The Empress's New Clothes

[smokingboot]

Tentative forays into Bride land were disappointing. I'm not really going for it until after Oz, but I thought I would have a quick attempt, not least on seeing something interesting at Net-a-porter:


This is contemporary and light, as is the venue, so I popped down to Mr McQueen's establishment on Old Bond Street to see if it would do.

Everyone complains that these things are only designed to look good on tall whippet thin models... this was not the case. The dress seemed to have been cut for a person of ordinary size and height with the shoulders of an American quarterback and the arms of a cave troll. The sizes were generous but even in a 10 the cuffs hung down over my hands, the assistant explaining that they would have to be folded back. So what was the point of those dinky little buttons then? There was also a weird gap created by too much material at the back; somewhere to hide a spare groom I presume.

Not that more traditional wedding gowns were any better. Lace and heavy beading is very in this year, and I don't necessarily look great in either, which is why I went to check on the dress in the first place. I expected the broderie anglaise to be the problem, not the cut. Oh, but wandering through Debenhams/House of Fraser etc,the bridal gowns look hopelessly dull and cheap while costing silly amounts. The one that looked least offensive on me was one of the cheapest of the lot, seriously http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_008010450485_-1 Then I tried a Jenny Packham creation that just fell to the floor in a hideous avalanche of curtain material and fringe...lord! who would buy this stuff? then a couple of things from Coast, Phase 8, and Biba, evening dresses with dodgy zips, not a risk to take on the wedding day. For all this fuss and considerably less cash, I could find something interesting in Camden.

There is of course, Pro Novias, but just looking in the window seems like a major commitment.A visit to Pro Novias appears to be a group affair, groups of women clustered on sofas, brides and wedding advisors looking through vast catalogues, assistants rushing up and downstairs with endless variations on 'The Dress'. It hurts my brain just to contemplate it.

Comments

[sarahfeeney.livejournal.com]

Wedding dresses are so hard - each is such a personal or individual choice.

In my head I see you in something a little like this - perhaps slighlty more austere/hepburnesque

http://www.lightinthebox.com/a-line-jewel-ankle-length-tulle-wedding-dress-788859_p788859.html?pos=ultimately_buy_5

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

That is a very beautiful shape, thank you for the link!

Yes, I like Audrey Hepburn styles very much indeed, though I am being cautious with lace, which seems oddly ageing on me. The outline is so elegant!

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

If it were me I'd go for a red silk cheongsam. :)

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Funnily enough a red cheongsam is exactly what my partner would like me to wear, and I am taking it very seriously as an option, but worry that my figure can't carry it off.

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

Do a Google image search for xiu he wedding dress and see what you think about that. There's a website called Modern Qipao - I'd give you the link but I'm typing on my tablet and it's slow going - which might give you some ideas. I'm very keen on traditional Chinese clothing. In another life, that's all I'd wear.

so gorgeous

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Boot, I think you could carry it.

There are some beautiful dresses there. I wish I had the figure for them.

Re: so gorgeous

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

You say lovely things, thank you! Some of the pieces shown here are gentle to silhouettes, so perhaps many might look better in them than we think... though a very gallant friend has sent me this link to the kind of thing she thinks I would suit. She told me enthusiastically that it has a slimming corset included :-D I think this is what is meant by 'The internal boned bodice negates the need for heavy-duty underpinnings – a considered finishing touch. '
http://www.matchesfashion.com/products/1025381?qxjkl=tsid%3A30065|cgn%3A*ntwVx3S3nw&c3ch=LinkShare&c3nid=*ntwVx3S3nw&utm_source=RAN_UK&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=*ntwVx3S3nw

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Beautiful - and in colours that suit me too. Thank you for the link!

I just had a quick nose

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

I see what you mean, what a lot of horror there is out there. I don't know if our tastes would overlap at all, and I am not practiced at working out what would suit people. But here's a couple of things to look at anyway.

I couldn't carry this, but maybe you could?
this?
there seem to be some others here too that might be interesting and are not gratuitously expensive.

Thank you for these links!

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Number 1 I can definitely do. Beautiful, airy, it would suit me and it would suit a summer wedding, but it's not Larians cup of tea and I do want to wow him on the day... number 2 is soft and lovely, but I have to be careful with lace, however delicate. Often it adds a kind of age to me without the queenliness many older women bring to it.

Interestingly, you and Sarah have both pointed me at Angel Dress. I am taking it as a sign, and checking it out!

[yapman.livejournal.com]

I can see why you went to look at it; I quite like it, but without seeing it on somebody, you really can't tell.

Viki chose to get one made according to her preferences. It really worked well, and cost about the same as going off the shelf, in the end.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I am just the same as you; while I know what suits me when wearing it, there's no way I can tell off the peg. All I can see is something that looks interesting or not so interesting... and there's an awful lot of very dull, cheaply made rocket priced bridal wear out there. To my mind, Viki really had the right idea. Getting it made and tailored to preference is not necessarily more expensive, and can have much better results.