48, overweight and 2 weddings to attend. Please help!

[MrsFlittersnoop]

I have a wedding to attend in 10 days time, another in June and am completely at sea sartorially speaking.

I'm 5'10 in my bare feet and a size 16 hourglass shape. Nigella-ish hair and colouring. Anything that exposes upper arms or requires less than heavy-duty nork support is out of the question, ditto anything that reveals cankles/varicose veins on calves. Can't manage heels all day either.

I've been a SAHM for a while so don't even have to scrub up for work anymore. I get most of my clothes from eBay.

I'm going shopping in the West End tommorrow and need to start looking for an outfit. Being a tall lass, I'm wondering if I could get away with a maxi dress, with a shrug or bolero top?

I also have a lovely gold lace Ghost loose coat jacket, which I was thinking of wearing over a very pretty gold and pink floral patterned tunic dress and a pair of pink chiffon Ghost trousers, with a couple of long strings of beads and flat gold pumps (outfit will hide big arse and legs.) Trouble with this outfit is at my age, there's a very fine line between boho-chic and fat old hippy!

One wedding will have loads of my oldest friends there whom I've known since I was 15. The other is much more formal and has several of DH's clients attending. I won't know anyone there, so feel obliged turn out well. I really want to feel comfortable and relaxed on both occasions, as well as looking drop dead gorgeous of course.

All suggestions will be very gratefully received!

Maxi dress could work really well, but would suggest getting and empire line one and putting a wide belt on to make the most of your figure (imo, maxi dress can make you look pg if no belt or waist definition) and it does mean you could get away with wearing sandals too.

The Ghost outfit sounds lovely, but can you sharpen it up a bit? I think with the long beads it could look a little on the hippyish side, but without seeing it i couldn't tell for sure.

Thanks Alice! I was thinking Empire line myself. A shrug also means I can wear a normal bra underneath. Pretty sandals/flats not a problem.

I'm not really sure I know how to "sharpen up" an outfit - I've always been utterly useless at accessorizing.

The problem with the Ghost outfit is that the tunic dress is waisted with a fairly full skirt. This means it adds a lot of unwanted "bulk" around my hips when worn under the coat. I should have had it altered to a straight up and down shift style .

I think no to maxi
Make you look like a ship in full sail.
I would get a pair of well fitting trouers and top all in oen colour.
then get a plain overcoat in another colour or finifhs.

frivol i would have to disagree with you there. I think the op sounds like a colourful person and wouldn't be comfortable in something plain. She is tall so as long as she gets the 'right' dress she will be stunning. Try Monsoon as they have some lovely maxi dresses, but do try on as it needs to feel right.

frivol i would have to disagree with you there. I think the op sounds like a colourful person and wouldn't be comfortable in something plain. She is tall so as long as she gets the 'right' dress she will be stunning. Try Monsoon as they have some lovely maxi dresses, but do try on as it needs to feel right.

Right
this may not be your colour but a plain "coat" thing his was the on eg i could find over say in this eg cream wide leg cool wool trews and a plain tank
wihta statement turqioue necklace and contrasting shoes and clutch.

and a sharp hair do.

oh bugger

every fucker there will be in Monsoon though.
I think big prints on big women make them look big.
instead go for interesting accessories to a pplain but coloured outfit.

Hmm. Quite right about every other fucker wearing Monsoon (which would normally be my first port of call ). But very few of the other guests will be wearing a maxi I suspect.

That coat would be a v. good shape for me Frivol - many thanks! Smart tailored trousers are a nightmare to find though if you are tall and curvy. I will check out LK Bennett when I'm in town - their clothes look lovely!

I have always had a rep. for being rather flamboyant and strikingly dressed (in a non-bonkers way!) at functions like weddings. Also "sharp" hairdo almost impossible to achieve, my hair is shoulder-length, thick and and wavy and I have a fringe. I look terribly moon-faced when my hair has been straightened and DH hates it. Up-styles reveal knobbly jaw-line and saggy chin nowadays....

right then just get it blow dries that borning.

reflect your charater in the cool necklace not silly clothes.
for good tailored trews be prepared to spend - go to a dept store and get a personal shopper maybe?

I woudl get cool wool ones deffo to look ££.
kew ones are nice but are only 32 inch long - see if they have a hem.

if oyu have to have a print what about this
LA

I have a blow-dry booked for the morning of the wedding.

I was thinking about the personal shopper thing. Which stores in central London could you recommend? I've been very restrained on the retail therapy front since being out of work so I'm prepared to give the cards a bit of a bashing.

I dont know.
where would you like to shop? You haev a largeish budget dont you.. selfridges?

have a look in the archives - see who says what...

here you are ring fast

A friend of mine raved about the Selfridges personal shopping experience. She got a GORGEOUS wedding outfit and there was no hard selling.