At 54, I Stood in Every Wedding Photo and Liked Every One

A note from a regular Scott and Daughters customer about the evening dress with a draped V-neck and a softly defined waist. I stood next to the bride all afternoon and never once thought about my middle.

The Emma, in Green.

For years, every wedding invitation came with the same knot in my stomach. Not the wedding. The photos.

Evening dresses were either tight through the middle or so shapeless I looked twice my size. I'd buy something, wear it once, and hide at the back of every group photo.

I've been buying from Scott and Daughters for years, so when the Emma came up I ordered it in green. It arrived quickly, and I tried it on in the hallway before I'd even opened the rest of the post.

Hanging on the wardrobe door the night before. Mine is the green.

What it is

It's a long evening dress with a draped V-neckline, light sheer sleeves that flutter just past the shoulder, and a softly gathered waist. The skirt is longer at the back than the front, so it flows when you walk.

The part that made the difference for me is the waist. It gives me a shape without squeezing, and the draping at the neckline draws the eye up.

For the first time in years, I didn't hide at the back of the photo.

One dress, one wedding

The first time I wore it was my niece's wedding. I stood next to the bride for the family photos, then again for the cake, then again on the dance floor.

When the photos came through, I didn't skip past a single one of me. Two of my cousins asked where the dress was from before the speeches had even started.

→ Read about the Emma

What I noticed after

Four things I noticed, and I wrote them down because I knew I would want to remember.

1. Arms Covered, Without a Jacket. The sleeves are sheer and light, so my upper arms are covered but I never felt hot. I didn't need a wrap or a jacket all evening.

It still looks elegant, not like I was hiding.

At the reception, with no wrap or jacket.

2. A Skirt That Moves When You Dance. The skirt is longer at the back and flows with every step. On the dance floor it swung with me instead of clinging.

I danced far more than I'd planned to.

The skirt swings with you on the dance floor.

3. A Shape Without Squeezing. The waist is softly gathered, so it gives a defined shape without pressing in. I sat through the dinner and the speeches comfortably.

With the draped V-neck above it, the whole line just looks graceful.

The softly gathered waist and draped V-neck.

4. One Dress for Every Big Occasion. It's made for weddings, formal dinners, cocktail parties and cruises. With heels and a clutch it looks right at all of them.

I've already got it out again for a formal dinner next month.

Ready for a formal dinner, with heels and a clutch.

Now, about the price

I paid $84.95 AUD. The earlier price was $209.95 AUD.

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It's on sale because Julie, who started Scott and Daughters, is handing the shop over to her daughters Emily and Charlotte. To mark the new chapter they're running a New Chapter Sale, and the Emma is part of it.

What I'd tell you if we were friends

If you have a wedding or a big dinner coming up and you're dreading the photos, this is the dress I'd point you to. It comes in green, red and brown, in sizes S to 3XL.

I went with my usual size. Have a look at the size chart on the product page first. Mine is the green, and I'd happily wear it to every occasion this year.

Combining items also means you can get up to 25% extra on the whole store.

— Megan