Thanks so much, everyone. I so appreciate your comments. Here are my own thoughts:
#1 I agree that the fit of the waist in back is perhaps slightly off -- again - I am short-waisted. And there are no Petites dresses to be had in my neck of the woods, and even if there were, they'd be too short for me, because I'm not petite height. I do think the effect might be exaggerated because of the way I was standing and also because it's so shiny in the flash -- IRL my husband didn't notice anything like that, and he usually does.
#2 Angie has put her finger on it. It does not feel like "me." I think it is because of what Ceit and Sona said. I am not crazy about the satin. Also, I am unused to wearing something quite so body con. It's a bit like being girdled (which I guess it is, quite frankly!) Or maybe it is the combination of the two. I do wear my tube skirts without a thought, after all. But they're not shiny. I feel a bit as if I am dressed for a prom, which doesn't seem right.
Having said that, I think this dress is worth keeping in reserve in case my other options do not work out. Here's why:
a). Despite the fit issue noticed by a few of you, it fits better than almost anything else I have tried and does not need alteration. That is a major plus given my time constraints and my uncertainty about Wonder Woman East's ability to do a complicated alteration on a relatively expensive item.
b). Colours are pretty good, if somewhat on the bold side for me.
c). I like the asymmetrical neckline and think it suits me.
d). Despite the girdling effect, once it is on, it's surprisingly comfortable to wear because it has a lot of stretch. I did the sit test. It doesn't ride up and it falls back into place immediately on standing -- doesn't get all wrinkled and stuck, as some body con dresses might.
e). In some ways, that girdling might turn out to be a sort of advantage. You tend to need to feel a bit protected in these situations. Dress as armour, and all that.
In other words, I am still holding out for something better, but in an emergency, I figure I can pull this out of the closet and make it work. I still have time in my return window, so I'm going to hang onto it for now and see what else I can find.
