Sunday, January 22, 2006

Wedding Dresses

I've been looking for the last couple of weekends for a wedding dress. I've only been to 2 stores and already I'm completely frustrated! I just want to get this done with! It's such a frustrating process..... which dress, which cut, which beading, which skirt, which train, which everything in the world. All made even more complicated by the fact that I want/need to have a dress WITH SLEEVES! And if you know anything about wedding dress shopping, you'll know that sleeves are practically non-existant. 98% of dresses are strapless. Another 1.5% have spaghetti straps or tank topish sleeves or cap sleeves; all not appropriate. The last .5% have a sort of sleeve. And most of those are either too sheer, don't cover the shoulder, or exist in a store in Utah only. PLUS I'd prefer a long sleeve to a short sleeve. I think the short sleeves give the dress a "t-shirt" look. And hi-ho! Even the "modest" made dresses are all short sleeved!

I REALLY don't want to have to schlepp into Manhattan if I don't have to. I don't want to have to schlepp into the city and then all the way downtown for fittings and all that, plus it's usually more expensive when you get it in the city.

So I've been to a couple of local places and I know things can be done to alter dresses, but at the same time it's so hard to imagine what they'll look like, or how it'll turn out, or if the alteration will take away from the look of the dress... I'm just frustrated at the process. I wish I could find a dress I didn't have to alter except just for sizing. PLUS there was a REALLY RUDE saleswoman this weekend who shooed my Mom out of the dressing room and then told me that she was too picky. ARRRRGH! I wanted to strangle her, I felt she was being rude and pushy the entire time I was there. She said I was picky too, and when you're picky you have a harder time. Ummmmmmmmm this is MY wedding dress, and shouldn't it be just the way I want it?

I know BASICALLY what I want. The cut, the skirt line and width, the train, the amount of detailing... But it doesn't seem to exist. Except for this one dress I saw online, it has everything I'm looking for, including long sleeves. But no one carrys it. They carry the designer that makes the dress but not that dress because no one else in the world wants sleeves and they wouldn't be able to sell it and why carry a dress that won't sell? I can't order it without purchasing it and I don't want to purchase a gown I haven't tried on...

I KNOW that this all takes awhile, but I hate shopping to begin with, and by the end of a couple of hours in a Bridal Store I'm tired and cranky. I want a mostly modest dress. I don't want strapless or low cut or slinky, I want the sleeves to have some semblance of solidity instead of sheerness. I feel like a dress like that would just be the complete opposite of the type of wedding I want to have. PLUS we're going to be in our Synagogue so I REALLY want to feel comfortable and appropriate and still special all at the same time. I just wish things were simpler. Why does every little bit of planning a wedding have to be so complex? Right now I'm just feeling really frustrated with the entire process. Isn't all of this supposed to be fun and exciting and amazing and a once in a lifetime special thing that you do????


So, one again I'm asking the BLOG reading universe for advice. Does anyone have any ideas as to where I can more easily find a dress with sleeves???

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Try Saks Fifth Avenue's evening wear department. Get a personal shopper just by applying for and getting a credit card. Tell her that you want a wedding suit, preferably floor length. All suits have long sleeves. These suits are constructed to keep the jacket/top on all the time. You won't look like Glinda, the good witch, but you will look like a grown up modest Jewish woman. Many have some beading and a sophisticated line. Retro-fitting a modest neckline and sleeves on a strapless gown mostly doesn't work. Alternaatively, ask an Orthodox rebitzen where to shop. Going to most local bridal stores WILL make you streesed out and take the joy out of this part of your wedding. Good luck and remember, this is supposed to be a positive spiritual journey.