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I said yes to the (MOB) dress (long read)

L'Abeille

Veteran

My youngest daughter is getting married on Canadian Thanksgiving, the second Monday in October. For the longest time my dream has been to copy RunCarla and Carolina Herrera. I wanted a taffeta ball skirt in the Black Watch tartan, to wear with a white shirt.

I found an Etsy seller who makes them. Using 100% silk taffeta, for what seems like a reasonable price, for what it is ($270, not sure if that's Cdn or US funds). The problem? She is in Greece. And i, who can't even bear to shop on line because things are tricky to fit and difficult to return, can't get past all the things that could go wrong, with a huge sum invested.

My next thought was to have a local dressmaker sew me one. Problems: DD2, who sews, sourced me some fabric, but it's polyester and doesn't reflect light the way the silk would. Local fabric shops just laughed. Also, currently available patterns don't have the full skirt I want (ideally unpressed pleats) nor pockets. I would have to locate a vintage pattern or trust the dressmaker to improvise a LOT.

Plan C was to find a ball skirt in solid navy. Online perusal indicates that the local bridal shops could obtain one easily, as well as shorter-in-the-front skirts, and full dresses with an assortment of bodice styles.

Fast forward to last weekend. DD1 was home and we prowled shops in the nearby city for just-in-case. And I found a sleeveless dress, with the skirt style I wanted, marked down from $200 to $50, and fitting me perfectly! I dithered for a week, and went back yesterday and bought it. Even if I hack it into a skirt, I'm ahead.

The bride approves, and ponts out it can be layered. DD1, the previous week found a gorgeous one-shouldered navy ball dress that suits her hourglass figure and classic style. DD2, based on things she tried on during our wedding dress expedition, will be sewing herself something vavavoom out of green or navy velvet.

The bride is wearing a full length lace dress over silk slip, and black lace-up boots. I believe she is going for Woodland Fairy (wildflowers, naked cake etc). The wedding is at a (cottages and yurts) resort in Highlands National Park on Cape Breton Island, during a week-long music festival called Celtic Colours. The ceremony will be at 4 pm, she hopes outdoors, followed by a sit-down dinner and dancing to Celtic music.

Some options: hack the dress into a skirt. Layer a white shirt overtop, tucked into a wide tartan sash, so it looks like a skirt. Layer the shirt UNDER it, like a jumper/pinafore. Layer my navy cashmere crew neck over it, to remove if I overheat while dancing. Find a topper (style TBD). DD1 will use a sparkly plaid shawl, but that sounds too drapey for my Gentlewoman style.

Thoughts?

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Shopping

30 replies

Latest reply was from

hereforthecake

I'd love to see a photo of the dress!

Staysfit

Veteran

LOL, I just replied to the duplicate post! There was no photo present when I read the original. The dress looks lovely, but I still think that you will never look or feel at ease wearing it if it is not in keeping with your personal style. This is a time when Angie’s advice to use your emotions is truly key. Find a way to wear something that makes you feel joyful.

rachylou

Veteran

Ohmigosh. You are so beautiful in that dress! I’d get a silk jacket made to go over it for warmth and stop there because it’s so perfect as is.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

DO NOT HACK THIS DRESS.You look just beautiful in it ,it would be a crime to shorten it.If tartan is the theme why don’t you look into getting a cropped tartan jacket made to wear with it then you could choose the tartan and the style of jacket?But don’t hack the dress!

smittie

Veteran

Lovely!! Great colour on you.
I would opt for a topper or pashmina.

notsaf

Veteran

Lovely! Extra points for pockets!!
A pashmina in a complementing color would look nice.
You could always have your daughter and a tartan sash to the dress?
If you could do the conversion to a skirt without trouble, I love the Carolina Herrara look, too. But the neckline (esp back v) on the original is lovely, too.

JAileen

Veteran

I think the dress looks lovely on you. Although the dress is not Black Watch, how about wearing a Black Watch cashmere stole with it?

https://www.heritageofscotland.....lack-watch

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Carla

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Introduce the BW tartan by way of an accessory - stole, jacket, sash about the waist, shoes, clutch - but DON'T MESS WITH THE DRESS! What a score! Formal - but you look like you and you look comfortable.

madeline

Veteran

I totally agree with RunCarla and others- leave the dress as is. It suits you to a tee. Accessorize with the tartan.
Have a wonderful wedding!

hereforthecake

Gah! It's gorgeous! The colour & fabric are amazing on you!

madeline

Veteran

https://www.etsy.com/listing/7.....ssic-green

Something like this jacket?

cjh

(website)

Veteran

I like Madeline’s jacket link. Yum.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Thoughts? Delighted for you and your family. You look resplendent in your gown. I love it.

Anonymous

Congratulations. I love the dress on you as is and like RunCarla’s ideas for Celticizing it for the wedding.

Gigi

Veteran

Another vote for leaving the dress as-is. It is so perfect--the proportions, the fabric, the fit, everything. I would definitely try to add the tartan element through accessories somehow.

Jane

Veteran

It’s a really perfect dress. So elegant and you look amazing!

Style Fan

Veteran

Beautiful dress. You look very elegant. I like the idea of adding Black Watch Tartan as an accessory. A shawl or perhaps a jacket would look fabulous. I would look on etsy, as Madeline suggested, or as shop like the Scottish Shop (does it still exist?). Try googling Black Watch Tartan Jacket.
The wedding sounds wonderful.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I agree with everyone who has said that dress is stunning on you, and that tartan can be introduced via accessories (I'd add SHOES to that list). But I also agree with Staysfit that you need to love it. I think this dress has the "gentlewomanly" vibe you seek (and it has POCKETS!), but that doesn't matter. You need to feel that way about it.

You can't hop a plane to Greece on such short notice (can you?) and that fabric isn't available locally, but fabric is available online--surely you can find what you're looking for, on Etsy or beyond, and then have a local seamstress make the dress. You don't have a pattern, but perhaps they could use this dress as one?

Alternately, you could find a local seamstress (or ask your daughter) who agrees ahead of time to make necessary adjustments to the Greek dress. You might even ask the person making it to leave things that are commonly adjusted, like the hem, unfinished, perhaps for a discount. You said the price is high, and if you hire someone to make adjustments, it could be even higher, but besides being so yourself at your daughter's wedding, you'd have a gorgeous classic dress that looks just like you. Perhaps there's a Christmas event you'd like to go to? Even if it's just once every ten years, as someone else recently posted about their little red dress, it doesn't sound bad to have this waiting for you to wear it.

Inge

(website)

The dress is stunning, L'Abeille, and the blue silk so rich and luxurious!! I too really like how it looks as is, and was nodding vigorously when Carla and others suggested just adding the tartan element via accessories.

Everything about the wedding just sounds absolutely lovely!!

Aquamarine

Veteran

The dress is lovely! You don’t have much time left before the wedding, so if this one is it, you can feel confident that you will look fab.

Bijou

Veteran

Keep the dress as it is - it is a great find and hacking it may ruin it. I like the idea of adding black watch accessories or a jacket - which would be so versatile and useful - well worth spending money on something that you can wear and enjoy often.

You look beautiful in this dress.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

KILLER dress, and congrats.

No hacking!

Gaylene

Veteran

I agree with others that the dress is a find since it fits so well, but I also empathize with your longing to go with a “gentlewoman” look instead of the more usual dress and stole combination.

Maybe you could get your tucked-white-blouse effect with a mess or Eaton jacket similar to the jackets shown in this vintage Butterick pattern?
https://www.amazon.com/Butteri.....B01J4L8SKO

The white mess dinner jacket was a hallmark look of summer evening attire in the 30s so it fits in with the gentlewoman vibe. And a reasonably good custom tailor or seamstress should be able to source, and adapt, a mess jacket pattern to fit your taste. Add tartan cummerbund to finish the look.

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L'Abeille

Veteran

Thank you everyone for your generous comments!

I do love the dress, I think the cut is most "me" of the possible long dress iterations. Ie I like the neckline, squarish and symmetrical works for me. The armholes and back are not too deep, don't threaten to reveal too much. (Although I've already started a bit of arm toning exercises to improve the view.)

Worn straight up, it reads to me as a bit too formal for the venue and not warm enough. Hence my questions about layering.

I have definitely thought of using a tartan sash or shawl. But I LOVE all the suggestions for a special jacket. That is something I would wear again, too. (I love being able to mix and match my wardrobe). A black velvet jacket would also work, and be versatile, as Scottish themed formal wear; I have a Black Watch plaidie that I could drape from one shoulder.

Sal

Veteran

The dress is lovely on you. I like your plan and think a jacket would be gorgeous.

What a fun special occasion to be planning for.

Gail

Veteran

Love the dress and I would not hack . A lovely cashmere wrap could work.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Sounds like the start of a plan!

LaPed

Veteran

The wedding sounds absolutely dreamy! And the dress is gorgeous as-is; what a find! I hope you're able to figure out a cropped jacket of some sort, maybe tartan, maybe velvet... I'm excited to see pics of what you come up with (and of the event, if the couple is so inclined ).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Keep the dress! It's gorgeous! What an amazing find. I am 100% in favour of a cropped jacket to lend it a gentlewomanly flair and some tartan accessories. Oh, you're going to be happy in this. It's perfect for the event you describe.

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