All Dressed Up…
February 26th, 2008 @ 12:16 pm by Mrs. Penguin
Our Engagement Picture session is all set! Our insanely awesome photographer, Sarah K. Chen and I bounced some ideas around for some good backdrops for our session, and we’ve decided to do one series on the UCLA campus, and then move to a more urban setting nearby. I asked her what we should wear, and what to avoid. Here was her advice:
“I’d bring a few different outfits for the e-shoot. Casual, dressy, and maybe something funky. Wear sexy shoes, don’t dress all matchy-matchy, but be sure to coordinate! Let your style shine through and wear something you feel GREAT in!”
So, I set out to look for a few outfits that fit the bill. I admit, I’m a HORRIBLE shopper. I don’t shop around much, and I tend to get an idea in my head of what I’d like to wear, only to not be able to find it anywhere. I thought a great “casual-dressy” outfit would be a short black dress with long sleeves and some REALLY funky shoes. I couldn’t find a long sleeve dress so I settled for this one (I’ll keep the tags on and keep looking, but at $49, it’s not a bad dress just to have lying around). I was aiming for a pretty plain dress that wouldn’t “take over” the picture. Check out these fun shoes!:
For our “dressier” pictures, I was smitten by Mrs. Spider’s formal white dress that she wore for her engagement session, but wanted to keep it on the short side, so I opted for this cute cream number. I love the black tulle detailing at the hem, and I’ll pair it with black patent pumps.
At first, I wasn’t really “gaga” for the bow detailing in front (I’m not a present, mmmkay?) so I thought about tying the bow short in the back. Here’s the difference:
Which do you like better? Bow in front, or bow in back?
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38 Responses to “All Dressed Up…”
That white dress is to die for— SO cute. And I like the bow in the back– it looks sleeker that way.
I heart Sarah Chen. Her work is great and I just emailed her this morning to inquire about her pricing for a friend of mine. I’m sure your pictures will turn out wonderful.
I like bow in the back too.
okay, i LOVE the shoes. and bow in the back. definitely bow in the back.
pengy’s looking might hot
I love the white dress very pretty! Those shoes are so cute!!!
Mrs. Spider, do you mean with the whole RIBBON off? I personally don’t like sashes or ribbons, so I think it might look best with no ribbon as well.
Definitely bow in the back. Can’t wait to see your engagement pictures! 
I’d say bow to the back as well. Can you tell us where you got it? It is FANTASTIC and HOT on you!!!
Oh and love the colorful shoes as well!
i love the shoes and vote for the bow in the back. yay, ucla! what a great place to have photos taken.
in the back
I have to agree my friend. Bow in back. Love the shoes and the dresses. Can’t wait to see your beautiful pics!!
love love love your white dress. it’s so audrey hepburn classic 50’s movie. big no no to bow in front. but back is fine, or on the side, perhaps?
Very cute finds…both of them! Love the white dress especially! I vote for the bow in the back.
i have that exact white dress!! i was thinking rehearsal dinner. definitely bow in the back
Bow in back. Definitely.
r u standing on ur toilet? haha
Maybe have the bow in the front, but not *quite* dead center? Having it in the back just seems so little girl to me…but PENG - hotness. I agree with Spider.
LOVE the funky shoes (so fun), the black dress is awesome — very flattering and classic with a bit of flair. And the bow — totally in the back. Much less “little girl” and much more “soon to be married!” In fact — maybe just make a knot with it, no bow?
Bow in back and tied “floppy” (longish loops) so it’s more drapey and not little-girl perky OR see if you can get Miss CB to teach you how to make that cool obi knot!
Also, PLEASE more details on those shoes (make, model, price)— I’m in lust with them!
And yes, you one hot piece of birdy!
I vote bow in back
I’m with Mrs. Spider!! 
You look HAWT!
I feel that the bow in the back is the best!
I can’t wait to see your pictures!
Back.
I like the bow in the back.
the shoes are alright. to me, it doesn’t really stand out that much since you already have a dark dress on. i’d say a different color shoes so you’d notice it right away like red.
http://www.piperlime.com/browse/product.do?cid=37834&pid=542532&scid=542532012
http://www.piperlime.com/browse/product.do?cid=37834&pid=540849&scid=540849032
i’d understand if these aren’t quite your taste, but they are just examples to make my point.
i have to agree that the white dress is cute with the bow in the back. bow in the front is a little too distracting and takes away from the print.
You guys are so AWESOME! So the consensus is Bow in Back. I think I’ll take the dress to a tailor this week and have the sash sewn into the sides instead, since there is barely enough material to make a little knot in the back…so it will look like its tied in the back. YOU ROCK, THANKS!
Yes, I’m standing on the toilet. Mr Penguin kept jerking around and taking pictures of just my boobs only so I decided to take the 2nd set of pictures by myself. SHEESH I GOTTA DO EVERYTHING
Here are the shoes (from Nordstrom):
Here is the dress (also from Nordstrom)…IT JUST WENT ON SALE for $111 yay!:
There’s a long sleeved short dress at Ann Taylor Loft Check it out here: http://www.anntaylorloft.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=12216&N=1200012&pCategoryId=199&categoryId=211&Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_211&cm_mmc_o=HFzbkCjCn.nD.io%20FzygtCjCbFzTw%20v%20pywllwlCjCpywllwl&defaultColorNameFromCategory=Deep%20Blue&defaultSizeTypeFromCategory=Misses
I thought you may be interested.
WWhoops! It’s blue, sorry!
Thanks Lourdes! Youre definitely tempting me to buy a few more pairs!!! I saw some cute crazy ones on Zappos that I might buy…and I love the suggestions you made too! But youre right, the louder the better! I’m in love wiht the ones I bought but it wont hurt to bring a few more pairs to the shoot, right? Oh man. I really shouldnt be spending money on shoes
Tie it in the back - f’sho!
What about this for a long sleeved wrap dress:
http://www.bluefly.com/pages/products/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=2081118475&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1219&N=933&Ne=500000&Nu=Product+ID&Ntk=all&Ntt=black+dress+wrap&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial
okay… i love this dress- WHERE DID YOU GET IT!!??!!?!
Hi Babagrishell! I just posted links above (Comment #29)…the dress just went on sale for like almost 50 percent off! Click the links to order online
I love the black dress…. where did u get it?
Bow in the Back!
Back… otherwise there is just too much detail at the front.
Mrs. Penguin, Sacramento
Age and Occupation: 26, Video & TV Producer/Director/Editor
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Engagement Date: January 29, 2007
Wedding Date: June 7, 2008
Blogging Since: September 14, 2007
Venue: Winery in the Gold Country
About Me: I'm a silly mess of a girl who, above all else in this world, LOVES the Spice Girls. I eat sushi at least 3 times a week, and feel guilty about how much it costs the other 4 days a week. I love designer jeans and cheap accessories. I don't like sweets, but I love the UCLA Bruins!
Back! The bow is too distracting in the front.