The Favorites

After four trips to three different stores, here are my current top two favorites:

The Kelsey Dress (formerly #5 from store #1, and so named because the first time I saw a lacy slinky dress kinda like this was at the wedding of a friend named Kelsey.  Though now that I go back and look at her pictures, her dress really wasn't like this at all):

The Pinterest Dress (formerly known as #1 from store #2, and so named because this was the dress I saw on Pinterest, tracked down, and drove 45 minutes to try on):

Ok, so what are your thoughts, friends?  Do you have a favorite?   Let me know!

Trip #4 (Back to Store 1)

I went back to the first store today to see if, now that I have a bit of a better idea of what I'm looking for, there was anything there I missed on my first visit.  

The quick answer to that question is "no."

I tried on one new dress.  It was kinda cool, cause it had a layer of tulle over a layer of lace, so the lace was a little like a watermark.   But I wasn't in love with it.  I just think that it's too big and fluffy for me.  I've realized that that really just isn't what I'm looking for:

I also tried on the Dress Formerly Known as #4 from Store #1, which will now be known as Mom's Favorite.  I remembered not loving this dress when I first put it on, but I couldn't remember much else about it.  I knew that it looked pretty good in the pictures, so I was interested to see how I would feel about it putting it on again.

 It has a sown-in sequin belt that I don't like, so for this try-on I put a sash on top of it to disguise it.

And y'know what guys, I just did not like this dress. It might not look it in pictures, but it's really big and the train is a little ridiculous.  I like the idea of the illusion neckline, but so far I just haven't found any that I like, and I'm not sure it's worth continuing the hunt.  Sorry, Mom's Favorite.  I tried.

I also tried on my favorite dress from the first visit, formerly known as Dress #5 from the first store.  What can I say, you guys, I still really like it.

Store #3: The Wedding Party

This was an adorable little store, I loved the person I worked with.  They mostly carried simple, smaller gowns, so I tried on a bunch of more fitted lace dresses (like the one I liked best from the first store).

Dress #1: I really liked the scalloped pattern of the lace in this dress.  It was much less structured than other dresses I've tried on.

Dress #2: I didn't love this one.  I don't like the plain skirt, or the built-in sash at the waist.

Dress #3: I really liked this one.  It was a little more more full than some of the other lace gowns I've tried on.  The person who was helping me also showed me how they could add straps/keyhole back to it.

Dress #4: I really liked the sleeves on this dress.  Not sure how I feel about the rest of it-- I don't dislike it, but don't think I like it as well as other similar dresses I tried on.

Dress #5: I didn't love the v-neck of this dress.

Dress #6: I liked the band higher on the bodice of this dress, but didn't like the deep v-neck.

Dress #7: I really liked the back of this dress, but don't like the bodice as much.  It also had sequins all over it (which I was told could be removed, but still).

Dress #8: I love the back of this one too!  I also liked the straps a lot.  I'm not as sure about the sweetheart neckline on this particular dress-- what do you guys think?

Dress #9: I was interested to try this one on because I liked the organza bodice.  (It looked a lot better without the big flower on the sash.)  But ultimately I don't think this is the dress for me.  I just like lace dresses a lot better.

Dress #10: Oh my goodness, I LOVED the sleeves on this dress.  So SO great. I like the sweetheart neckline on this dress better than I did on some of the others.  I'm not sure what the difference was- maybe it's just how it works with the sleeves.

Dress #11: I just tried this one on because I liked the flower lace on the straps.  It was really stiff and just not my favorite.  It had some kind of harsh crenoline underneath that made it really not feel very good.

Ok, that's it!  I'm not sure that any of these dresses really stood out to me more than others.  My favorites were probably #1, 3, & 10.  But it was nice to get to try on a lot in the same kind of style.  I'll keep you posted!

Store #2: Blossom's Bridal

I went to the second store because I found this dress on Pinterest that I loved and I wanted to try it on in real life.  I didn't like this store as much as the first one-- they mostly had larger, more full dresses and I kinda felt like I kept being forced into dresses that the person helping me liked.

Dress #1: This is the one I came to see!  I loved it.  I like the soft sweetheart neckline, the lace all over, and the wide band at the waist. I like that it's fuller, but not too humungous. 

Dress #2: I like the bodice of this dress, but don't really love the skirt.  Wish they'd make it with the lace on the top all over the skirt.

Dress #3: This is my favorite drop waist gown I've tried on.  I like that it doesn't have a defined seam where the skirt begins, but rather transitions gradually from the bodice to the skirt.  (I don't like the sparkly belt.  Anytime you see me in a sparkly belt, assume I don't like it.)  I also liked the ruching + lace of the bodice, though it does seem a little asymmetrical at the neckline.

Dress #4: I didn't like this one. I don't like the vertical seams on the bodice, or the hard transition from the bodice to the skirt.

Dress #5: I only selected this dress to put on because I liked the flower lace on the straps, but it is NOT FOR ME.  I do not like the mermaid silhouette at all.

Dress #6: I tried this one on because I was looking to try on more with sheer paneling at the top (apparently that's called an illusion neckline), but I didn't like this particular dress.

Dress #7: I tried on this one because I really liked the sleeves, but I don't like how short the bodice makes my torso look.  (And yes, it has the world's weirdest bow in the front.  I was assured that could be removed before I ever put it on.)

Dress #8: I liked this one, but again, I don't like how harsh the transition from bodice to skirt is.

Ok, that's it for this store!

Store #1: Brides of California

Dress #1: This was a satin ruched dress in a trumpet silhouette.  I thought it looked pretty good on me (I actually like it a lot better in the pictures than I did when I was wearing it), but the satin was HEAVY.  I just felt like it was going to be really hot and that wearing it was going to wear me out.

Dress #2: This one was very similar to the first, but made out of a different material.  It had this SUPER WEIRD sash that was supposed to go around my shoulders and across my chest, but we took that off.  On its own, it just looks pretty plain.

Dress #3:  I liked the wrapped organza at the top of this dress, but I really didn't like how it was gathered at the bottom.  It was super fluffy, and in person seemed kinda cheap.

Dress #4: I really like the idea of this dress.  I like the sheer panel and its silhouette-- how it flares at the waist.  I didn't like the lace pattern of this particular dress, nor the built-in sequin belt.  But the train is very nice!

Dress #5: This is my #1 favorite!  I love the lace, the silhouette, the neckline, and the keyhole back.  If I don't end up finding anything else I like better, I will definitely go back and get this one.  I like it so much, there's multiple pictures!

Trying out the bow in front

Dress #6: This one is very similar to the previous one, but I didn't like the neckline as much.

Dress #7: This one is similar to the previous two, but has more of a v-neckline and it also had sequins all over it.  It helped me learn that I really do not like sequins!

Dress #8: I didn't like this one as much when I had it on, but I REALLY like it in pictures.  I love the pattern of the lace, the neckline, and the wide sash.  The one thing I would change about it is the shape-- I'd prefer it to be more of an A-line.  When I go to other stores, I'm definitely going to show them this dress and say, "I just want it to flare at the waist!"

Dress #9: I didn't like this one.  I don't like the drop waist/trumpet shape, plus it was weirdly asymmetrical.

Dress #10: I liked this one better than the previous one.  I like the ruching on the bodice, but I wasn't thrilled with the trumpet shape, the deep sweetheart neckline, or the beading that came across the chest and down the stomach.

Dress #11: I also really liked this one in the store.  I liked how the lace trickled down onto the skirt.  Now that I've looked at the pictures I like, I don't think I would buy it.  I've realized that I really do prefer lace skirts, not simple ones like this.

We checked to make sure I could sit down in it.

Dress #12: This one was similar.  I liked its neckline and the corset waist (look how tiny I look!) but the lace pattern trickled over the skirt asymmetrically and I didn't like that.  Plus, it was twice as expensive as Dress #11!

Didn't love the sash.

Dress #13: This is definitely my least favorite of the ones I tried on.  It just makes my torso look wayyy too short!

Dress #14: This one was pretty, but just reallllly big.  I just don't think I'm looking for a dress that's this much of a ball gown.

 All right, that's all from the first store!  I'll update after I visit the next one.