occasion wear for fat chicks - fashion help needed!
Hey all...I have a ball on 23 March and have nothing to wear... (of course!!!)
when you have to go to a swanky do - where do you buy clothes? I think I'm pretty much a UK 18 - but could be between 16 -20 (very much depends on the dress and the store!) I don't want to spend of ton of money, but I do want to look good.
I HATE my arms and do not bare them if I can help it...but I can buy a shrug.
I also have another problem issue...my legs are covered with bruises. Right now I have two massive dark bruises above each knee (each bigger than the palm of my hand)- and some fading bruises down my calves. Even if these go by then - I am likely to pick up more bruises as I got these from playing rugby.
Any fashion ideas or good ideas of places to shop?
Are there any good consignment shops near you? or Oxfam boutique?
Are you looking for cocktail (short) or ballgown (long)? You could probably find something short at M&S or a similar level dept. store, although a formal long dress will be a bit harder to find.
Debenhams! The debut range has lots of full length, gorgeous satin (and other material) evening dresses/ball gowns. I have three of their dresses in slightly different style and colour variations and I love them- very flattering and easy to wear.
Otherwise, perhaps somewhere like BHS in their bridesmaids range?
The debut dresses are a bit pricey, maybe £100 for a dress, but there are often lots of them on eBay, I don't think I've ever bought one full price. Hope that helps!
To me a dress for a ball should be long, I am not in your country so can't help you where to shop but if it were me I would be looking for a long gown.
I am not in the UK either but envious of you going to a ball! I never go to anything fancy like that!!
If it was me, I'd look for a dress with sleeves (probably 3/4 length so I could wear a flashy bracelet) and not have to worry about a shawl type wrap. I always get myself all tangled up and disheveled anytime I tried to wear one!
You could do a shorter dress if you wear dark black tights which would cover your bruises (depending on the affair, like Bargoo said it could be a long gown event?).
I already bought 3 dresses for ANYTHING I can get myself invited to soon before the dresses are too big. I got great deals on them so even if I wear them once, they will pay for themselves. Worst case scenario, I'll wear them food shopping one day just to say I wore them. OR....I'll have to have a date night with the husband soon!
Good luck in your search. Please show us what you finally decide on, I love dresses!
I think this particular ball is a bit flexible...the theme is 'Best of British' - was thinking of wearing an orange jumpsuit as a number of my ancestors left Britain in trouble and not by choice. But I was told in no uncertain terms that this would not be ok by one of my friends. The ball is at the rugby club, so maybe I can count the bruises as accessories.
I almost always go to either Debenhams or Monsoon for evening wear. The faulty rails in Monsoon are a godsend, I once got a ball gown in there for £15 reduced for £150 just cos it had a tiny pin hole in the back.
Faulty rails??? Are these just at bigger Monsoons? Must find the faulty rails - even for day dresses.
I tried on a couple of dresses at TK Maxx including one that I really didn't think would fit - but actually almost did. In a size US 12!! It was a bit tight across the bust and would have needed some industrial strength control undergarments, but nearly there. I would have bought it in hope if it had had a lower neckline. I don't let the girls out very often...but it's a special occasion.
TK Maxx, Debenhams, Monsoon, ASOS, sometimes you might strike lucky at places like Dorothy Perkins and Wallis that go up to a size 22.
You can also try Simply Be that have some really pretty dresses from a size 12 up or Very.co.uk xx
I saw really nice dresses at TJ Maxx today which I think is the same as your TK Maxx and they were only $39.99. I thought of you when I was looking through them but I have nowhere to wear them. They weren't ballroom type but just nice spring dresses that would be nice for a night out or a really professional job with a fancier dresscode (like a lawfirm maybe).
I'm literally covered in bruises now and I have two or three more matches before this ball...so I wanted maximum coverage.
First I tried on a white cocktail dress at TK Maxx (yes it is the same as TJ Maxx) - and wow did it look good! Couldn't believe it. But I had this horrible vision of getting drunk and having a go on the scrum machines at the rugby club and ending up covered in mud. I probably wouldn't do that, but I probably would drop my dinner in my lap. Also I don't go sleeveless, so I would have had to find a wrap and where do you go with a white dress in terms of covering up leg bruises?
Plus the whole 'white shoes twixt Labor Day and Memorial Day' thang - you can take a girl out of the South, but....
I actually bought a slinky black cocktail dress, similar in design to the white one, but not quite as hot. I would have had to alter the straps (they were too loose) and of course buy a wrap.
But then.... I went to an Indian dress shop and bought myself a Salwar Kameez. They come with trousers...so no tights and no worry about coverage. It came with 'net' sleeves which shows bruises and makes my arms look like very plump sausages, but at a good Indian dress shop anything is possible, so they are making me fully lined sleeves. I don't have the dress, but it will be ready later today and I'll post up a pic.
And to me this totally fits the 'Best of British' theme - for the fantastic British ability to accomodate many cultures and make some elements of them part of the mainstream.
occasion wear for fat chicks - fashion help needed!
