Dress hunting - help, please?

[Mannequin]

I need some help finding the perfect dress!

My wedding is 07/28/07 and I live in the metro Detroit, MI area. I finally went out and did some dress shopping this past week, and I found some very nice gowns but not THE gown yet. I really liked some of the ball gown/big skirt styles I tried wearing on Thursday, but then yesterday I went into a Group USA with my mother and we found a real knockout of a gown. This is the link for it: http://www.groupusa.com/c-product.cfm?icon_image=2157.NYC.jpg&gid=9&cid=2

The dress is a lace sheath with little pearls and sequins all over it. It has a bit of a mermaid silouhette to it, as it flares a bit at the knees, and a chapel train. I really liked it on me, as it made me look taller and it has an elegant yet fun, summery feel to it. I felt very "old Hollywood" in this. Here''s the picture on the model:

And here is the same dress on me:

This looked fabulous on me, but the scoop neckline is not so hot. I look great in V neck styles because I am well-chestified and have broad shoulders and a shorter neck. I need help now finding a dress similar in appearance with a V neck to go and try on. I know Maggie Sottero does some styles very similar to this, like the Grace Ann, but I''d like a wider range of designers and price ranges to look at. If you ladies can maybe give me a few links or pics and style numbers, I can start calling around looking for them. Thank you so much for your assistance!

 

[GarysBride]

I think this dress is stunning on you!

 

[Selkie]

Heee, "well-chestified." I like the dress too, it fits you well, but I agree that a lower cut neckline would be better. I''m in the same situation (broad shoulders, large chest) and found that v-necks and halters looked best. I tried on Maggie''s Grace Marie and loved the way it looked-Grace Marie.

Here''s a nice lace sheath by Jacquelin:
9558. The sweetheart neckline is really pretty.

 

[jaz464]

Wow, what a great price for that gown!

I do think a v-neck might be better suited to your body. Also, your waist is just great! Have you thought of accentuating it with one of those gowns with a ribbon at the waist?

This could be great: http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?pageSize=8&page=13&style=J136

Oohh, or this: http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?pageSize=8&page=21&style=J955

Or this one: http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?pageSize=8&page=23&style=S720
And I soooo agree equestrienne, heaven most definetely must smell like horses. Not many people would understand or agree but that sentence is just divine.

 

[Faerievert]

perhaps you could just have the seamstress change this one into a v-neck for you?

or ask the company that makes it if they would do it- you''ve got plenty of time to order one, and I know a lot of companies will add/change sleeves and skirt lengths, so why not the neckline?

as for a dress to try, perhaps you might like the one I wore, which is by the designer Jacquelin


from the designer

 

[selflove]

Wow--that dress looks better on you than it does on the model--seriously!! On you it looks like a wedding gown but on the model it looks kinda lifeless.

Do you think a good seamstress could design a new neckline for you?

I think even with the scoop neck its a great choice.

 

[Mannequin]

Thank you so much for your responses, ladies! I knew I could count on the PSers to lend a hand in this.

Garysbride - Thank you! I really loved the fit on this and my mother thought it was stunning, too. I have a few more pics of this dress, I realized. I will post them in a moment.

Selkie - Thank you for the links. Of the two you posted, I really like the Grace Marie. I will add that to my list of dresses to call around and look for locally.

Jazmine - Thank you for the waist compliment - I really need to hear things like that after stuffing my rear into dresses for two days!

Of the links you posted, I really liked the Grace Ann best, and that''s on my call around list too. I did try some dresses with waist embellishments and there were a few that were nice as well. I am short waisted and I have to be careful that any kind of ribbon or dress detail at my waist does not make me look even shorter. The price on this dress with the lace was outstanding, I agree.

And that quote - that''s one of my own.

A woman my uncle was dating came with him to see me at the barn I was riding at when I was much younger, and it was a rainy day so the doors and windows were closed up so the place was fairly aromatic, to put it nicely. She was wrinkling her nose at this and carrying on about the smell. I asked her, "Are you planning on going to heaven some day?" She stopped and sputtered, "Well, yes, but why?" "Then you''d better get used to it, because heaven smells like horses!" She never lived it down, and didn''t date my uncle very long.

We call the family barn at home "Heaven Scent Acres" because of that quote.

Faerievert - I''d like to find out if that dress could be altered, because it looks like it could be possible. I would be a little concerned about the pearl beading that lines the whole neckline, though. I know they have a seamstress who works at the store there, but she was not available to speak with on Friday. I haven''t tried looking up the dress company yet - a project for today, probably. Thank you for sharing your picture - you looked fabulous! I tried a dress similar to the one you wore for your wedding, and it was not as beautiful on me as it looked on you. Short waist issues again - the belted area hits the right spot on you, but on me it was nearer to my hips and did not flatter me.

Selflove - Thank you for the compliments - things I need to hear after squeezing into sample sizes on Thursday! As I responded above, I want to find out about that dress and posible alterations through the store or the company today or later this week. I really loved it and felt great in it. I agree, it looks worse on the model - maybe due to her pose, it looks like she has an extremely long waist.

 

[Mannequin]

More pics of the lace dress. I realized I had uploaded them all now. Being a larger size, this column/fit and flare styled dress looked infinitely better than I had expected. I actually passed over this dress in the bag on the rack a few times before grabbing it and saying, "What the heck?" Still searching for a V neck style that is similar - the scoop neck on this accentuates my chest too much and the V neck look will downsize them bad boys.

Mom and I surfed the web last night looking for more dresses like this. Justin Alexander has a very promising looking one in their Spring 06 collection, and I will be looking for that, a few Maggies suggested here, and a few Demetrios dresses to try on soon.

Side view. You can see how short my waist is here, the bane of my clothes shopping existence.

Back view. (Hi, Mom!) The neckline is all tiny pearls, the lace has sequins and pearls all over, and there is a V shape detailed in pearls on the back of this dress you can see in this picture. I am a sucker for pearls, and so is Mom, which may be partially why we both adored this dress. I love the flare/mermaid bottom and the curve-hugging top. This was so much more forgiving than satin.

Back of the dress on a hanger in the fitting room. Here you can see the little pearls and the lace pattern and beading.

Dress on a mannequin in the store, bustled.

 

[Gypsy]

I think the lines of the dress are just right... but I''m with Jazmine on the neckline. Would prefer a different neckline on you. *ducks* sorry.

 

[Tybee]

Wow,
The side and back of that dress do look spectacular on you! I really love the shape. That''s too bad about the neckline. The good news is: There are a MILLION wedding dresses out there. I really like the Grace-Marie too,
But I think the fit of the Lilian that Jazmine posted (number 3) might have that sheath look that you''re looking for that really looks good on your curves.
(I hate how hard we are on ourselves about our bodies! We''re all our own worst critics!!!~ Myself included~ I think your body is vavavoom fabulous!!!!)

 

[GarysBride]

equestrienne- I have always loved your qoute! When my fiance first came to my barn I told him to smell the air, he told me "it smells like horses, shavings and carrots"(my friends had just walked by with a huge bag of those yummy carrots!) He looked at me really funny and asked why did you ask me to smell the barn? and I told him becuase its the best smell ever! and hereplied then I guess this is your heaven isnt it? I just smiled, my fiance calls me his angel as well and I tell ya this angel has the best heaven ever!

Also I really like the grace ann too im gonna see about trying it on as well, im more in love with the daneilla(sp) though!
Now seeing more pitures I have to say that dress is really beautiful on you I do agree on a different neckline as well, I love the mini pearls on the back of this dress!

 

[Fancy605]

I love that quote too! I am wildly fond of horses.

I can see where you are coming from on the neckline--although the dress looks lovely!

Jazmine, those dresses you suggested are lovely!

I am sure the right one is out there. I think you''ll know it when you find it!

 

[Tybee]

This is a weird tangent... but I love the smell of my dogs'' feet. The mix of dirt and dog smell smells (like a dear friend once pointed out) like adventure.
I don''t ride horses... but always wished I did. I think I can relate on some animal-loving level.

Tybee

 

[Mannequin]

Thanks for all your comments, everyone.

I''ll be at a David''s tomorrow with a BM and my MOH, and maybe I can get MOH to go with me to a few more dress shops afterwards to do some looking for a lace dress. Pictures, of course.

My mother loves this dress and she showed it to my daddy and she said he VERY MUCH APPROVED and thought it was beautiful. Also from Mom: "If you get this one with a V neckline... watch out! You''ll make some serious dough on a dollar dance with it!"

 

[VRBeauty]

I think that dress looks just perfect on you! If I were you I'd be talking to the manufacturer, or a seamstress, about getting it made with a V-neck.

If that doesn't work, here are some other, similar options:

http://www.bridesave.com/search/index.cfm?action=details&product_id=19721

http://www.bridesave.com/search/index.cfm?action=details&product_id=16929

http://www.bridesave.com/search/index.cfm?action=details&product_id=18303

 

[Mannequin]

Still dress-less, PSers. Mom and I have nearly exhausted the local bridal shops in seach of a dress like the lace one with the V neck. I''ve spent more time in my underwear in public this past week than ever before!

I found some other gorgeous dresses, but nothing really outshone the lace dress that I posted above. So, I am 99.9% sure that the lace dress is going to be my wedding gown.

We are now going to attempt to find lace to match the lace used on that dress and get the neckline altered. We contacted the store where we found that dress and are waiting to hear whether or not we may be able to purchase extra lace from them or the dress distributor. Mom is going to fix the neckline herself. My mother used to work in a bridal shop in high school and she is a good seamstress, so I know she''ll do a phenomenal job. The cost of lace and some new pearl beads and altering this dress herself is still likely to be less than an in-store person would charge, since this is not a minor hemming. The construction on the dress is pretty simple on top. She thinks that if she can get more lace to use, she will be able to remake the top and then attach the new top to the existing skirt.

We also looked around at BM dresses in the last week, and I think we have a few good options selected. Just to make things as easy and low cost as possible, my girls are going to use either a dress or separates from David''s in periwinkle.

I really liked this dress and this top on two of my easy-to-fit girls (they would be ordering tea length skirts):

On my hard-to-fit BM, this top looked the best so far, but I want her to find one of the white tops like the one above to try on:

And FI''s cousin Izabela wins the award for "Bridesmaid Most Likely to Get Us Thrown Out of David''s" for totally disregarding the registration Nazi up front and the crabby consultants and trying on wedding dresses herself just because.

She is so bubbly and fun to shop with, and I think she wanted to try on everything in the store.