Friday, May 7, 2010

Please help me shop (part two)


Sooooo. Lauren thought she might rock this French Connection dress as a bridesmaid at her little sister's wedding... But when she went into the store and tried it on it was a little too shaboom (as she put it). And (as I pointed out) maybe a wee bit over-the-top for a ceremony on the beach.

I should have known she'd turn around and ask me to shop for her:

so my wonderful littlest sis is getting married on the beach in southern california this october. (it will not be too cold. we are badasses.) our other sister and i are bridesmaids, and littlest sis's best friend is her maid of honor. here's our dress brief from the bride-to-be:

my thoughts for you three would be to have each of you find a cocktail length dress in some shade of grey (or pattern, whatever), whatever material, whatever style. or hell, a top and a skirt. or a grey suit, if you're feeling it. maybe nothing suuuper light, and nothing TOO dark. i don't care if you already own it (that would be awesome!) or if it's from forever 21 or versace ("it's 'ver-says'." tell me you get that reference). but if you could all kinda talk to each other and just make sure that two don't have the same and the other not, or something. or all match, if that's what you like. I don't know, maybe let's all let it be a surprise that day. frankly, i'm just happy that you're all going to be up there with me.
 

completely reasonable, no? and yet i'm having a hell of a time finding something to wear. littlest sis and her fiance both have art degrees, and their wedding will be all kinds of cool (over easter she showed me bones she found on the beach in mexico and wants to use as centerpieces), and i want to do it justice. i also don't want to draw too much attention to myself or spend my way into the poorhouse. bearing all that in mind, dear ESB, what should i wear? i'd absolutely wear a grey dress again, and i'm willing to splurge a bit; i'm in the ballpark of $500 for a dress and shoes

You guys, Lauren has discriminating taste. (i.e. Don't you dare fucking suggest a bridesmaid's dress from J. Crew.) And I am BURNT OUT on shopping. Especially internet shopping. It's too damn nice out side for me to sit glued to a computer.

So, yeah. Does anyone else have any great ideas? No pressure.

Gaaaaaaaad I'm lazy. They should really dock my pay on this one.

Also, I do not get the ver-says reference, and this is not the first time it's been thrown at me. Anyone care to explicate?

(Photo by Sandi Gunnett)

27 comments:

  1. the first time i heard "ver-says" is from kanye west's "all falls down" song. and i know this might sound "gross" to some people, but i was just as marshalls yesterday and they had TONS of dresses. but if she is willing to stay indoors for a little, try gilt groupe!

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  2. I so wish I didn't know this, but Katie's right, it's a Showgirls quote. Jessie Spano from the wrong side of the tracks uses the wrong pronunciation until she is corrected.

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  3. Some ones I found with cursory looking:

    http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod100250038&ecid=NMCIGoogleBaseFeed&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=T2DCY

    http://www.zappos.com/moschino-jersey-rosette-detail-dress-light-gray

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150436517995&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=M*F%3F&GUID=c3e1aa3911e0a09c18963ac6fff336ab&itemid=150436517995&ff4=263602_263622

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400106479402&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=M*F%3F&GUID=c3e1aa3911e0a09c18963ac6fff336ab&itemid=400106479402&ff4=263602_263622

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  4. shopbop has a new shop by color feature, which makes looking for a gray dress pretty simple.

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  5. LOTS of grey options here:
    http://www.us.allsaints.com/womens/dresses/

    Such as:

    Grey floral with little bird print:
    http://www.us.allsaints.com/product/?all=1&page=1&category_id=22&&prod_desc_id=0885324145374&position=1

    Grey plaid:
    http://www.us.allsaints.com/product/?all=1&page=1&category_id=22&&prod_desc_id=0885324106160&position=52

    Good luck! Have fun with it! My little sister and I are super-close. Congrats to her! Her wedding sounds AMAZING. xo.

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  6. I have quite ruffly (read: not Discriminating) tastes, but here are some Etsy finds:
    http://tinyurl.com/2gaynry
    http://tinyurl.com/247ncn9
    http://tinyurl.com/27f5keh
    http://tinyurl.com/2867qr4

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  7. i LOVE this dress. the only problem is that unless looking like mariah carey is your thing, you'd have to have smaller boobs to wear it, . BUT, since i'm not in that camp (the small boob one), i would just have a small chiffon panel added to the neckline. it would still be very sexy because chiffon is sheer, and i think it would be just as beautiful.

    http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=465621&CategoryID=14961

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  8. Eve Gravel!

    http://evegravel.raiment.ca/dresses/eve-gravel-the-moon-dress.html

    http://evegravel.raiment.ca/dresses/eve-gravel-nolita-dress.html

    and my favourite: http://evegravel.raiment.ca/dresses/eve-gravel-champagne-dress.html

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  9. hi there! jim hjelm, lazaro, & alvina valenta offer some great cocktail-length dresses that don't look too "bridesmaids-y". most are available in some shade of grey/charcoal. sold nation-wide, or if you're in the LES try adrienne's on orchard st.

    http://www.jlmcouture.com/bridesmaids-dresses

    happy dress hunting!

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  10. Vivienne Westwood draping plz! Totally sexy with being overt, and it'll stay in your wardrobe forever http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/62430

    Oh, or this asymetric silk/jersey dress made me drool. Just a little: http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/63642

    I love grey, and you & your sis sound *awesome*... I hope you let esb know what you pick :D

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  11. Ooops... that's "without" being overt. The sexy. Shall stop talking now...

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  12. i'm not even looking for a dress, and all of these are freaking fantastic. so much so that i might be late to a meeting bc i was shopping online for dresses i don't need. oh wells.

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  13. Love Celia's pick, although I am always bewildered by the purpose of hip pockets. At a wedding, you could potentially hoard snacks in there, in case the pictures take too long.

    Love sequins and chiffon, but probably not what your sister had in mind ... http://www.shopbop.com/flapper-neck-sequin-dress-haute/vp/v=1/845524441864592.htm?folderID=2534374302063518&fm=other-shopbysize

    And here is a rather shaboomy candidate that I also like ... http://www.shopbop.com/angel-twist-front-mini-dress/vp/v=1/845524441862280.htm?folderID=2534374302063518&fm=other-shopbysize

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  14. i'm not really sure what your style is or the formality of the wedding, but my mind keeps going to cool structural pieces and/or body-con, but there aren't very many in a cocktail length. or it would be pretty awesome to wear a little pencil skirt and cool tank or something, although i can't find what i'm picturing so that doesn't really help...

    asos has some reeeally great grey options:
    http://www.asos.com/Women/Dresses/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=8799#state=Rf-200%3D12%2C16&parentID=-1&pge=0&pgeSize=200&sort=-1

    http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=475541&CategoryID=14959

    and this is a little more bridesmaid-y, but still pretty cool:
    http://www.oaknyc.com/women/shop-by-style/dresses/garde-waimae-dress.html?enlarged#2

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  15. hm, just came across this while browsing for something else: http://shopbelljarsf.com/product.php?productid=357&cat=29&page=4

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  16. This is pretty casual, but could work for a beach wedding: http://www.revolveclothing.com/DisplayProduct.jsp?product=VINCE-WD11&c=Dresses+-+Fine&s=C

    Bluefly usually sucks, but a search by 'grey' turned up some nice stuff (especially if you would go patterned). This is a bit brides-maidy but pretty and super-on-sale: http://www.bluefly.com/Castle-Starr-light-grey-silk-faille-empire-bubble-dress/cat60019/300772701/detail.fly

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  17. i should emphasize that the french connection dress is amazing (and that the gals at the store couldn't have been nicer when i was trying it on) - it just says "hot bride" rather than "hot bridesmaid" to me.

    nicole, that plaid dress is twelve kinds of great - but is it blue? i might have to check that one out in person in soho.

    celia, i tried the max azria out on yr recommendation this afternoon; it's gorgeous, but you're right about the boobs. even a nymph type would need something underneath (at the store it was styled with a wee bandeau top). i call some serious double-sided tape in that bloomingdale's photo. also, someone needs to wear this to a sexy party.

    catherine, you clearly live in my head; that vivienne westwood was/is one of my top three, and i'd buy it outright if it was just a bit less expensive. the others are a sibling of the rick owens you pegged and a quasi-grecian obakki. my style is drapey, sleeveless, sorta deconstructed, if that helps. are you the same catherine in that more recent comment as well? 'cause that draped vince dress is fantastic as well.

    rachel, that shaboom dress is great; i hear little sis's dress (which is mermaidy, strapless, vaguely blushy, full-length) has some gathering like that in back, so perhaps i should be investing in double-sided tape. pockets in cocktail dresses are for swiss army knives, of course.

    thank you so much for the backup, everyone! please keep 'er coming!

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  18. Donna Ricco Drapey Cap Sleeve Jersey:
    http://www.donnaricco.com/productdisplay.aspx?p=1082&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=FreeFeed

    Silk Cotton Dealimabob:
    http://www.edressme.com/sil-cotton-dress-7370035.html

    Probably too pale, but super beautiful:
    http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446256169&afsrc=1&site_refer=GGLBASE001&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=0478540616652

    Charcoal Ruffly Thing:
    http://www.urbanminx.com/product.asp?name=Eva-Mini-Dress-in-Charcoal&pfid=UMX06734&eng=2

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  19. Ha! So weird we liked the same ones. Also cool. You could keep an eye on ebay/the sales for the westwood, or I found it a *lot* cheaper here http://www.triads.co.uk/triads-ladies-c3/casual-c34/dresses-c89/grey-drape-dress-p54104

    Have you seen the hamazing back on this rick owens? http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/79512 ...c is for covet.

    We're two different Catherines btw I can't take credit for her cool picks :D

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  20. The quote is from Showgirls - one of the best movies of all time!

    Zack Carey: Nice dress.
    Nomi Malone: Thanks. It's a Ver-sayce.
    Zack Carey: It's "Versace".
    Nomi Malone: What?
    Zack Carey: It's Versace. It's pronounced "Versace".
    Nomi Malone: Oh.

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  21. p.s. your sister sounds totally awesome.

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  22. she IS totally awesome, anon. for her '50s sock hop dance in junior high she made herself a skirt featuring a bulldog with a dead poodle in its mouth.

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  23. I want this dress for myself:

    http://www.bluefly.com/Alex-Lane-grey-silk-crepe-one-sleeve-dress/COLOR_CROSS-SELL/305489903/detail.fly

    With these:

    http://www.bluefly.com/Boem-black-snake-print-leather-Debbie-thongs/cat20460/303609201/detail.fly

    Or maybe this vintage one:

    http://www.etsy.com/listing/44633771/sale-vintage-iridescent-deep-v-back?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=grey+cocktail+dress&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

    Or save the cash for shoes and get this:

    http://www.etsy.com/listing/42369684/silver-grey-knit-stretch-cocktail-disco?ref=sr_gallery_24&ga_search_query=grey+cocktail+dress&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_page=1&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title


    I miss shopping. :( Can more people ask about outfits questions. I'm too broke to buy for myself.

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  24. This dress is on Ideeli today, and might fit the bill: http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/collective-concepts-ruffle-one-shoulder

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  25. Other options: http://www.lulus.com/products/on-the-radio-dress/22012.html

    or:
    http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3084892/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014133?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6014133&P=1


    or: http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3088082/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014133?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6014133&P=1

    or: http://www.lulus.com/products/misty-morning-dress/20110.html

    or: http://www.lulus.com/products/alternative-tiffany-t-shirt-dress-in-elephant/13948.html

    or: http://www.lulus.com/products/alternative-bo-tank-dress-in-grey/13881.html

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  26. i'm too lazy to read the other comments so i have no idea if someone mentioned this but i'm lovin' the quail dresses - http://quailbridal.com/ - also available at UO - http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/category.jsp;jsessionid=9D7877FF6174741F9A71AE424D98E83F.app16-node4?popId=&navAction=jump&isSortBy=true&navCount=0&pushId=BRANDS&id=W_BRANDS_QUAIL

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