what (not) to wear

I've started making tentative little steps toward finding a dress. By which I mean I'm looking at dresses. Online mostly, though I did manage to set foot in a store today. No, I didn't try anything on. I figure since I don't even know a) where it's going to be & therefore what would be "appropriate" (yes, I only use that word in quotes), b) how much the total budget will be (I'm going to force myself to have that conversation soon, I swear) or c) whether or not all that creamy silk would burn my heathen skin ... I'd better stick to just looking.

Unsurprisingly, I'm thinking "Less is More." Even without financial restrictions, I flat-out refuse to look like I belong on the top of a cake. Here's what I've seen & liked so far:

My favorite bride blog, Broke-Ass Bride, found this in the J. Crew catalogue, of all places. It's not only beautiful, but it's on sale for $300. Heck, even at full price it was $395. Of course, it says "catalogue only", so there's no trying it on first, but I highly doubt that J. Crew wildly alters their return policy just for long white dresses.

Further investigation of their website led me to this. Also $300, and also very pretty. I'm not sure that I like this variation quite as much as the one above, but I'm happy to know that dresses like these exist. Of course, if I go this low-key with the frock it's pretty much gonna have to be a daytime wedding, but I'd be fine with that. Especially since the reception isn't going to be right after the ceremony. Come to think of it, I wouldn't feel like nearly as much of a fool putting this dress back on, on a 2nd day, as I would a cake-topper. Plus, Mr. UB could go with a dark suit instead of a tux ... hmmm, indeed.

Another source of good ideas: Rodeo Drive Resale was kind enough to remind me of their existance this morning, with a happy little email announcing New Stuff!

So, I just have to put it out there: ... too much? I mean, I know it's lavender, but one of my b-maids has already informed me that she's going to laugh if I wear white. And it's a freakin' Roberto Cavalli for $499!! There's no threat of us getting married in a church, so the quite-a-bit-o'-cleavage factor isn't a problem. I'm going to have to drag myself over to the valley to check this little gem out in person -- thank goodness RDR has an actual bricks & mortar store. Hopefully it's not filled with the creepy Titus Andronicus mannequins, though. I mean really ... who thought those were a good idea?

On a slightly less ... purple scale, RDR also has these to offer: Either one of which could work. They're $189 and $169 respectively. I'm gonna have to get some cash on hand quickly, just in case one of these we-just-have-the-one dresses really grabs me.












The store that I checked out today is one that I read about on ... somebody's? blog. I promise I'll start doing a better job of noting where/when so that I can give proper credit, but meanwhile: I found this snazzy little store on La Brea called Glamour Closet. They're a San Francisco store that just opened up a location down here, and they sell designers' sample dresses for a BIG discount. And I'm not talking David's Bridal here. I actually laid my hands on dresses by Carolina Herrera, Reem Acra, etc. (Thank god I'd just purelled.) Now, these are serious Wedding Dresses, not the "that'll do" category like my examples above. And some of them can still lighten your wallet to the tune of a year's college tuition (at a UC school, anyway.) But I did see things that were as cheap as $500, and the staff could not have been nicer. I'm going to go back with girlfriend(s) in tow ... hopefully, since all my b-maids are non-local, I can get some of my S girls to lend a hand.