Please help me find a dress to wear in the evenings on holiday.

[CosmicMountain]

I'm going to Portugal soon and its forecast to be 30°C at 8pm. And I already run hot thanks to perimenopause.

I'd like a lovely dress to wear to go out to dinner in the evening that won't leave me sticky.

Maybe no sleeves to air my armpits but wide straps so I'm not revealing too much flesh. I must wear a bra (34f).

Not billowy - too much fabric. Talking of fabric, is it best to go for light cotton, linen or perhaps viscose?

Colour wise, I'm flexible. I have dark brown hair and eyes and love burnt orange or jade green.

I'm size 12-14, bigger bust than hips and a slightly wobbly belly. I don't like anything high necked.

Budget is ideally less than £100.

Can anyone recommend something vaguely like this?

The short ones are too casual. White and me don't play nicely. Looks fab, until I spill something 5 seconds into wearing it.

What do you think of this?

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/angelica-midi-dress-2615795002?_gl=111ct5y8_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwg5zTBhCLARIsAP2AFU4GYGkbXoy8wA6Jg9AnrIPmLtQzyEVAoPtVKOBkFKQACRwhc1cVkFEaAqcrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIXU3kwsJTiW3S7cywwVlzeYz

Is this too casual?

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/malia-midi-dress-2614889001?_gl=1uj21xc_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwg5zTBhCLARIsAP2AFU4GYGkbXoy8wA6Jg9AnrIPmLtQzyEVAoPtVKOBkFKQACRwhc1cVkFEaAqcrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIXU3kwsJTiW3S7cywwVlzeYz

Or this?

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/green-drop-waist-cora-midi-dress-d255144grn?_gl=1to9if1_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwg5zTBhCLARIsAP2AFU4GYGkbXoy8wA6Jg9AnrIPmLtQzyEVAoPtVKOBkFKQACRwhc1cVkFEaAqcrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIXU3kwsJTiW3S7cywwVlzeYz

Is thia too wench like?

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/sleeveless-melody-midi-dress-2615961002?_gl=1rhw2dj_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwg5zTBhCLARIsAP2AFU4GYGkbXoy8wA6Jg9AnrIPmLtQzyEVAoPtVKOBkFKQACRwhc1cVkFEaAqcrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIXU3kwsJTiW3S7cywwVlzeYz

Marks & Spencer's dress is no good?

When I've tried on shirred items before, they sort of flatten me @principalskinna

Just got a better bra, honestly I had big tits and they were the best
(Then I had a breast reduction and that was even better)

Quite nice, all of them - but I'm a 36F & there's no way I could wear those! Used to be a 34B & wanted bigger boobs - didn't appreciate what I had back in my 20s! If they fit you well, that's what matters? Worth a try?

Yes, spot on. That length just looks a bit odd and dated at the moment. I would definitely go for either long or short.

I don’t think any of those are interview appropriate for a senior role. I think far too casual. For what it’s worth I had mine today and was glad to be in a jacket and smart dress. I went for comfortable flats and left the heels at home which was also a good choice.

Oops wrong thread!!! Haha I was wondering why everyone was suddenly going so casual.

How about something like this? https://www.reserved.com/gb/en/linen-rich-dress-485jo-99x
Personally I find long, loose, billowy the best for hot evenings and I think a maxi dress looks instantly glam.

Don't think the OP wants black, but it's a very nice dress.

I love the straps on that @WhereAreWeNow; they're like giant ric rac.

They dont have many sizes left and I'm trying to move away from safety in black.

I've ordered a couple of dresses from Nobody's Child and the Albaray one. I shall report back when they arrive.

I'm still open to options if anyone spots anything.

@EmeraldShamrock000 I'm open to looking on Vinted but I don't know how to narrow the options down to what I'm looking for and there is so much stuff on there and lots of it is completely unsuitable.

Choose your size on the option filter.
Ask an example search dress, look for the filter tab, choose your size, only new with tags or new without tags, it filters out the rubbish.

I’ve always struggled to get nice dresses for the evening pre holiday , but I’m a seasoned traveller now and quite honestly the best holiday dresses I have bought are the ones I’ve found over there . Portugal do some beautiful cotton cool dresses . The Portuguese women are very stylish and they have some beautiful shops . Reasonably priced too

Are there any independent shops near you? I ventured into the very fancy looking one in a town near us recently and discovered they had a whole range of very wafty dresses. The pricing seemed completely inconsistent but they were all more reasonable than I expected so I bought two.
I may also look when I’m on holiday but there is always even more of a disconnect between what I expect to look like and what I actually look like than there is at home! And then, to rub salt into the wound, you do see a local wearing the same cheap as chips dress and looking fabulous in it.

I’ve just bought this and it looks lovely on, can’t wait to wear it on holiday
https://share.google/WPAZXyhW0fMKTA6ET

Have you actually thought about the charity shops op ? Absolutely loads of pure cotton and linen in ours at the moment. You could get more than one for your budget.

As you like rusty/burnt-orange tones, OP - what about this? It's cotton - floral but I rather like this print? A little bit 50s ( the print, not the dress style).

https://www.monsoon.co.uk/lori-sleeveless-floral-midi-dress-orange-10081410010.html

This too might suit, if you can locate it somewhere in a medium.

https://www.monsoon.co.uk/nell-linen-blend-sleeveless-midi-dress-red-10004070006.html

Great finds @EleanorMc67. I do love a 50s print. I'd prefer less white space and a slightly lower neckline but it's in my maybe pile.

The red is lovely but the buttons look strange to me. And like you say, not many sizes left.

You are quite .. exacting ..?

Nothing wrong with that regarding the right dress - or the right restaurant, the right job, the right man ... exacting is a good thing 😁!!!