@BunsenBurner Thanks for looking on my behalf and suggesting two dresses at Zappos. I use Zappos for shoes, but haven’t for clothing in the past. The first dress is just too much bling for me. The style of the second dress just is not me.
Some cross posting going on… @doschicos Funny that you linked to that dress at Sundance. It was on my original list of bookmarks before I narrowed things down to share here. D2 doesn’t want me to wear ivory (she will be in ivory). I considered it for D1’s daytime wedding. I picked some of the others over it though I like it.
@BunsenBurner You are a doll to find suggestions for me! The first Nordstrom dress just isn’t my style. It is pretty but just not me. Also, I don’t think pale pink would be great for D2’s wedding. It would be for D1’s wedding but that dress is too dressy for the small daytime ceremony she is planning. The second Nordstrom dress you suggested in post #39…while nice, just isn’t my thing with the flowy sleeves.
As mentioned, I sent D2 the same links I shared here at the start of this thread, but knew she was too booked up to look yet. She just texted me from a break in rehearsal and said she will look at them this week. I want her to like whatever I pick too! On top of her working round the clock on many projects at once, she and her fiancé are doing all their own wedding planning and arrangements themselves, though share updates with me.
I just bought my MOG dress from Macy’s. Coral sheath with lace overlay, cap sleeve, ribbon belt that I may remove. Adrianna Papell. I find that this line tends to run small on me. I am 5’7", 150, 34DD and this dress is a 14. No alteration needed. I usually wear a 10 or 12. I will need a strapless bra as the straps show through in a picture. Dress was $189, but ended up being $128 complete after sale and using the store charge. My price range was up to $300ish so I am happy!
I agree with the others to order a bunch and try on if you are not near a large store. Our local Macy’s carried very little so D and I went over to the Detroit area store. (Also looked at Nordstrom, N and M.) Lots for me to try on!
@soozievt , lots of lovely dresses on your lists! I liked a LOT of them.
I found Nordstrom’s great to deal with when shopping for my MOB dress a few years ago. I ordered a bunch and had try on sessions with D and a neighbor for feedback. Then used free returns for those that did not make the cut.
I notice that a bunch of the dresses have lengths that stop above the knee. Perhaps that is due to the height of the models though. I have stumpy legs so would not be inclined for get something that short on me – prefer mid calf or at least covering knee (for me). But maybe my style is overly matronly. Not sure what your position is re that aspect.
Ordering a size up may get you a longer length, and a tailor could take the dress in if needed.
For my son’s wedding bride has insisted the moms wear long. Oh well, I otherwise would have considered wearing my MOB dress from years ago, IF that were OK with future DIL. (She attended that wedding and was very complimentary re that dress. I actually got a dress from the same designer for this June’s wedding.)
Nordstrom offers free shipping and free return shipping. You just slap the shipping label on the box and give it to the mailman. Easy! The hard part is making a decision.
@JEM Thanks for chiming in. At first D2 was a little surprised I wasn’t getting a gown. I explained that I would likely never wear a gown again and often they even cost more than a cocktail dress. Also, most of the crowd will be her peer group and I doubt they are wearing gowns. It is not black tie or super formal, but dressy. Once I explained that, she agreed and had no problem.
I prefer dresses above the knee or to the knee and not really mid calf. Years ago, I wore mid calf, but not in recent years. My legs are not too bad. They are not like a skinny woman’s legs, but they are not stubby and are not my worst feature. I would say my worst feature is my stomach and upper arms. I don’t like having a big bust but whether that is a good feature or not depends on who ya ask! LOL
I am 5’4", by the way, and so the length should be OK on any of the dresses and I won’t need to size up to get a longer length.
Excited that you are on wedding number 2 and baby number 1!! My girls got engaged so close to one another. Had no idea that there would be two weddings so close to one another.
“I notice that a bunch of the dresses have lengths that stop above the knee. Perhaps that is due to the height of the models though. I have stumpy legs so would not be inclined for get something that short on me – prefer mid calf or at least covering knee (for me). But maybe my style is overly matronly. Not sure what your position is re that aspect.”
A typical non-petite model is 5’9" -5’10". Most of those dresses should hit mid-knee on a shorter person.
I have not had a chance to read through the thread (sorry, I hate it when people do this, then post something that’s already been mentioned), but D1 has gone the route of ‘Rent the Runway’ for wedding dresses. https://www.renttherunway.com
She has now done this for two weddings that she’s been an attendant in, and a couple that she was just a guest. Once she picked out the dress, they sent it to her two different sizes. I think she paid $75, and when the event was over, she just dropped it off at the local UPS store in the garment bag that it was sent to her in.
I haven’t explored the site enough to know if you’d find something there or not, but they have LOTS of dresses. They only have four brick and mortar stores, and one of them is in NYC if you plan on being back there before the wedding this year. I think this is a great idea for women who want a special occasion dress but don’t want to add something to their closet they’ll never wear again.
I liked the very first dress, and the Sundance one. I’m busty too, and I never like belts or tucking things in. I prefer scoop necks.& sheaths or a-lines, on the Rae occasion I have to wear a dress. Several of your picks had capped sleeves, which is a nice option.
I posted before my new Ralph Lauren dress, which has an underlining and then vertical beading. I bought it for less than$200, reduced from $700+. A few years back, I got a simple gown at NM, with just some beading around the top, also on great sale. I think you owe it to yourself to go into Boaton one day to shop.
Another option is to find a dressmaker nearby. My HS g/f was busty but slim. She had seamstress make her 2 dresses, one fancier fabric than the other. In the long run, this route could save you stress.
I like the blue Tadashi shoji dress and the black lace Kay Unger dress. I’d wear the Teri Jon dress without the belt. I like both of the Tadashi dresses you had listed for the daytime wedding.
My son is getting married next month. I have had SO many dresses in the house - between 20-25 - I lost count. I have discovered that Eliza J fits best. I love Adrianna Papell but the dresses are just so tight in the back, even when they fit in the waist. The Tadashi dresses are a nice quality but nothing was really perfect. I think I had that first dress you posted - the beaded one - in the house. It was pretty but very heavy…the type that couldn’t really be hung or it would stretch out.
I’ve settled on a dress…not my favorite dress in the world, but I really have all the dresses memorized. The parameters : (a) not white, cream, black or red; nor too close in color to bridesmaids (I found a fabulous Adrianna Papell that was very flattering (even though it was hard to breath in it!) but I was way too close to the bridesmaid color; (b) covers my upper arms; (c) don’t need to wear Spanx; (d) don’t need to wear a strapless bra; (e) knee length.
@missypie That is very pretty and seems to fit all of your criteria!
Wow, you ordered a lot of dresses. I won’t be going that far, I hope, even with two kids’ weddings close to one another. That is a lot of returning. But congrats on finding your dress!
I first ordered 4 dresses, sure that each one was “the one.” I returned the Nordstrom dresses to a store, which takes the return off the credit card sooner than returning by mail. I also ordered some dresses in 2 sizes.
I will say that the colors of the Adrianna Papell dresses were a disappointment. The ice blue and mint both looked muddy on my skin.
soozie - if you really are as busty as you say you are, you may benefit from wearing both a minimizer bra and a spans-type garment on the top. And definitely go for something on the more high necked side. I myself was just photographed the other day wearing a t-shirt that was scoop neck and it made me look (appallingly, IMO) busty even though I don’t think I looked that busty in it in person. There’s nothing more distracting than cleavage on a person with a big bust! Whatever dresses you choose, I would consider having someone take a picture of you to ensure no cleavage shows at all.
@Pizzagirl I appreciate your suggestions. While I am not looking to show cleavage, your advice about wearing high necked styles with a large bust goes against every article I have read about flattering necklines for big busted women. Most advise to wear V-neck, wrap, or scoop neck styles and not to wear high necked styles.
In any case, the first choice dress I ordered for D2’s wedding (first link in my OP) and my first choice for D1’s wedding (also mentioned in OP), are not low cut at all. Also, the dress I already recently bought that I may consider for D1’s daytime wedding (also in my original post) is not a deep V-neck.
There are certain bras that separate the girls instead of squishing them together. Those eliminate the pesky boobcrack and allow to wear lower necklines. Kind of like this bra:
I think you picked a very nice selection. It will be fun trying all of them at home.