Looking for a colourful structured wedding dress that still feels bridal

[Losingmymind85]

Hi

I'm getting married at the end of the year. It's second time for both of us so it's at a registry office then hotel for the reception.
I know I don't want to wear white but I'm struggling to find something fabulous that looks 'bride', not guest or bridesmaid.
It needs to be:

1. Colourful. I suit bright, jewel tones like emerald green and cobalt blue. Also black. A solid colour rather than patterned. I don't suit reds, yellows or pastel tones.
2. Fitted and structured. I'm 5ft 1 with a pear shape. My hips are wide and my lower half is chunkier than my top half. Probably a size 8 up top and a 10/12 on the bottom. I need something that really nips the waist in. I have a very short torso so the waist coming in just under the bust tends to flatter more.

Nothing floaty as I look like I'm playing dress up.

Necklines and sleeves I'm open to everything but would prefer no one shoulder dresses.

I don't mind about length but midi and short suit better than long as more fabric tends to swamp me and make my bottom half look bigger (which I want to avoid). No pockets either as they are designed to hit at my widest point.

No skirts/top combos. Really don't have the shape for them.

Please help. Budget is under £500 and id love to be able to wear it again after the wedding.

congratulations! Dolly and Dotty have some lovely ones that might work
Beverly Black Off Shoulder Dress | LBD Little Black Dress
One Shoulder Black Formal Dress

Pressed send too early! I also meant to include LadyVLondon
Malachite Hepburn Dress Sale | Lady V London
And also realised you specified no one shoulder dresses, so ignore that first one! 🙈

British Retro?

'Dee Dee' Drape Deep Purple Vintage Full Circle Dress | British Retro https://share.google/YDySxsT84j1dK49fE

LBD? Or this one with a veil would look so cool!
I know you said no pattern, but empire line and gorgeous, also structured
Velvet for winter wedding
Another green if you like that 50s shape

Congratulations! 💍

DIL bought a beautiful emerald green ball gown (relatively inexpensive as not a ‘bridal’ garment) and then paid a local dressmaker to add a layer of more traditional lace over the entire bodice and skirt. It looked wonderful and was truly unique.

Ooh if you went down the LBD route here's a Vivienne Westwood (so definitely structured...a bit over budget though)

I see quite a few retro 50s-ish styles being suggested. If those shapes/styles are your thing OP, I would bypass the reproduction polyester ones for £50 & look for the real deal.

These are all 50s/60s dresses from UK sellers on Etsy, in your size (on top in 8 or larger, mostly free size on lower half), & all well under budget. You might even be near enough to some sellers that you can visit & try them on. Others offer returns. And you can get a dress tweaked by a good tailor to fit you perfectly - taken up to your perfect length etc.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4550951661/vintage-1960s-handmade-navy-satin-dress?ref=share_ios_native_control

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4491562241/1960s-metallic-pink-dress-uk-size-8-10?ref=share_ios_native_control

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4384135411/stunning-1960s-nina-ricci-blue-floral?ref=share_ios_native_control

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4452424112/green-gold-1960s-brocade-dress-uk-size-8?ref=share_ios_native_control

This one is from a later era - it's 80s/90s silk brocade.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4474035845/vintage-silk-brocade-statement-dress?ref=share_ios_native_control

Also rather love this 70s black one ...

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4533549054/1970s-frank-usher-velvet-dress-uk-size-8?ref=share_ios_native_control

https://www.thehippieshake.co.uk/products/blue-floral-embroidered-maxi-dress
You'll need to get it shortened. Great reveiws on Trustpilot .

Once again EleanorMc67 has some splendid ideas. Would you consider running style classes?. I would be there like a shot.

Have a look at Self Portrait, they have some fab dresses!

How about this at Coast?

https://www.coastfashion.com/product/coast-petite-lace-hem-structured-satin-maxi-dress_bcc12285?colour=magenta

Coast have some beautiful dresses, I love this one.

How about this, from Coast too? They don't have it in petite, but you could maybe get it in a 10 or 12 to fit your bottom half the get it adjusted to fit your top half and height perfectly.

https://www.coastfashion.com/product/coast-3d-corsage-structured-satin-maxi-dress_bcc12276?colour=berry

That peacock print one from Liberty is an absolute winner @Losingmymind85… I want it now and I’ve got nothing to wear it to!

Thanks everyone.
A lot of the 50s style swing dresses are too low waisted for me, although the colours are wonderful. The green one @AllFakeFurCoatAndNoSpanx has the right top half, but the bottom half I think would drown me. Love the peacock print but not the ruffles. It's just a lot and I prefer clean lines.
@Charlatanfreethesedays both too low waisted I'm afraid. It really needs to hit directly under the bust.
@LowAndSlow Great colour and the waist fit is right, just a bit too floaty for me.

Nadine Merabi and Self-Portrait might have some options that fit your brief.

How about something like this from Etsy? (you can choose colour)
Is this too floaty? (available in emerald green)

Ahh sorry just seen your update that you definitely want under bust/empire line!

Classic Ghost cut? (I love these dresses)

This is quite a tough brief OP... I agree with Ghost.

https://www.ghost.co.uk/delphine-navy-button-through-satin-maxi-dress-d10g035-k10?

I also thought Self-Portrait but they might be too low-waisted for you.

https://www.self-portrait.com/products/pf26-navy-boucle-tailored-midi-dress

Rixo? https://rixolondon.com/products/corrine-dress-diana-embellishment-forest-green

Any of these?

https://africanclothingstore.co.uk/products/ankara-maxi-ruffle-shoulder-dress-in-blue-malia?variant=57735337050456

A bit outside your brief. I picked up on the "pear-shaped" and "bright colours" and remembered a thread a while back where someone suggested dresses designed for African and African diaspora women, because they tend to be designed for a pear-shaped silhouette and often have detailing at the top that help to balance out wide hips.

@Losingmymind85 wrote “The green one ** has the right top half, but the bottom half I think would drown me. Love the peacock print but not the ruffles. It's just a lot and I prefer clean lines.”

It fits the bill of being weddingy special to me. How about cutting it off where the ruffles start? It would still be midi or knee length, and I’ll rehem it for you for free. You could use the cut off bits to make something else - a matching bag perhaps, as it has no pockets? Something shaped like this, but softer because silk rather than leather.

https://frockandfrill.com/products/paige-navy-lace-midi-dress