This black dress for a wedding? (pics) - YouLookFab Forum

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This black dress for a wedding? (pics)

Ele

(website)

This October, a good friend of mine is getting married in Canada, and my boyfriend and I are flying home for the wedding. I'm particularly excited as this is a) the first wedding I've been to in years, and b) the first non-family wedding I've ever been to. It's even more special because the bride is a mutual friend of me and my boyfriend, and we even all used to live together (briefly) during university. It will be a great chance to see lots of old friends and should be fun.

I was planning to look for a dress in the early autumn, but the other day I was browsing in my local Whistles (a chain store I love here in the UK) and found a dress, majorly on sale, that I love. It's a wool-silk blend, very 1940's in shape, with a pleated pencil skirt, sleeves and some cool seaming in the bodice. It does need to be shortened slightly, but at 5'2" I'm very used to that. The only problem is that the dress is black, which I told myself I did not want to wear to this wedding!

I'm in no way worried about black being inappropriate for the event- the bride is my age, very laid-back, a graphic artist who wears loads of black herself. I'm expecting that it will be a very creative crowd with a huge range of style. It's more that I'm worried that I'll look boring and drab, and I definitely do not want that, considering how excited I am about this event.

My first instinct was to accessorize with colour- bright shoes and bag, jewelry, etc. But once I got home, I realized that my black patent peep-toe platforms go perfectly with this dress, so it seems a shame not to wear them.

So my questions are: What do you think of this dress? Would you wear it to a wedding? How would you accessorize it (necklace, bag)? Or would you keep looking for a better, more fun dress? (I'll probably still keep this one since it was such a steal and I love it.)

front: http://i641.photobucket.com/al.....sfront.jpg
back: http://i641.photobucket.com/al.....ssback.jpg
bodice close-up: http://i641.photobucket.com/al.....bodice.jpg

Dressing

21 replies

Latest reply was from kimlee

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks for the pics, Ele! Do you want me to let my cat out the bag now or once others have commented? (BURSTING!)

Your hairdo is 1,000,000% glorious. My word. Very, very beautiful.

rute

Veteran

Love your hair.. mine is also curly and I'll copy yours!

Here in portugal lots of people wear LBD to weddings (with a colorful cardi, shoes and bag)... it seems fine to me..

Vani

Veteran

Ele, I just about fell off my chair! Your hair, your skin, your dress - they all look like they were made for each other! I love this style of dress and I think you ROCK it. Maybe a metallic bag to add a funky modern element to this timeless classic? I love the lip color you have on but you could go a little richer and darker rid too. Oh my, in my imagination you look killer enough to make everyone else look dull and boring at that wedding.

Dawn

(website)

Oh wow oh wow oh wow! Love the dress, Whistles make the most fantastic clothes, don't they? Statement necklace, colourful cover-up and a knock-em-dead handbag is the way forward, in my opinion.

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

Stunning in every way!! Pearls or some kind of chunky, retro and dramatic necklace, dress a bit shorter and you will be glorious!!!
I also love your hair.

De

The dress is PERFECT for you. I would definitely wear it to a wedding if it looked that good on me!
I like greenglove's necklace suggestions, think it would look fabulous.

Maya

Veteran

I love the dress and think it will be perfect when it's a few inches shorter. With a black dress I think it's always nice to have some kind of show stopping accessory, like a dramatic necklace or a bag. It doesn't even have to be colorful..just really eye catching.

Will you need some kind of coverup? I am not into the idea of pearls. I don't know. Pearls and black dress is so blah to me (don't kill me Angie). I think I would rather see something more unexpected and playful, especially since it isn't super formal.

OT but it looks like your hair is growing out beautifully. That's the true standard of a great cut isn't it? Does it grow gracefully or become a mess in a few weeks/months!

shana

Veteran

The dress is gorgeous on you! And let me join the choir in saying how beautiful your hair looks. I actually mentioned Devachan to my cousin based on your results and she has an appointment next week!

Back the the dress - while I think it looks absolutely perfect on you, I think you could go a little more dramatic for the wedding. You are young and have such a cute bod, great hair etc. and from the sounds of it, this wedding is sort of a mini-reunion so why not wow them? The black dress is very flattering on you but it's a little conservative and almost a little businessy to me. I'd much rather see you go in a pretty cobalt blue or a deep plum cocktail dress - sort of like that dress that bella swapped with Steffie. I totally understand if that's not your style. Anyway, I'm used to being the lone dissenter but that's my 2 cents...

shana

Veteran

Oh, and I have no objections to black - I wore black to the last wedding to which I went. I think a pretty black cocktail dress would also be lovely...

Asha

I love the dress. Amazing on you, especially a bit shorter. I think with the right necklace, stunning for a wedding.

On another note, your hair looks incredible. You are seriously inspiring me to grow out my pixie. I love this cut, it looks so good on you!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

(Whose Fender Stratocaster is that? Greg used to have a starburst but bought a black and white update. I love it when he jams).

LOVE the frock, Ele. Beautiful. Here’s my 2 cents with quezzies:

o Black is 100% for evening weddings
o Have it hemmed a little shorter
o I see it with a vintage skinny belt
o Are you going to keep your specs on for the wedding?
o If you like vintage jewelry – that’s what I’d do. I’m thinking early 50’s retro styling. Take yourself off to Portobello flea market and have fun.
o Also a vintage button sewn on the top of the back sleeve vents could be delicious. Nice unexpected detail.
o Keep the clutch and shoes very modern and in a colour

How say you, sweet stuff?

Ele

(website)

Ok, yay! Glad you all like the dress. Retro is very much my style but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, so I'm happy with all the compliments. Also, happy and surprised about all the comments re: my hair. I was so unhappy with it in these pics that I was considering lopping my head off (in the photos, obviously).

Maya, I am with you on the pearls thing. I do love them, even with a black dress, but not for a wedding. It just doesn't seem festive enough for this, so I agree that something more "eye-catching" is the way to go. Angie, I love the idea of an actual vintage necklace so I will for sure head to Portobello or another market to scout one. I am also ALL OVER the idea of a little detail at the back of the sleeves. I'm already imagining finding the perfect vintage necklace with matching clip-on earrings or shoe clips, which I will carefully sew onto the dress. Eeeek!

As for my glasses, I meant to ask you about that, Angie. What do you usually do for formal occasions? I can see quite well without them, so though contacts aren't an option for me, I could just forgo 20/20 vision for the night. I am hoping to get another pair of glasses for my birthday in September though, and I'm looking for a slightly daintier, black plastic pair (these are dark brown with colored arms). Assuming I can find something like that, would it be better? Or are specs just going to compete with the look no matter what?

Ok, I'm on a mission to accessorize this thing out of the park! The dress was such a bargain that I feel totally ok about this, and I love shopping for accessories. I'll deal with hair and makeup closer to the time. I do love the idea of a '40's red lip, but I'll have to see what happens with the jewelry because I don't want to be OTT. Thanks for all the help, everyone!

(The guitar is actually a '72 thinline Telecaster and it is most definitely Andrew's. Every now and then he tries to teach me but it usually ends in frustration on all sides- it's better if I just stay away from it!)

susan

Ele-You look beautiful! Please post pics when you actually wear it!

Alecia

Veteran

Great dress, Ele. I love its sophistication.

As for the glasses question, I don't wear glasses so don't have experience. But it seems to me that with such a special event that you've been so looking forward to, you don't want to miss any little detail so should wear your glasses. I don't feel like they compete with the look, anyway.

Have you considered doing your hair half-up/half down? That could be nice.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Ele, I leave my specs OFF at formal occasions and I just don’t see as well that evening (but I keep my specs in my bag just in case). Check below – vintage bag, pearls, ring and dress, but very modern shoes, which you can’t see in the picture (to match my mod hairstyle):

http://youlookfab.com/wp-conte.....-Shawl.jpg

Anonymous

I cannot wait to see how you style this beautiful dress with beautiful you in it. this will be fun. You are perfect for the retro look.
You were thinking of lopping off your head????? Your hair is just perfectly curly and feminine. I don't see how it could be any better. You lucky girl.

And Angie you are stunning in the beautiful picture!!! I would love to see more of this kind of thing. So many of us do not get to get all dressed up like this after we're out of school. We don't have events worthy of formal attire and it is fun to live vicariously through you.

Lena

Ele, it's such a treat to see your beautiful hair. I'm glad you decided to keep your head in the pic

Everyone already made terrific suggestions. This wedding sounds like a perfect opportunity to go all out with this dress, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Have lots of fun putting everything together!

De

This isn't very helpful, but as Alecia said I think you might want to bring your glasses along just in case. Your eyes might feel very tired & strained after a while and in that case it would be a relief to put them back on.
Anyway, I envy both you & Angie for being able to go without specs for an evening! I'd miss out on the whole wedding if I did that.

Ele

(website)

Ok, thanks Angie. (And everyone else for the compliments!:) I will decide later on the specs thing. For some reason I feel a bit less like "me" when I'm bare-eyed, but I also don't want to sully my potentially fab look. I'll do a hair/glasses/makeup post closer to the time.

OT, but my Mum wore her glasses to her wedding, and when we were little my sister and I always made fun of her for it. It was the 70's so they were big, purple and plastic. I look back now and think it's a bit fab, though. She always said "Well, it was my wedding day- I wanted to see it!"

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

Ooooh, very pretty! Love the dress shape and style, and your hair is adorable! That's the kind of dress you are going to have a ball finding accessories for.

I have packs of disposable contacts that I wear for special occasions and during the summer, when I like to wear sunglasses a lot. But Angie's idea of going spec-less and having them in your bag if you need them is a good one.

Orrrr...you could invest in a fun pair of new frames too. I love my collection; it's like another type of accessory for my outfits.

kimlee

Veteran

The dress is so beautiful. I can not wait to see how you accessorize it. You are going to look totally fab!