Y/N, Crustacean dress: thoughts on it for a large & fancy fall (family!) event? - YouLookFab Forum

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Y/N, Crustacean dress: thoughts on it for a large & fancy fall (family!) event?

Vix

Veteran

YAY: Keep it as a contender
NAY: NOPE, move along

Hi to active YLFers plus lurkers who like to vote!

Those of you following my Rent the Runway subscription experiment know I primarily signed up to road test some dresses for a large, fancy, photo-heavy family wedding happening in early fall. Details:

[adding very important info I spaced!] evening
outdoors but not rustic (temps could be 60s-80s, hard to guess)
(3rd hand info) many of the guests know their way around fashion/style/fancy events...hoping for some great outfit-spotting!
(possibly wrong info) blue/purple wedding colors (some of my best, but if I go there I need to avoid looking like the world's oldest bridesmaid or MOG/MOB even though I'm old enough to be the latter)
dancing!!

Given the above, what do you think of this Crustacean dress?

I'm going to try to get the size up to compare, too. Apparently others who've rented it are proof it can photograph blue/black like the stock photo....

Aside from the fact that this may not be available when I need it, as a mood dresser I'm pretty terrible at even faux-shopping out of season.

I have to admit the others I've been looking at are more romantic/airy, but this has its appeal. Armor is never a bad thing at my family's events, ha!

It's kind of the strict Old Hollywood version of my last big family event dress, the Old Hollywood Meets Bollywood number, which I looooved. Between repeat guests and photos I'd greatly prefer to not re-wear it, though.

So maybe I need to skip the more buttoned-up version of it?!

Thanks in advance!

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Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Sara L.

Sally

Veteran

I love this. It does have a real glamour look to it. Your hair looks amazing with it. It looks like something you would wear to a ball or a black tie event. I can't comment on how appropriate it would be for a wedding because I"m not sure of the formality of the event...things in the southern hemisphere tend to be a lot more casual than in the states and European countries. But for what its worth, it looks gorgeous on you..you have to wear it somewhere.

krishnidoux

Veteran

I love this on you too. When I first looked at it, I was blown away. I am just wondering if the very dark color is adequate for a wedding... but I may be out of the fashion loop regarding these types of events and it might be more acceptable now. This dress looks like it would be stunning at a cocktail or evening event, but I wonder about a day event, especially outdoors. What shoes will you wear? Will you have to step on grass? If so, you have to rethink any dainty, thin heels that become pegs driving into the ground as you try to stand dignify, glass in hand, slowly anchoring yourself to that patch of green. (I think chic events planned on grass outdoors are not well planned, but I doubt it will be your case if others are fashionable too. Still, never hurts to inquire).

Anonymous

I like it a lot on you, Vix! The Old Hollywood moniker is perfect--it's very red carpet worthy and totally you: very elegant. Based on your description, it sounds just right for the event (I'm assuming it's an evening reception?).

Are you sure you need to go up a size? The dress looks like it fits as it should, but I realise photos don't tell the full story. I'd say it's a definite contender if it's available when you need it. That would be the hard thing about RtR for me: I'd likely get too attached to an item and upset if it weren't available. OTOH, the great thing about that service is you can order a bunch of items and pick "the" one as your mood strikes.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Love if available rent

donnat

Veteran

That dress is gorgeous on you. It is very red carpet worthy.

Colette

Veteran

That dress is stunning and gorgeous on you. I see why you think it looks similar to the Bollywood number but it's still different enough that it should be a contender.

Scarlet

Veteran

Wait, I was hoping for a crab motif!!! That would have won my heart a million times over, but this is still an amazing, glamorous dress. It doesn't look like it's too small, but you would know best how it feels. My main concern is whether it is also conducive to sitting through a long meal and toasts.

JAileen

Veteran

You look wonderful in it. I don't understand crustacean? Is that the motif? I can't tell on my ipad. Can you put in a reservation? What do they do if the person before you damages the dress? Are you just out of luck?

Vix

Veteran

Hi all -- such great collective wisdom here, thank you for taking time to think this through with me!

Krishnidoux -- Posting late last night I managed to leave out a crucial detail (now added) -- it's an evening wedding!

I think given that given the time, the U.S. East Coast geographic spot, and the guests -- most from/near big cities-- wearing dark -- even black -- is fine in theory.

But Sally and Donnat have hit on my main "ehhhhhh" -- this is a super-formal dress. I'm betting there is some culture shock/"now WHY isn't this in a hotel...what about shoes!?" comments circulating among guests, but wedding planning is a nightmare with lots to criticize, so. Apparently glamour and bling and fun is something the other side does routinely so maybe I should call them and see what the women are doing!

Krish, don't forget the tripping in skinny heels as well as the sinking! The final amount of grass-free stepping is currently TBD, but I do have wedges that look ok with this. Not fabulous, but ok. I mean really this isn't a wedge-heel dress, right? I don't go to many, but fancy tented daytime events always seem easier to dress for.

Ledonna, Colette, and Aliona -- Thank you! Colette I'm glad you think there's enough of a difference from the other one. One of my other favs is one-shouldered so apparently I'm a uniform dresser through and through!

Aliona, the reviews said the zipper on this was a bear and they were right; many also said they liked the bit of extra room in the size up. This fits and was comfortable to wear for the short time I had it on, but....I'm so with you on the attachment issue. That's why I want to have a few that seem good to go.

FWIW this is an older dress and as soon as it got to me I was notified I could buy it for 50%, or ~ $400! Not tempting given my lifestyle, but the silk maxi I already showed (that's too summery for the wedding) is showing at 30% off...resisting, resisting.]

If this were for an evening work event (ROFLMAO -- very casual office!) it would be a perfect dress.

Vix

Veteran

Coming back while I have a minute since Scarlet and JAileen jumped in --

JAilleen, it's just bejeweled flowers but they're ALL OVER and it's a heavy dress so feel kind of like a barnacle. Scarlet (!!! so nice to have you around!) -- LOL sorry to disappoint by not having an actual crab print.

To Scarlet's point, not sure how comfortable it would be to sit in for hours but on the other hand I'm ok with a LITTLE discomfort if the end results are good.

JAileen, RTR lets you reserve 4 months out (and that includes a backup size, plus a smallish charge to send a 2nd design along) but if something goes wrong (damaged, late return) you're OOL for that dress. But from reviews CS will work to find another one quickly.

Normally I'm a big control freak so I'm trying to chill. Not enough to just randomly order without trying something on first for color and fit, but chill for me.

[Plus, hey: my Old Bollywood dress travels well so I can have THAT as my true backup!]

Mochi

Veteran

I'm the wrong person to ask about event appropriateness, but you look beyond gorgeous in this.

Anonymous

It is gorgeous and looks fabulous on you. So glamorous.
But it is not a wedge heel dress, IMO.
Then again, it is evening time and people aren't going to notice your shoes.

Anyway, I think you should keep it as a contender.

catgirl

Veteran

You look insanely gorgeous and do not need to size up - but there is no way I could dance in a dress like that, unless you are talking sedate ballroom dancing.

Staysfit

Veteran

How about some crystal Pedro Garcia flats? Maybe something similar but more polished looking. I don't mind the unfinished looking sides, the bling makes that go un-noticed. It's just a thought. I wear mine to all formal outdoor events. They are comfy and pretty.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is beautiful on you, though I think for daytime outdoors maybe a bit too formal? Or difficult, if you know what I mean. No harm in trying the size up for comfort -- why not?

I love how the "barnacles" shine with your hair. Just stunning.

Muffin

Veteran

This is simply amazing on you.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Wowza! Stunning and glamorous in a "Sargent painting" sort of way. I knew immediately what you meant about the barnacles, having worn a dress like this a time or two myself.

For flattery and elegance it's a winner. The open question is whether it's the dress for this event, which is tricky, since an outdoor formal east coast wedding is a bit of an outlier by itself!

If it were I, I'd want something lighter, and perhaps layered with an evening jacket or wrap, for wearing out of doors. But then -- I'm a sucker for glamour, and might end up wearing the beaded dress anyway!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Wow, you are stunning in this dress. Serious contender. I think your Old Bollywood dress is even more stunning, so I see why you call this one the "strict Old Hollywood" version. It is more refined. You wear it beautifully. I'm intrigued by Staysfit's suggestion for shoes--sounds like a possibility. (You're going to be dancing on grass, too?)

Vix

Veteran

Back home and responding to all these additional great thoughts, thank you everyone!

I'm relieved the dress doesn't seem that crazy to wear as a style (Suz, don't worry, it's a evening wedding!), and that the verbalized consensus is that it's flattering.

Mochi, you hang with a dance crowd now -- you're now in the know about OTT glamour! Thank you, Muffin, and Suz for the compliments.

Smittie, get out of my head re the shoes, ha! If not a wedge I think a chunky heel could work fine for the landscape. Staysfit, lovely rec for a glamourous flat, thank you...I will explore despite being a heels woman. Firecracker, I think it will be tented with a raised pavilion for eating/dancing? I will probably have more insight into terrain when it gets closer to the actual event but will start asking some questions.

And Beth Ann, get out of my head re the twin poles of airy goddess vs bold/theatrical! Aren't we style siblings? Both types appeal to me. (Kibbe Soft Dramatic?) AlaskaGirl you made me blush and laugh. Not sedate...picture Elaine on Seinfeld. You two -- and maybe Ms Firecracker, given your Bollywood/Hollywood dress thumbs-up and Suz, who shares my love of clothes that move with the body -- might be glad to hear the other current contenders are flowy maxis in color-color. Looks like I can order 1 to try/show once they receive Barnacle back (it's en route).

Bye for now. Oh but ps for Suz re hair...since you're joining the going grey crew, be on the lookout for some sequins for yourself?

Sara L.

Veteran

Wow, beautiful dress that looks like it fits you perfectly.