Yet another thread looking for a dress - but I have ONE DAY to shop and need a dress for a wedding in Australia

[angelene]

We're going to Australia at the end of March for BIL's wedding (huge excitement ), I need a dress and I literally have ONE day to shop in. I'm planning on spending the entire day shopping in Cardiff on Saturday - please can you help me research this?

I'm 5'4", size 14 and losing weight (YAY!) so I'm now up for looking for a dress. I have good norks, no waist, 'curvy' legs, weight generally on my tummy. I prefer sleeves... I'm a pale, Irish-looking redhead - there's a picture on my profile.

I'd like to go for something a bit vintage looking, but I'm not really sure what that might look like or where to look for it. I love wrap dresses and my wedding staple up to now has been a Diane von Furstenburg dress with a bold graphic print. I like strong colours and bold prints - anything pale or with a small, delicate pattern and I just wash out. I also can't wear navy or most other blues for some reason. Turquoise is OK.

I need to have a bit of an idea before I set off on Saturday, anyone got any ideas?

Thank you all again

Oh sorry - should have said that budget is around £100-150.

sure you can't wear navy? Have looked at your pic and think this would look fab on you with some magenta shoes/bag

This is lovely and looks retro/vintage

Lovely colours

This is cute

Any of those close?

The first one again - think I screwed the link up

Ooh, the John Lewis one is lovely and definitely worth trying on - the pink may well lift the navy.

I definitely can't wear shift type dresses because they just squash my boobs. The Coast ones may be a bit pale.

Thank you!

love that fahri one but if you need yellowy based things i can see it may not do.

angelene why not see if john lewis can give you a personal shopper slot?

Yes to personal shopper - also try the same at Debenhams - they have a good range of stuff.

This looks good, though not particularly retro.

I'd def try and book a personal shopper slot at JL - then you get to drink coffee while they run round bringing you dresses to try on

also i visited cardiff a few weeks ago and rather liked this shop

I found my friend an amazing dress at Karen Millen for a wedding (incidentally also in Australia). She is pale and Irish but more pear shaped than you but maybe have a look online www.karenmillen.co.uk and see if there's anything there? Looks like there is a Karen Millen in Cardiff anyway ...

Whats the weather like in Aus just now?

Would you consider a maxi dress?

Lovely colour not sure about the shape - you'd have to try it on to see whether it worked (but it ought to pack well ).

Phase Eight has some lovely ones, but not that many with sleeves. Might be worth a visit though.

Sure about shift dresses? I've got no waist to speak of, but got 'styled' by some poncy shop assistants in NY last year who put me in shift dress/big belt/heels etc and OhMySuddenlyIHadAShape. Wondering if that Merenge dress from Coast might do the same thing..

You could always try contacting www.getcutie.co.uk/gallery/index.html Get Cutie]] for a custom-made dress, their fabrics are awesome.

did you look at mint velvet?

Arse, sorry about that Get Cutie. The shame of cocking up a link

Ooh, some great ideas. I've just called John Lewis and they don't have an appointment for Saturday but I've booked on for the 13th just in case.

geordieminx - the weather will be Autumnal (but apparently probably nicer than a Welsh autumn ), I would possibly think about a maxi dress, never had one before though.

30andLurking I've never found a shift dress to suit me, which is a damn shame because otherwise I'd be beating a path to this But I'd definitely give it a go although my tummy probably wouldn't help either.

Angelene whereabouts in Australia is the wedding? It's likely to be quite hot still in March unless you are in Tassie.

Well the wedding is in Sale which apparently is a couplathree hours outside Melbourne, and is the 10th April. We've got a week and a bit in Sydney, then a couple of days in Melbourne before the wedding. So in addition to this dress-buying I also have to buy summer/spring casual clothes, I have the sum total of three t-shirts which suit me.

Never been before, I'm REALLY excited!

I have a real fancy for this and think it would look great with your colouring. Not at all the style you asked for though!

has osmeoen linked to teh damsel in a dress range?

angelene - I love the second one in - would look a dream on you

SuSylvester - Damsel in a dress range is lovely, thank you.

I'd LOVE one of your tracksuits btw

love this print