Dresses Part 2

Okay, so you've seen the dresses I didn't like.  What about the ones that made it into the Top 3?

Unlike, I think, many girls, dress shopping really wasn't a priority for me.  I glanced a few, but I honestly began looking for bridesmaid dresses before I started looking for my own wedding gown.  Still, reading about other brides shopping for dresses made me think that I should at least have a better idea of what style I was attracted to.  Then I saw... her:

Vineyard Nora by Priscilla of Boston

How perfect could it be? The word "vineyard" was even in the name!  I loved the delicate sleeves, the silhouette that wasn't a traditional A-line, but not as constricting as a mermaid, and most of all, the lace.  And how kind of PoB to list their prices and let me know immediately that this dress was out of my price range, even used.

Luckily, lace dresses are en vogue and once I had an idea in mind, it was easy to find other dresses that had this same style. 

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Allure 8825 fit the bill, with lacy sleeves and a pretty shape reminiscent of the Vineyard Nora.  They didn't have the black sash on the sample, which is probably best since it's a little too modern for my tastes.  However, I did find that this dress really needs a sash to accentuate the waist.  I tried it with a matching ivory sash and it did the trick, though I think I'd look for something with more bang if I bought this dress.


The next dress wasn't at all similar to my inspiration dress, but it was one of the few dress pictures I saw in a magazine and loved enough to tear it out:

Impression 10023

I loved the curvy shape and especially the organza flowers that reminded me so much of the Mori Lee details my mom and I liked.  Trying it on, it did not disappoint.  This was my dad's favorite out of all the ones I tried on, and even though it's not lacy and I've never quite liked one-shoulder dresses, it's still a strong contender in my mind.  I tried it on it white, but I'd love to see it in ivory.  I'd also probably remove the ginormo flower on the bust and replace it with something a little more subtle so I could still wear a fascinator.

Finally, we come to the dress that when I first saw it online, I almost bought it without even trying it on.  It seemed to embody the lacy, vintage elegance that I'd been hoping for in a dress.  It was also sleeveless, which - even though I love the look of capped and halter sleeves - I secretly felt would suit me best.

Casablanca 1827

The trailing lace in the back??  Swoon.

It's more of a traditional A-line than I really wanted, and in person was a tiny bit plainer than I'd hoped (I think I got spoiled on all the bling from previous dresses I tried on).  I tried it on with a shiny sash and it perked right up, as well as defining my waist more.   I never saw myself as a sash girl, but they really do add some oomph.

Now, if you've been reading this post and thinking, "All these dresses are nice, but what we really need is a picture of Y in a dress!"  You're in luck! We weren't technically allowed to take pictures of any of the dresses, but the consultant helping us wandered away for about 20 minutes after I tried on my last dress, the Casablanca.  After a bit of "WTH?" we took advantage of her negligence and snapped a few quick shots on my dad's camera phone.  So, without further ado...

Sorry about the 'meh' expression, I was trying to be sneaky!

With a blingy sash

As you can probably guess, I didn't break down and buy a dress on Sunday.  I didn't even pick a favorite.  Now that I know a little more about what silhouettes look best and what details I like, I want to search around more and try some more styles on before I decide.  Honestly, I'm still hoping for that "OMGYES!" moment, but who knows if that will really happen.

Did you pick a dress on your first time out?  Did you immediately know which one you wanted, or was your reaction less emotional?  And, hey, if you had to pick - which one of these three would you go for?