Please help an old, short, apple find a dress

[HurdyGurdy19]

I have no fashion/style sense at all. The last time I wore a dress was on my wedding day, over 40 years ago. I am 66 years old.

I have been eating more healthily and exercising daily for the last year. This time last year, I was pushing 17stone (108kg). This morning, I was 12stone 2lbs (77kg). This time last year, I was wearing size 24 clothes. Now, I can wear size 16 jeans, size 16 t shirts, but anything on top with buttons, I'm "safer" in a size 18, as otherwise the button line gapes.

I would dearly love to wear a dress when we go out for dinner for my husband's birthday at the end of this month. Currently, I only wear jeans and tshirt type tops. I still can't convince myself that I can/should wear anything that would reveal my shape.

I am only 5ft 2ins (1.57m), so everything I've even looked at in shops absolutely drowns me length-wise. My days of wearing high heeled shoes are well past me (and I have the deformed feet to show for it!), so wearing heels to lift the hem isn't an option. I can wear low heels - maybe 2inches?

Can anyone suggest a style of dress that I might cautiously try? I am an absolute apple shape - all boobs, belly and bum (hardly any of that weight has come off my boobs or belly🙁). I don't want to look like a sack that's been tied around the middle, nor do I want to look like Demis Roussos in a huge floating kaftan

I don't like animal print anything, and I'm not really taken with overly floral patterns

As I am still losing weight (want to lose at least another 2 stone), I don't want to buy anything too expensive in the shops, as I hopefully won't be wearing the item much longer. I am happy to buy from Vinted though

Am I a lost cause at the moment?

Edited to add - I only shop in Bon Marche at the moment, as that is the only women's clothes shop in our town, plus they do various leg lengths, so I can find jeans that are the correct length for my short legs (inside leg 27 in their jeans). Happy to venture further afield if there is anywhere that might be able to accommodate my shape.

@Shufflebumnessie , I linked that one earlier.
@SomeOtherUser , I like that one too.

I always think shift dresses look lovely on apple shapes, just skims past things and a nice, neat line. Not sure if fancy any of that kind of thing. Shirt dresses too look fab and can be worn over leggings, skinnies, tights.

Well done with all the weight loss, I bet you look amazing, hope feel good too!

That'll teach me to only skim the replies 😅

@Shufflebumnessie , I was pleased with my having picked something someone else liked. I had my moment of glory - me, style maven.

I did too - & I'm tall & was very slim when I wore those for work! They're just a very useful shape of dress, I think, for various body types. But especially if you put weight on at your middle first (I did, but still had skinny limbs).

As you say, easy to throw on, look structured rather than sack-ish - & no need to iron either!!! Think they were called the cocoon dress?

Not what OP is looking for but I love kilts. These sort of looks Skirts and Kilts – Plümo Ltd

That Jaeger M&S one is another very useful type of dress. Lots of ways to wear it & accessorise it.

That's the one! Had it in that colour & plum. Such a useful dress - though it doesn't look like much on the hanger!

I thought that.

This is the sort of midi shirt dress I was thinking. Rosina Shirt Style Midi Dress - Seasalt Cornwall or Ladies Liberty Viscose Dress, Multi - House of Bruar
The colour and pattern aren't quite right.

You sound very much like me, apple shaped and bigger up top than bottom, no real waist 🤦

I've brought nice dresses from Bonmarche, gone are they days when they were the crimpolene old ladies shop 😂

Also the supermarkets, Tesco, Asda & Sainsbury are well worth looking at.

Online I've brought from Little Madam who have some lovely dresses for the apple shape. They are based in Wales ! Fast delivery, easy returns but have to pay .

Well done on your weight loss and good luck.

Thank you for reminding me to check out Plũmo @StylishAndBeautiful
I love the Dahlia dress and the Vintage Lace dress.

I'm just stopping by to say this is such a lovely, heartwarming thread and I've enjoyed reading it very much. I love MN when it's like this.

OP, you sound lovely. I'm glad you're getting such amazing help on here and I'm sure you'll find something absolutely gorgeous that makes you feel fantastic.

Bon Marche might not be a Style & Beauty-approved retailer but my mother and her friends say the trousers are really comfortable.
I think with a lot of retailers, they will have nice things even if they're not S & B-approved.

I've got one or two things from shops like Peacocks and Matalan and I really like them, and nobody sees the label when I wear it. The supermarkets are pretty good too.

Going to buck the trend and say thatnas an apple, albeit not plus sized, I seem to do better if I define my waist. Otherwise I look larger all over. So shirt, drawstring or shirred waist dresses with a v neck. Skater dresses sometimes work.Shift or milkmaid dresses make me look pregnant.

Lisa Snowdon is modelling an edit for Bon Marche at the moment, I really like this two piece

@OsfameronTanamoril , I agree with you. If you have a bust, anything that hangs over them can look a bit like a maternity dress.

Bonmarché | Ladies Clothes & Fashion At Prices You'll Love

@minnowonthesay , thanks, the outfits look great!

I know you said dress but as a short apple I wear a lot of tights/mini skirt/v neck jumper/blazer outfits with ankle boots or loafers.
a good blazer hides a million so called flaws.
also re: petite clothing I dunno why but always go up a size!

so if set on dress idea go for a mini dress with tights (or make up on legs if don't like skin). with blazer.
I like something with a zip up front as tends to flatten and no gaping with buttons overboots. good structured material. cotton with elastane.
eg
https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-alima-ponte-zip-dress-black/p115468239?size=20&s_ppc=2dx_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20151164127&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1wX8AKPGpWKILhX-5TUVz3qd&gclid=CjwKCAjwwrPVBhA1EiwAv_YO-ebZqcXWIxMHU81DvG1jX1zWeVObxHTEdIJbmTNeL2-p3XYsz1rGlRoCxx4QAvD_BwE

over boobs* that should say

I really like that first Seasalt one - it has a very 70s vibe & is a great print (they either do great or awful prints IMO!).

Funnily enough, it reminds me a bit of this, which I'd been about to recommend, & which comes in petite. Also 70s-ish with long boots - & good for apples as slightly empire-line then gathers below bust & flows over stomach area.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-georgia-jersey-midi-dress-dark-green-ditsy-carnation-d1034dgr

On some threads there's a lot of sneering about certain brands. Especially Hobbs, Phase 8 & Karen Millen - I think because they're quite conventional/seen as default wedding-guest wear/dropped in quality & style since their heyday.

I don't shop at any of them as they're not really my style (though I did have some pieces in the 80s & 90s from Karen Millen & Hobbs in particular). But Hobbs has some very good classic bits like shirtwaisters, sandals etc. And Karen Millen has started to use better fabrics like silk-blend organza. So I would rarely write an entire - legitimate - brand off (though there are several that I dislike much more than the above!).

I've actually often thought about doing a post with several clothing images asking "What brand are these items?" (without using Google Lens!). As there are almost always some items that are unexpectedly different to/better than the usual clothes from any brand. I think that people would often get it completely wrong about these more stylish/contemporary/higher quality items!

I think the prints being great or awful applies to Boden too. Seasalt is good for having a range of sizes that suit all the sizes. The plain stuff is fine.
I like the shirtwaister and knee-length boots 1970s retro look. (I didn't wear it the first time round)

I like Hobbs (but the branch I go to has scary assistants who pounce). Phase Eight isn't quite me but some of their clothes are great. Never really looked at Karen Millen.
I think some posters sneer at brands when they're basing they're opinion on about 12 years ago. Expecting M&S to have British-made classics - well, yes, we'd never shop there then would we.

I think a blazer a size too small can help too, so it fits the shoulders but won’t do up, with a bias cut skirt and matching bias cut skimming cami underneath that finishes just below tummy - I actually think these sort of camis are great over trousers too. The skirt also looks good with a v neck jumper and knee high suede boots.

I am short and older and often buy from White Stuff, which is similar in style to Seasalt. They have plenty of petite dresses, also knee length dresses, which are midi on short people.

I didn't wear it first time round as I was a young child, but my mum & aunts did - & I probably love the 70s era more than any!

I'd agree re Boden. It's also harder to integrate very distinctive prints (where it's obvious that they're Boden/Seasalt etc) with other clothing, I find. I have to really love a print to buy something I know is easily recognisable & worn by lots of others - but if I do really love it then I don't care!

At M&S I tend to just look at Autograph as it's got back into its groove again. Plus the range is cut for taller women. But I buy the occasional piece from the standard ranges (usually secondhand though, as most of my wardrobe is).

I’d go for a Hobbs wrap dress - there are plenty on Vinted. I’m also an apple and they’re perfect as they can be tied slightly tighter or not as needed. I have these two and neither are too long - I’m 4’11”. The red one is the smarter of the two.

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/4288162494-hobbs-midi-dress?referrer=catalog
https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/9907867823-hobbs-wrap-around-dress-size-16?referrer=catalog