Are there lots of women out there with far more fabulous lives than me - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Are there lots of women out there with far more fabulous lives than me

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

So Neiman Marcus had a flash sale today on dresses. About 90% of them were cocktail dresses. I definitely don't need anymore cocktail/going out dresses. I do have occasions to dress up, like going to the opera and dinners out. But it's not going to be the end of world if I wear the same dress.
But seriously do designers make a lot of money on cocktail dresses? Even the recent Target dress reissues skewed dressy.

General

16 replies

Latest reply was from lyn*

MsMary

Veteran

Or maybe they're on sale because they weren't moving at the regular prices...

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

I think MaryK is on to something! L

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

No Anna, I certainly don't have a more fabulous lifestyle than you do

I have zero occasions to wear cocktail/formal wear. I don't know why the market is so saturated with these types of dresses- other than the fact that women will spend more money on an occasion dress than a regular one usually.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

But in general on most online shopping sites, or at least the ones I frequent have a preference for cocktail dresses.

MsMary

Veteran

I know some people who like to get dressed up and go out partying every weekend, but they are young and relatively poor and certainly aren't wearing cocktail dresses from Neiman's. (More like Forever 21!) And it seems like the young people who are making enough money to shop at Neiman's (the young doctors and lawyers and bankers) are probably working too long and hard to go out all that much.

There's the charity circuit crowd, of course, and the Young Hollywood crowd, but that can't be a huge market, can it? Maybe it can. But the older crowd with the money and time to go out a lot seems less likely to be able to carry off a cute little cocktail dress.

It's a puzzlement.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Maybe women like the fantasy element of pretty, event-ready dresses? I know I always see lots of cocktail dresses at the swap meet, too, and I have to be ruthless with myself to avoid a closet full of fancy dresses I'll never wear. :T

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Catering to the imaginary lifestyle so many end up shopping for??

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Wedding season is coming up, maybe they need cocktail dresses for their "wedding capsule." I am actually in the market for one seriously hot number for an August wedding. Sorry I missed that sale!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Oh and I am planning to wear my Rodarte and Tucker target dresses as every day summer dresses.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

It always strikes me on the catwalk how many items of a collection are evening wear. Perhaps women will spend more on a special occasion dress, perhaps they will shop high street for basics but race to a designer when a special occasion arises. It is certainly an area covered by the fashion mags on a regular basis so that is possibly another driver. I'm just guessing.

Mac

Veteran

Also, almost all of the dresses were very short (besides the long formal dresses). Who are these women with not only fabulous lifestyles but also who want to wear dresses that barely cover their hoo-hahs? I don't want dowdy lengths, but I'm tall and a few "just-below-the-knee" dresses might be lovely since, on me, they'd fall an inch or so above the knee...

Aziraphale

Veteran

Anna, I know what you mean. I have relatively few occasions to dress up as well, and most of my friends are in the same boat, yet there seems to be no shortage of cocktail dresses in the shops. It's weird. Maybe MaryK is right -- they're on sale because no one else out there has much use for cocktail dresses, either! You know what I wish? That there were more casual day dresses out there. I like wearing a dress without looking too dressed up, you know?

I'm not guilty of buying clothes for a life I don't lead, but I seem to have quite a few pairs of shoes in my closet which I absolutely cannot wear to pick the kids up from school!

nancylee

Veteran

My guess is that cocktail and formal dresses make a bigger visual splash on the runway and in photo spreads, and also give designers a chance to strut their stuff. SInce they're creative people, they probably greatly prefer making clothes that let them be more expressive and flamboyant. I also think critics are always looking for the "wow" factor from designers (a la Project Runway). Maybe this is why we see so many fantasy dresses?

In my own life as a writer and teacher I have very little opportunity to dress up, but my husband's work does require me to don cocktail attire about 6-8 times a year. That said, I wouldn't say my life's more "fabulous" than anyone else's!

Queen Mum

Veteran

well, when you look at the dresses at the Rack section of Nordies.com, it is overwhelmingly heavy on the dressy wear. So my guess is someone is over-manufacturing cocktail wear. The bonus to us is that we can get some great dresses for a steal.

Anonymous

When my hubby was a Real Estate Broker for 14 years I had occasions to wear those...not so much as a Pastor's wife. But I do think I have a pretty fab life anyway!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I buy all my "formal" dresses at the thrift store. They've been worn once. :p For $10, I'm going to wear it once; and redonate!