what a con they are! Meant to let you all know how I got on with it. When I first put it on, it was fine - held me in (did wear a body slip underneath to smooth the wobbles out - wore my embroidered black jacket with it, sheer tights and very high heels! By the end of the evening, the dress had lost its shape considerably and looked baggy in all the wrong places. When M & S ask me to do a review, they will get it in the neck! So not a good buy I don't think. Will wear it again and hoping the lycra will have snapped it back into shape.
I also wore a t shirt under it as the neckline was rather strange and left my shoulders and half my neck very bare and uncovered. With my dodgy shoulder at the moment, I have to keep it warm. But under the jacket the t-shirt didn't show at all. I took my jacket off whilst eating dinner as it was very hot in the restaurant at the golf club, and no one commented. So I think the t-shirt shoulders which were black blended well with the dress.
Next time, I think I'll wear a corset and get an 18" waist like my grandmama had. The last time I had a waist anywhere near that (it was 22") was in my twenties and thirties. Grandmother also wore corsets and I have a lovely photo of her taken before WW1, in her beautiful dress with leg of mutton sleeves and lots of lace everywhere and well corseted! My mother did tell me that grandma had a very slim figure as a girl and young woman but child bearing put paid to that. I would hate to tell you what my waist size is now, what with steroids, and all the other drugs we have to take for this rotten disease. LavendarLady x