@Hoggirl another similar style to the first dress you liked, but in navy/blue floral:
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The dress @BunsenBurner shared is very pretty. Here is a similar shape a lower price point:
https://www.nordstrom.com/s/long-sleeve-jersey-dress-with-criss-criss-front-ruching/8896911
I like the blue shirt dress myself. I like a pattern and it looks like you can wear a regular bra, would be very comfortable and might even be repurposed if you wanted to have it shortened.
The off the shoulder dress is very nice also. I’m with you on the adjusting.
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That is beautiful. Unfortunately, it has a too-high slit in the front. I couldn’t pull off a thigh-high slit even if it weren’t church wedding. My crinkly-wrinkly thighs match my crinkly-wrinkly upper arms. 
Unfortunately, Dillards is my only option here, and they do not carry several of the brands being shared (e.g. La Femme and Chiari Boni), so I don’t know my size(s) in those brands. I’m leaning toward the Xscape brand because I prefer the scuba fabric to jersey as it hides more sins, and I know my size.
There are a lot of nuances to the Xscape dresses - some are quite similar but with different bodices, sleeve lengths, and ruffle & slit placements. I think I’ve found a style that clicks all the boxes for me. This is the same dress in two fabrications. The skirt is like the off-shoulder one - it wraps around and doesn’t excessively open when walking.
I’d prefer the burgundy color over, “midnight,” (which is a dark navy - the color in the off-shoulder), but I’m not sure if the stretch velvet makes it too holiday. I actually found the burgundy color in scuba in my size on eBay. It claims new-with-tags, and is a great price, but that process worries me if there is something wrong with the dress.
So, what do we think between these two fabrications?
Thanks for all the help and your patience! I promise if ds ever gets married, it won’t be this hard as I’ll be willing to up my budget!
@deb922 - I had definitely thought of that, but the price in that dress is $425, and I don’t think I love it that much. It’s also organza, so I fear a bit, “precious,” of a fabric.
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I love the first Xscape dress.
To me the velvet reads holiday or dead of winter.
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@Hoggirl I love the navy off the shoulder dress on you! I have a full length Xscape dress that I love. I have worn it to 2 formal weddings and a dressy Christmas party. I agree that the scuba fabric hides imperfections well.
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I line this one someone posted above. I think that velvet is too winter. I don’t think formal means long for a wedding invitation. Even black tie, you’ll see cocktail dresses. I think you could get by with a beautiful cocktail dress if you’d rather. I sometimes think those requirements are for men. A suit, not sports jacket.
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I’ve been enjoying seeing the gown suggestions here.
@Hoggirl I loved the malachite dress and I’m sure it would look great on you. the price is steep so that is a deterrent. Of the pictures you posted I like the navy off shoulder gown best.
I am idly looking for an outfit for a tentative event late next year — no firm date fixed yet so no guidance on clothing. I found this dress that I liked (won’t work for me because of arm issues). It’s available in a few combination of colors and sizes.
https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/product/kay-unger-mariah-jacquard-textured-gown-0400019127312.html
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I had shared that Kay Unger gown in the floral prints earlier. 
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@Hoggirl I had not heard of the Xscape brand before, but given the style you like, the scuba fabric, and a color you have said you also like, how about this one?:
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Nice one! Nordstrom sells this brand so returns are easy peasy even by mail.
Looks like a great knockoff of the Chiara Boni styles and fabric (also scuba like pu).
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A few years ago, I went to an October wedding in Tennessee. The invitation said “black tie optional”, but the MOB told me she expected that most dresses (except bridesmaids) would be short. It was a mix of dresses/lengths, but only MOB/MOG and bridesmaids were what I’d call really formal.
I wore a dress like this one. Mine was navy. I was tempted by a light grey color (not shown in link) - it was only $119. But… I already had my $8 navy version from thrift store, and my husband liked it better than any of the many styles/colors I tried on.
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@Hoggirl Ever since I did that dress search for you, I keep getting dress ads in my newsfeed. One came up that meets a lot of your criteria…brown and with sleeves and at a lower price.
NOTE: I don’t know why the Bloomingdales link doesn’t seem to work right so I found the dress also at Saks and that link works. Color is Mocha.
Dress the Population Maxwell long sleeve gown
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@Hoggirl, you may know this already, but at least some of the high end stores allow free shipping AND free returns (may be over certain $ amount, but most/all of the dresses you’re looking at meet the criteria).
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@hoggirl, I really like the floral shirt dress you sent a photo of. It is comfortable, so that’s an added bonus and you don’t need special undergarments, another huge bonus!
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I really like the shirt dress, and it looks like it would be nice even if you had it shortened after the wedding. If I recall correctly (but I may not), this wedding is early in the day? It feel like the shirt dress may be more appropriate for that time of day than some of the others, especially with embellishments.
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yes, I believe the shirt dress could look very nice shortened as well—to a midi or knee level dress.
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I think the shirt dress is close to $500
Which proves that we all have impeccable taste 
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Well, this one is much less expensive but doesn’t have the body of the other one and seems more casual. I like it though and it could look great for right person.
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Haha, had to go back and look.
The blue shirt dress is only $425!
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