Am in a cold sweat....help me!!! I have a summer wedding to go to!! What can I wear when all I possess is jeans????

[TurkeyLurkey]

Please help me for my friends wedding (its a church do). I have no idea where to start looking as I live in jeans or uniform for work and rarely buy clothes for myself.

I am 38, 5'7, size 14, brown wavy long hair, decent tits, chest and waist area but have to hide hideous thighs and upper arms (also am starting to look veiny just below the backs of my knees)! nice!!

I always feel wrong at these sorts of things as I'm so out of my comfort zone.....am starting to wish I had said we couldn't go.....and do I have to wear a hat and end up with hat hair??

Please help me not to look and feel like a right tit.

Also, nowt too expensive as I doubt it'll get worn again too soon!

Thanks all you groovy stylish mumsnetters in anticipation.
mwah, mwah xxx

YOU NEED A DRESS. And a shawly thing to wear over your arms if you are self conscious. I too have veiny backs of knees (Yuck) and have found fake tan and brisk disco dancing at a wedding deflects attention.

Depending on your budget, have a look in Dorothy Perkins, or Monsoon who I think do good size 14's. I am one.

I've just had a similar problem buying for a wedding in August. I have 3 'events' to go to and 2 are formel so I ended up with a pair of nice linen trousers and a short sleeved blouse for one and a 2 skirts and different tops but I can't link to them as I got them here in Germany (the linen trousers are from C and A) so not too expensive but still smart. I'll be dressing all the outfits up with nice necklaces, bracelets etc. I was initially looking for dresses but then thought I never really wear dresses and I'll atleast get some use out of the seperate things I've bought.

Thanks both. LOL at wild disco dancing..think I may have to adopt that approach myself.

I need Gok Wan. I walk into a shop and have no idea what to pick up and try on and then walk out with nothing. Any suggestions off the monsoon website Maidamess?

Linen trousers could be a good option too as I do think I might get more wear from them but is that ok for a wedding?

Does your local Monsoon have a personal shopper service? I have used the one in mine for a dress for a wedding, and they were really good - not pushy, and didn't try and persuade me to buy the most expensive dress, which is what I was worried about. There is no obligation, so if you don't like anything they suggest then you don't have to buy anything at all - it might be worth a thought?

I seem to have been to loads of weddings recently (of that age) and people wear a whole range of things from summer dresses to trousers and tops to stuff I would only wear on a night out (and possibly not even then). No-one seems to wear hats these days sadly so probably be fine to go without. Dorothy Perkins have got 20% off on dresses and shoes (possibly just on-line) at the moment.

Good idea Frazzled, didn't know about that service..do you have to pay for it? I'll ask at our nearest branch but its only in a small town so not sure if it'd have one.

Not sure for the church, depends how close you are to the family maybe? You can go all the way and start looking for a hat too and matching handbag! Think nowadays things aren't too strict or not? No expert here though, I got married in jeans at a registry office in a south German town and dh had his rucksack at the ready to rush off back to work

Something like this? With a cropped cardigan for the arms?
This would hide the arms, but is a bit dark for a wedding. Nice shape though.
And I love the colour and shape of this.

JackieNo I love that first red monsoon dress!! Its gorgeous..what shoes and arm hiding shawl thing would you wear with it?

Bum, they've only got a size 8 in it.

Principles good too:
Navy and white
This is gorgeous, but maybe a bit eveningy?
This pretty too
Sleeves and butterflies v in this season.

Don't forget, they may have different sizes in the actual shop - monsoon seems weird for not having much choice of sizes online, I find.
Several colours to choose from for cardigan/shrug. Maybe just white? Not sure what the dark colour is in the pattern, if dark blue, maybe that.

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Simple white shrug/cardi thing (but I bet we can find something less pricey)

But isn't coast a bit ££, cod?

I like the navy and white one. That other dark one is lovely but agree too eveningy for a church.

Is there like a multi-purpose shawl/cardigan type thing one can wear to cover ones horrible arms?

The personal shopper service is free

debenhams is good, I am same age, height and size as you maybe something like this? lots more on that site anyway

Cheaper shrug
erm, lurex. Would have to see it in the flesh. Prob not.

Me wearing Coast would be a bit like trying to polish a turd.

And too pricey

Debenhams also do the personal shopper thing - free and not pushy. Definitely worth it if you're a bit out of your comfort zone

Try Additions. I went to a wedding recently and ordered stuff from there to see what style I suited then sent it back. I ended up with a dress and I am normally a joggie bottoms and t shirt girl. It was a church do and people were wearing all sorts of things. One thing I did notice is that Black and White is VERY in at the moment for weddings.

Yes - Debenhams personal shopper thing is great.

They have loads of cardigan/shrug things too.

Also if you see a stlye you like you cuold look on ebay. If you are not going to wear it again you can always put it back on ebay.