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Dress for a wedding. Opinions please! :)

WB

I am going to a family wedding, so I will be in the photos. I was told I don't need to coordinate with the blue of the bridesmaid dresses. Based on how dressed up the ladies were at the bridal shower, the long formal dresses below (Photo #4) would be about right, though fancier than I would naturally gravitate towards, so I included options that I would wear alot (Photo #1, short black dress; photo #2) to other functions that could arguably be dressed up for the occasion. I like black and I keep gravitating towards it, but it also seems too severe for a wedding, especially a close relative's.

The pink print halter dress, burgundy velvet strapless dress, with or without the silk pants underneath, (photo #3) and the black halter dress with silver sparkles (Photo #1) are already mine. The burgundy strapless dress (and pants) was my custom wedding dress made to fit me while I was about 6 months pregnant. It does not fill out up top like it did then. It is fancy but probably would be the most bohemian outfit there.

The rest are from a shopping trip today that I forgot to bring heels along to. My current shoe options are the the high heeled sandals or the black ankle boots (one each worn with the images of the black halter dress in Photo #1).

My absolute favorite of the bunch is the blue jumpsuit (3rd from the left in photo #2) , which sadly did not come in the right size (that piece across the front would need to be sewn in place to not slip down); I needed Small and it only came in XS and the M that is in the photo. My second favorite is the long burgundy dress - it had sparkles in the fabric and a pretty ruffle along one side. It also has it's own breasts built into the dress which are easily 3 times larger than my own. The long asymmetric turquoise dress seems to pale for my coloring, though quite pretty.

SO - (1) keep looking, (2) go with what I've got, or (3) go back and get one of those outfits I tried on today?

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Dressing

26 replies

Latest reply was from Fashion Photographs

paige710

can you try to get the blue jumpsuit in the right size?? that's my favourite on you!

unfrumped

Veteran

I like the jumpsuit, too!
I actually like the turquoise, though pale, the one- shoulder top is great, and it's a pretty color for summer. The burgundy is quite striking, too.
I sympathize with fancy dress shopping ! None of these may be your ideal dress, but it's hard to know how much energy to expend in the hunt.

Joy

Veteran

I like the blue jumpsuit too. Can they get it in the right size or alter the medium. The bottom part looks ok.

Runcarla

Veteran

Before I read your post, or any responses, I'd settled on the blue jumpsuit as the best of the lot. It really stands out - in the best way!

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Blue and you look beautiful. Actually, each one looks terrific, but there's something about your favorite I love, too.

tulle

Veteran

You know, I liked the blue jumpsuit best, too! There's a relaxed and mischievous glint in your eye when you're wearing it that tells me you would have the most fun in that piece. The right dressy shoes (delicate strappy heeled sandals?) and some great earrings will pull it into formal focus perfectly. Would shortening the halter strap by an inch or so at the back of the neck be enough to make you feel secure? I like the rest of it slouchy.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

I love the burgundy strapless with the pants. So not bridal party, so fun. And the price is right!
If the blue jumpsuit doesn't work, you'd look great in the photos in it and it looks like it would be fun to dance all night in.

tulle

Veteran

P.S. I thought the long burgundy gown was a real stunner, and a great color & fit for you. Just worry that it might be TOO formal--you could look more dressed up than the bridesmaids!

Cococat

Veteran

Another for the blue jumpsuit. It really stood out as looking fantastic on you!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I hope you can find the blue jumpsuit in your size. Or alter the top to fit--like tulle, I like the elegant drape of it, and it is just so stunning on you. I bet you'd wear it again, too.
I also love the burgundy gown on you. Both halter dresses are fab, too, but I hesitate about a short dress for the occasion, given what you've said about the expected levels of formality.

DJP

The blue jumpsuit is truly fab on you! The "happiness factor" practically jumps out of the photo. I hope something can be done to make it work for you. Alterations would be so worth it and I agree with Sharan that you could probably wear it again.

Astrid

Veteran

Agree with all the others, the blue jumpsuit is totally awesome! You look completely natural in it. I also vote alterations to the top if they can't manage to find you a size S. Might not even be that difficult, I've had top parts of dresses taken in with great success.

Summer

Veteran

My absolute favourite is the long burgundy gown; the colour and style are stunning on you. The blue jumpsuit would be much more versatile for other occasions, though, and you look very happy wearing it. If you can get the top altered, I think it would be a very good choice.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

When I looked at the pictures, my first response was "Oh I love that blue jumpsuit!" The burgundy gown is my next fav. If you can get the jumpsuit in your size, or get the larger one altered, that would be my first choice.

Olivegreen

Love the blue jumpsuit, or the cobalt print dress. Either!
Blue is good to you.

Vix

Veteran

Hi WB --

IMadmittedlybaggage'dExperience family weddings where you're close enough to be lots of photos can be very tricky events.

In general, is your family a "live and let live" type or one where your choice will be eyeballed unto death and brought up for years to come if found wanting?

If the former, wear the blue jumpsuit (which looks great on you) for the celebration and in the future and consider yourself blessed, ha!

If the latter, some additional Qs/thoughts.

--You mention not having to coordinate with the blue bridesmaid dresses, but will anyone have a fit if you're *in* blue, or if your blue clashes with the bridesmaid dresses?

-- Will anyone care that you're:

- re-wearing your wedding dress?
- in something shorter and tighter?
- "dressed down" in a jumpsuit vs matching the formality of others in long gowns/fancy cocktail dresses?

...and do you care that they will likely care?

If you don't care it's easy: blue jumpsuit!

If yep and you care, I'd probably rule out whatever you think might ruffle feathers and/or keep looking.

Seems like your current black sparkly halter dress is a pretty good choice to keep in reserve if the jumpsuit's out and you don't find anything.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Another vote for the blue jumpsuit. Very elegant.

WB

Blue jumpsuit it is! I went back to the store this evening - with high heels. After trying on the too small and too big sizes and looking at how I would alter the size M if I needed to, I decided to special order the size S. It will arrive to my home a week before the wedding!

I do know how to sew and alter clothes, but I'm also a busy single mom, so I'm all for the easy option, but if the size S is somehow the wrong fit, I will go exchange it for a M and custom alter it. The fabric piece between the drapped fabric of the halter top is supposed to fit against the body like a strapless dress does, holding itself in place via the elastic around the back, but is too big with the size M and would fall off my breasts if not sewn to the halter part. Crossing my fingers that the size S will either be perfect or a couple of quick darts sewn into place behind the draped fabric.

I am related to the bride. She just wants me to be there because she loves me and wants me to share her special ocassion. She keeps telling me to wear something comfortable. It is me that wants to put in the effort to look my best and to feel really good about what I show up in, as I'm going to an event with people (including other relatives) that I would usually deliberately avoid and who deliberately avoid me. This is a social obligation that I am only into because I love the bride and want to make her happy.

It was ever so helpful to have so much help figuring out what direction to take with my style. I did realize that I would be highly unlikely to either have another place to wear the more formal dresses or want to, whereas I am going to love wearing that jumpsuit over and over again!. Thank you all for the help!

Glory

Veteran

I looked at the pictures before I read it and selected the blue jumpsuit! Simply stunning on you and very elegant.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Blue jumpsuit! It is fancy and trendy and flatters you - all in the same time.
Can you order S or is it completely gone? This size does not look too big in the bottom so hopefully alterations are possible on the top. Beautiful piece!

Laura G

Veteran

Go back and get #3, the cobalt print halter dress! Beautiful on you. Second choice is the blue jumpsuit, but maybe a little bright for you?

If you decide on a long dress, then I'd say keep looking. None of those is nearly as flattering as #3, so your perfect long dress is still out there.

The Cat

Veteran

Laura G, didn't you notice that this thread is TWO YEARS OLD?!? Don't you think the challenge was solved long ago?

Tina

Veteran

The Cat, what sometimes happens is a spam poster will revive a thread, their post gets reported and subsequently deleted. The thread is then on the front page and people don’t always look at the post date/time. Hope this helps.

Laura G

Veteran

The Cat -- No I didn't notice. Someone else responded to another two-year-old thread this morning, and the poster in that thread said she had just joined and had an upcoming wedding.

The Cat

Veteran

Aha! Thank you for the information, Tina.

Fashion Photographs

The blue jumpsuit looks totally awesome on you, I agree. Though, if you are a bridesmaid I probably would not recommend it, as the other bridesmaids will be wearing dresses, and you may look like a mismatch. Short dresses, like the ones you own already, are appropriate for being a bridesmaid, but if at least one other bridesmaid is also wearing a shorter dress, again so that your look does not look mismatched. Otherwise, I would stick with the longer length dresses. If short works, I would recommend going with the sleeveless velvet dress, if you can have it taken in so that it fits your body type now. The pink printed dress is a nice dress, but I tend to associate solid pastel colors with bridesmaids. I definitely would not go with black under any circumstances, even as a guest, let alone a bridesmaid. It's a happy occasion, so white, earth tones, and pastel colors are the only colors that seem appropriate to me. My pick, if you needed to purchase a dress, would be the turquoise dress, but since you would not feel right (too pale) in it, my recommendation would be the burgundy dress. Final answer LOL. One additional comment, I would recommend purchasing another pair of shoes in white or a pastel, for the same reasons I mentioned above, not wearing black to a wedding even as a guest. I would recommend a pump or a heeled sandal in white, or the same color as the dress you ultimately choose.