Another wedding guest one (sorry!)

[BitLippie]

Summer black tie wedding coming up and haven’t a clue what to wear. All the high street-level black tie dresses seem hideously cheap and prom dress looking.

Wedding is at a very high end venue in London.

I’m late 40s, tall, size 12 hourglass, long legs (yay), saggy bust and slight mum tum (boo).

I don’t want to look like mother of the bride OR like an aged Love Island wannabe, which seems to be whats available on the high street.

Where do I look? I could hire instead of buy. Open to either.

Thank you in advance!

This Reiss jumpsuit comes in a 12 longer length, OP?

https://ebay.io/m/KfrZWX

This one is elegant too, & it's floorlength on the 5' 10" model? Bra doable too.

https://www.reiss.com/style/su966984/ay7532

Lovely colour, & a total bargain - but I think that's because no-one with boobs can buy it!

https://www.reiss.com/style/su829907/f27873

Lovely colour - with fab accessories could look really good & black tie appropriate?

https://www.meandem.com/cross-over-front-feature-maxi-dress-ultra-red

This might come back in in tall? And I know you want colour - but lipstick & accessories could do that? Strapless bra wearable with it.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-strapless-taffeta-dress-black-d1668blk

Ballerina-length rather than maxi, but tulle so counts as black-tie IMO.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/tulle-ruched-square-neck-maxi-waisted-dress/p/clp23064370?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

Silk satin top & skirt that look like a dress together but wearable separately. Bit over budget, but lovely.

https://www.meandem.com/silk-satin-crinkle-maxi-skirt-ultra-red

Plum satin maxi from Whistles.

https://www.whistles.com/product/thea-cowl-satin-maxi-dress-41165.html

Black but jacquard with a silvery pattern. Could add bright accessories.

https://www.mytheresa.com/gb/en/women/rotate-floral-jacquard-midi-dress-black-p01086855

Love the green tulle and the top and skirt just linked. The first looks like it will suit your description of your style and colouring and arm/sleeve requirements.

Wouldn’t wear black to a wedding. Any other colour than black.

This is fabulous and comes in jewel toned. green and burgundy, really suits an hour glass figure. It’s striking and you could wear any bra with it, plus it would look amazing with some gold earrings. It is tight but I think the whole-body coverage saves it from ‘Live Island wannabe’!

My only reservation would be whether you could be too hot - but you might be ok at an evening wedding:

clubllondon.com/products/solarium-dark-green-long-sleeve-maxi-dress-with-gold-detail-cl137526038

This is similar but maybe more summer appropriate. Could definitely wear a good one shouldered bra beneath it.

https://www.asos.com/goddiva/goddiva-cowl-neck-maxi-dress-in-emerald/prd/207214238#colourWayId-207214239

Also to add that I don’t know if you’re broad shouldered (I am at 5’10”) but the above two options are both flattering on the shoulders if so without the need for halter neck bra uncertainty!

🙄

This and the two Ghost dresses you’ve linked are gorgeous! 😍

Shame I’m short and booby 🤣

Black has been acceptable wedding guest wear for a long time - & it would be especially "correct" to wear at a black-tie evening wedding, which this is.

https://www.adriannapapell.com/blogs/wedding-planning/can-you-wear-black-to-a-wedding

I know you said you wanted to show off your waist, OP - but sooooo many of the dress options out there are therefore of the long bias-cut variety. They're everywhere! Ghost, Reformation, Rixo, Rat & Boa etc ... & so many are hard/impossible to wear with a bra. Ditto with most of the suitable dresses from Topshop, Zara etc - which might be within budget but don't fit your brief.

I'm not suggesting this dress per se, as the colour might be too warm for your liking? But what about this shape? The A-line looks more modern to me. And I have a feeling that there will be an absolute sea of bias-cut dresses - & possibly jumpsuits - at the wedding. That would make me want to wear something that was neither of those things ...

https://ebay.io/m/YEdQau

That's interesting. There are some small designers on it doing good things, but in amongst what looks to me like a lot of overpriced dross - often badly/under-photographed & with little to no information on fabric content, length, etc.

I think if you spot something you like, it's better to look up that actual designer's website. Usually a wider selection there too.

@EleanorMc67 Jump suits have virtually disappeared from chic clothes shops. There won’t be a sea of them - unless they are MN stuck in the past of course.
@BitLippieMy DD is your shape. She gets nearly everything taken in at the waist by a tailor. The other option is a dress with a belt and you just nip in the side seams. A floaty bias cut doesn’t work - totally agree! Not sure you can afford it but Needle and Thread are worth a look and the sales are just around the corner if you can hang on for a bit longer? What about Farm Rio?

Liberty has a sale already. These might be ok? Ideas anyway: Toteme, Ganni, etc.

They mightn't be the most "chic" or fashion-led option, but there are still plenty around at Reiss, Me+Em etc. And I think people who are thrown by the thought of a full-on black-tie "frock" tend to gravitate towards jumpsuits - or one of the many bias-cut dress options out there. Plus though it's at a high-end London venue, we don't know if it will be a very fashion-y crowd or more traditional etc.

I'm not particularly into jumpsuits, I just posted those as the OP had ruled them out because of length - but those ones are in longer lengths than usual.

The circa £200 & ideally full-length brief does constrain things quite a bit, as cheaper "gowns" tend to be polyester horrors from websites that are always suggested but I personally wouldn't go near. They are fashion/style voids. As the OP has, I think, already discovered in her initial searches ...!

Agree if the OP can hang on til the sales, there will be bargains to be had. Some sales have started already.

I was quite impressed with the wide range of styles and colours and the cost in the Self Portrait sale selection - flick thru to dresses and select maxi and midi.

https://www.self-portrait.com/collections/sale-maxi-dresses

Have a look on Vinted - filter for colour, size, brand and new with/without tickets etc. You’ll be AMAZED at the number of new or worn once wedding-type outfits on there.

These are my favourites:

https://www.self-portrait.com/products/sc25-black-velvet-cut-out-maxi-dress

https://www.self-portrait.com/products/aw24-red-rhinestone-mesh-maxi-dress

I'm all for bending the rules, but apart from the burgundy Rixo one I don't think these are black-tie evening wear? Even with the blingiest of accessories?

I did look at the Liberty sale, but at the lower end of prices all the Topshop dresses etc were once again bias-cut, backless, cut-away etc.