<p>We attended a wonderful wedding last summer and the bride wore something in the same spirit - beautiful lace work, feminine but demure all at once, and NOT strapless. She looked . . . lissome.</p>
<p>Does the peach dress come in any other color…maybe somewhere else? I think it’s stunning…and very appropriate for a wedding where the wedding party will be wearing short dresses. But…that color looks best on people with olive or darker colored skin.</p>
<p>Actually, you should go ahead and give the color a try even if you’re not olive skinned. My very fair, blue-eyed daughter tried on a champagne colored prom dress on a whim and it was wonderful. You just never know how a color is really going to play until you try it.</p>
<p>My mother wore a fantastic Chanel peach shirtdress to her own second wedding. At the age of 50. She is fair skinned, blue eyed, and she looked great in that color. You never know until you put it on. The key is for you to set a few parameters, as you have, and then go looking.</p>
<p>You don’t want a matching jacket (BTW, I agree…)
You do or don’t want a solid color?
You do or don’t want natural fabrics?
You do or don’t want shine?
You don’t want to upstage anyone
You don’t want to show too much skin
You do or don’t want to “match” (I recommend NOT matching, BTW:))
Then think about the silhouette, as you have. You want a waist, probably some sleeves or at least high neck.</p>
<p>Now you can look. Try also sites like Net a Porter, Yoox, and Shopbop. This stuff will be expensive, but can give you ideas about trends if you like.</p>
<p>Then ask us to look some more:). It’s fun…</p>
<p>I would also add that the fit is just as important as the other parameters. Alumother’s mom’s dress probably looked so great because the fit was impeccable. One reason why couture looks so beautiful is that it is fitted so that it skims and hugs the body just so.</p>
<p>Generally, a poorly fitting dress will look cheap and tacky and a well-fitted dress will look expensive. This is going to be your biggest challenge since you are buying online. I suggest sticking with brands that you know fit well and are true to your size.</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts - I really appreciate your input. </p>
<p>I am a stickler for fabric and fit. One of the reasons I have gravitated back to David Meister and Tadashi, is that I have two dresses from those lines and I love the fabric and the fit. Fortunately, I am pretty slim with broad shoulders, so by looking at the models, I can guess at what will fit (although those skipping poses make it a little difficult). </p>
<p>The whole online buying requires a determination to start early and RETURN anything that doesn’t look great. In the past, we had an upscale store (Donnecker’s) with “the carriage room” that carried several wonderful lines. I always knew I could walk in and find something that I would love. Unfortunately, it closed last year so I am in mourning.</p>
<p>
and make friends with a wonderful tailor.</p>
<p>I checked out David Meister’s site (because I am still too winded from my noon workout to be trusted with anything else); he has a couple very nice jersey selections, though my favorite is “stretch satin.”</p>
<p>I decided that if I hadn’t just spent a fortune on college tuition I would buy the floral number to step out of my black and white rut!
[“David</a> Meister david meister Floral stretch charmeuse dress”](<a href=“http://www.davidmeister.com/COCKTAIL-DRESSES/david-meister-Floral-stretch-charmeuse-dress/invt/ckzorj7365]"David”>http://www.davidmeister.com/COCKTAIL-DRESSES/david-meister-Floral-stretch-charmeuse-dress/invt/ckzorj7365)</p>
<p>But, since I don’t need it at all, $466 is a lot to pay for a rut-buster. :)</p>
<p>mafool -</p>
<p>Did you show me this dress? I love it!! And that is a surprise because almost all of my dresses are black. Oooh - maybe this dress says REHEARSAL Dinner!</p>
<p>[Rickie</a> Freeman for Teri Jon<em>-</em>Printed Chiffon Dance Dress<em>-</em>Neiman Marcus](<a href=“http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod101740220&parentId=cat9360743&masterId=cat9360733&index=92&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat17740747cat000131cat9360733cat9360743]Rickie”>http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod101740220&parentId=cat9360743&masterId=cat9360733&index=92&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat17740747cat000131cat9360733cat9360743)</p>
<p>Hey, maybe we could just buy these and share. We just don’t get dressed up that often. I am so disappointed. It is my high school reunion this year and the event is going to be a buffet - casual dress. I like to get dressed up once in awhile.</p>
<p>Some of those models/dresses on the david meister site look a little sleezy. I don’t do sleeze - honestly!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I actually had that line at the end of my comment and I deleted it because in my experience, major alterations usually end up with much less than satisfactory results. If the dress fits well, then the hem, straps, and a little adjustment here or there are all that should be necessary. My advice is that the dress should fit well from the get go and don’t rely on alterations.</p>
<p>The David Meister floral is very pretty - and it looks like it could be quite flattering.</p>
<p>What were they thinking when they designed this little number:</p>
<p>[“David</a> Meister David Meister Stretch Satin Dress”](<a href=“http://www.davidmeister.com/invt/ckzjyt8533]"David”>http://www.davidmeister.com/invt/ckzjyt8533)</p>
<p>She looks like a poodle or a half-shorn black sheep. I can’t decide.</p>
<p>Even the model looks unhappy.</p>
<p>I’m on an ugly dress kick. </p>
<p>This one is just confusing:</p>
<p>[Giorgio</a> Armani<em>-</em>Silk Dress with Geometric Embroidery<em>-</em>Bergdorf Goodman](<a href=“http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod52830152&parentId=cat285304&masterId=cat219500&index=52&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat215301cat219500cat285304]Giorgio”>http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod52830152&parentId=cat285304&masterId=cat219500&index=52&cmCat=cat000000cat000002cat000009cat215301cat219500cat285304)</p>
<p>And it’s only $7700!</p>
<p>Maybe it’s just the shoes. Too “matchy.”</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>Hahahahahaha. Who is the joke supposed to be on? BTW, I love the floral look for a MOB or MOG. Signifies happiness:).</p>
<p>Just catching up with this thread. WIP, your sd’s dress is absolutely gorgeous!</p>
<p>Regarding finding a dress, personally, I think a field trip is in order. K of P can’t be TOO far from where you live. Nordstroms, Nieman Marcus, Bloomies, Macys. You could try on lots of dresses and maybe even find one that you like. All that time packing things up and returning…plus shipping costs…hey it might be worth it. :)</p>
<p>GM,</p>
<p>Those ugly dresses would cause contestants to be shooed out of Runway show. Maybe they think if priced high enough, someone will think they are special.</p>
<p>I agree with Toneranger, you need to go shopping. You can accomplish in one day what will probably take you months to do online. Besides, buying the dress should be a pleasurable event, especially since it is for such a memorable occasion.</p>
<p>“All that time packing things up and returning…plus shipping costs…hey it might be worth it”</p>
<p>Shopping can be fun when there is something to choose from. The problem with shopping is that store selection can be abysmal compared to what is available online, especially if your stores are small-ish.</p>
<p>With MOB dresses, getting free shipping is not a problem: Saks, NM and Nordy all ship for free if your order is more than $200. I pack and send stuff back without any troubles. If you return your items at a store, neither NM nor Nordy’s will charge for return shipping, otherwise, you put everything in the original box, tape, attached a pre-enclosed return UPS label, and drop the package off at a UPS store. The return charge is a flat fee of $8-10/package - not a significant amount compared to the hassle of going to the mall (my mall outings can cost me much more :))</p>
<p>And Nordy will gladly do the basic alterations for your full-price online purchases for free.</p>