...well, shoot.
Re: my previous post about wanting clean, simple dresses that my mom thought were boring? Well, I had one particular designer in mind when I wrote that. I'd wanted to go try on a few of his (simple, straightforward, cheap...as wedding dresses go) dresses when I'm in southern CA at the end of October (no showrooms in Seattle, but one near LA), but my mom checked out a few designs and strongly suggested we go check out "fancier" dresses at a different store. I grumbled--I grumbled here on the blog--but then I took advantage of the company's shipping program to have my favorite dress (see previous link) and another, slightly sparklier one sent to me at home so I could try on samples. And you know what? My mom was right. I hate when that happens.
The lighting's not great and the mirror needs cleaning, but for the most part what you see is what you get. The first dress made me feel dumpy; the second one was a bit more exciting but the only sample they had available was a size too big. (If you're looking for my other hand, it's clutching the back of the dress so the bustline doesn't gap too much in the photo.) Conclusions from this little adventure: I definitely need something more exciting happening on my dress--even with a bright-colored sash, #1 would be boring, and the jeweled empire waist on #2 helps but still isn't enough to be interesting. I know that some of the issues I had with the fabric come from these dresses being used as samples (what you don't see in the photos: fabric filled with snags, small rips, and makeup stains from past tryers-on), but compared to the more structured dresses I tried on a few weeks ago at David's Bridal these just felt flimsy. I'm sure they'd be great for naturally skinny women with little to hide, but I've seen my stomach and it needs structure. And shinier fabric. (That last part isn't required; I just think I'll like it more.)
So know we know: I'm ready for fancier. I'm ready for sparklier. I may even be ready for a few sequins. (I may still consider some other designs from this company for bridesmaid dresses.) I'm not thrilled that the style I thought I'd love didn't work out--this means I still have lots of trying-on ahead of me, oh joy--but it doesn't feel as overwhelming if I think of it as having crossed a whole genre of dresses off the list. Boring is out! Bring on the shiny!
Not much new progress to report on the wedding planning, but we have a meeting with the wedding coordinator this afternoon so I expect her to get us thinking more seriously about the little details that I've been avoiding. And, well, I guess by "not much new progress" I mean we haven't chosen (or seriously considered) any new vendors since picking our photographer a couple of weeks ago, but I suppose we've talked some about colors. I like cobalt blue and a nice heather/charcoal gray, and The Boy recommends adding a brighter third color so maybe yellow? We need to go to a hardware store and hash this out in the paint chip aisle, but at least we've started talking about it. I'm also trying to nail down times to try on dresses--I keep forgetting to call J. Crew for an appointment in late October (the first time the local bridesmaids and I will be in the same city and not otherwise occupied), and I'll probably try to squeeze in a David's Bridal appointment for the same day. I may visit another DB the prior weekend when I'll be in southern California (it'd be nice to try on at least one dress in front of my mom), and I'm taking advantage of a small designer's try-on program to test out a couple of dresses next week. (Short version: the designer doesn't have showrooms in Seattle, but I love one of his [inexpensive!] dresses and for $15 they'll send you the dress to try on at home.) This is probably both my most and least favorite part of planning so far--the dresses are pretty and they're built to make me look good so I'm not anticipating body-image issues, but I already hate making decisions and this seems to be the biggest, most impactful decision I'll make for a while. I've got my mom telling me that the simple, clean dresses I'm drawn to aren't "special" or "stunning" enough for my wedding day (it seems the guests spend money coming to the wedding for a show, and if I don't look extra-special then it'll be a letdown), and all of the websites and catalogs and magazines are pushing sparkly dresses that don't speak to me at all but seem to be the standard for weddings. I realize that this is our party and I'm paying for this dress so the final decision is mine, but I don't want to choose something disappointing, and I'm terrified that the dress I love now will look boring in our photos. But anyway, all of this is to say that I think I have a good idea of what I want, but if there's a chance that I'll fall in love with something sparkly then I will go try on some damn sequins. That was an unexpected rant. Quickly finding something good to report: work is...work, I got to hold a baby (still not interested in having any just yet, but boy do I like holding them), lots of traveling and fun times have been had these past couple of weeks, and this morning I made a lot of arrangements for the next couple of trips. And then I'll have a birthday and then Thanksgiving (more travel) and Christmas/New Year's (*two* desinations for that one! I apparently *heart* the airline industry) and then it'll be 2011 and the wedding will be just around the corner! Yikes!
The lighting's not great and the mirror needs cleaning, but for the most part what you see is what you get. The first dress made me feel dumpy; the second one was a bit more exciting but the only sample they had available was a size too big. (If you're looking for my other hand, it's clutching the back of the dress so the bustline doesn't gap too much in the photo.) Conclusions from this little adventure: I definitely need something more exciting happening on my dress--even with a bright-colored sash, #1 would be boring, and the jeweled empire waist on #2 helps but still isn't enough to be interesting. I know that some of the issues I had with the fabric come from these dresses being used as samples (what you don't see in the photos: fabric filled with snags, small rips, and makeup stains from past tryers-on), but compared to the more structured dresses I tried on a few weeks ago at David's Bridal these just felt flimsy. I'm sure they'd be great for naturally skinny women with little to hide, but I've seen my stomach and it needs structure. And shinier fabric. (That last part isn't required; I just think I'll like it more.)