Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Dear ESB: I need a rebound dress


ESB-

I'm writing to you like a lame, lovesick teenager trying to get over a guy. Except I need to get over a dress. Go ahead and give me shit; I realize that BHLDN sucks. But that dress is gorgeous. Foolishly I tried it on, half hoping that it would look terrible on me since I'm shorter and more curvy than the model… but it looks even better on. 

It's roughly 2x my budget, they don't sell sample dresses unless it's out of stock forever (I asked, like the shameless poor girl that I am), if I wore the more affordable red version I'd blend in with the walls at my venue and the only person I found selling it used hasn't responded to me. 

Clearly I need to accept that it's not going to happen. So while I realize that this almost definitely isn't your style, if you or your readers are ever feeling bored and/or generous… I think I need a rebound dress.

*****

YOU DODGED A BULLET!

Model looks like someone is blowing a doily at her with a huge industrial fan.








Feel better? 



Now someone find a new dress for this lady, stat.

36 comments:

  1. i don't have any advice, but i think that dress is pretty and i'm sorry that it didn't work out! :(

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  2. You could have it copied? It doesn't look complicated. I think the styling in the picture has a lot to do with it looking lame on the model here... Get someone to make that shit for you.

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    1. OP here-

      I thought about that at first, but what I really love about it is the specific lace that they used which would be, I think, hard to find or replicate. Plus in the end I feel like I would keep comparing it to the original which is really unfair to a talented designer/seamstress. Not a bad thought, though.

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  3. Did you try looking at some of the used wedding dress sites? You might be surprised what you find there. I loved this dress too. I contacted a lady in Brooklyn about making a dress for me, and she has some on her etsy page that are awesome. She just started selling in Lovely Bride in NY and LA. http://www.etsy.com/listing/101266753/chantilly-lace-and-silk-crepe-bias?ref=shop_home_active Maybe you could get something similar through her or through another etsy seller? Hope this helps! I understand trying to stick to budget and having your dress blow it out of the water. I ended up just going for what I wanted (way out of budget), but it means I have to give other things up. Good luck!

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  4. And now for something completely different (since you led me to NM's clearance sale, fingers crossed that you're close to a 6 or 8):

    If the walls of your venue are that color, gold David Meister would be killer! (ESB, shield thine eyes, it's poly)

    Perhaps still nudging budget, but closer to the price of the red one, this J. MendelJ. Mendel has a soft, romantic feel similar to the doily.

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  5. Replies
    1. Oh, nice! Her stuff is really lovely, I'll definitely look into it.

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  6. You might like something like this Tadashi Shoji (I know it's sold out at Bloomingdales, but there are more than a few on ebay and other wedding resale sites)

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    1. I wore that dress. I loved that dress. I'm a curvy size 14 and it was somehow crazy flattering.

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    2. I like that dress too. It doesn't look that great on the model but I bookmarked this wedding a long time ago and I think it is so pretty on this bride.

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    3. ah! boobs make ALL the difference.

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    4. I mean, they sell that dress at BHLDN, too. Girly has probably seen it if she found her dream dress there.

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    5. Interesting to see that it looks a little better on non-models, because when I look at that dress I also see the "silk baby bump." But maybe in person it wouldn't read that way? I'll check it out.

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  7. Replies
    1. I really want to love this, but the bustier is not quite my thing. Although the skirt on this is perfect. Thanks!

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    2. i want this ohhh my

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  8. Are you in NY or LA? Have you asked Shareen for help?

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    1. I'm actually in the process of moving from LA to NY, I'll definitely check her out. Thanks!

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  9. Something about that dress just looks a bit cheap to me. If you're going for the pretty, romantic angle, check out Elizabeth Dye or the awesome and amazing Leanimal

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    1. That's totally what I'm going for and I will absolutely check them out. Their stuff looks gorgeous.

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  10. The dress also reminds me of a few 2013 Saja dresses. Though by all means, feel free to look at more than just the 2013 collection. ;) While the prices aren't posted on their website, the (Style me pretty) lookbook used to have the prices for many of them.

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    1. I looked into Saja before but the place where I tried them didn't have the two that I was really interested in. Thanks for the reminder- now that I'm heading to NY maybe I can head to their flagship...

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  11. Open to black? i like this: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/Alice-Olivia-Robinson-Lace-Chiffon-Gown-Lace-Noir/prod160060310_cat47300765__/?icid=&searchType=EndecaDrivenCat&rte=%252Fcategory.jsp%253FitemId%253Dcat47300765%2526pageSize%253D30%2526No%253D0%2526refinements%253D&eItemId=prod160060310&cmCat=product


    or perhaps:

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    1. I'm not crazy about the black, but that dress is great regardless.

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  12. My condolences on your dress breakup. I feel ya cause I too fell in love with a dress that was a non option. To be honest, the dress I decided upon is gorgeous, but it doesn't even come close to touching the other one. Hope you have better luck!

    Etsy seems like a good choice, if you are comfortable with the whole paying for a dress before you try it on thing. Some options:

    Similar sleeves

    This

    This top with this skirt

    Options from elsewhere on the internet:

    Candela

    Ruche

    Elizabeth Dye

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    1. I'm sort of wary of paying w/o trying it on first, but that just might be my option. At least I have an idea of what looks good on me I guess?

      Also, love the top + skirt option, pus the Elizabeth Dye suggestion.

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  13. Looking around, I found this Catherine Deane that you can rent. It doesn't really look anything like the other one, I just love it and wanted to share.

    The dress in question is on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com in a size 2...but for only $400 off (I love how it says "worn only once"--yeah, no shit). Maybe she'd take a lower price, assuming you're a 2...

    There was a size 0 on eBay but no one bought it (again, could message seller).

    What is happening here? Does not seem legit.

    Anyway. I actually like the dress a lot (not in the picture above but on the real brides or other models I've seen it on). Maybe you could just start cold-call-emailing people. Brides on the blogs, or stylists from a shoot? Obnoxious? Maybe, but who cares? If someone emailed me and offered me $1K for my old dress, I'd certainly consider it.

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    1. The on on preowned never responded to my emails, sadly. But a good idea to look there. I doubt I could swing a size 0 but I definitely thought about trying, hah. And I hadn't thought about cold-emailing folks... Not sure if I'm totally comfortable with it but it's certainly an option to consider. Thanks!

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  14. I actually fell in love w/ that dress too-- ended up going with a completely different extremely modern dress, however, my mom is handy with sewing & she turned her super 70s lace wedding dress into a pretty comparable version of this dress by just chopping off the poofy arms on the lace overlay... so maybe check out vintage dresses?
    Also, I highly recc'd trying on that Tadashi Shoji dress people are linking to, it was also really beautiful in person (& the parts that look sheer are actually mostly just nude fabric).

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  15. When you get to New York, check these guys out.
    They'll also do custom combinations of styles with different lace/fabric choices.

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  16. I send the suggestion to go to the Saja store in New York. I ended up there (and Lovely) after I had fallen in love with a Nicole Miller and some of the dresses had me seriously rethinking my decision. Really gorgeous in person and for the most part WELL within your budget. Ultimately went with the NM but under different circumstances I would have bought a Saja.

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