a stronger reddish-blonde to a softer strawberry blonde (helped along by Nice & Easy as the truth is I'm now more grey than anything else!!). I've noticed that there are certain intensities of colour (not the colours themselves, just the strength of them) that are too much on me now. So for instance the greens that I wear are rich rather than bright. That's partly why I mention wearing the dress rather than it wearing you, as colouring does change & tend to fade a little with age.

I've gone from loving trying things on in shops to hating it - so I'd put shitloads of stuff on my credit card(s!) & try them all on at home with a) some make-up on, b) good undies, c) some heels & d) a friend with a good eye??

An Adam Ant fan too ...? I used to have the pirate blouse & over-the-knee boots too ... with a paisley ruffled skirt!! I still think that was a pretty great outfit!!!