Mrs. Cream Puff, San Francisco Bay Area
Age and Occupation: 25, Illustrator
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Merchandise Planner
Engagement Date: May 27, 2007
Wedding Date: August, 2008
Blogging Since: February 7, 2008
Venue: Ceremony at Crissy Field and Reception at the Green Room
About Me: I never dreamed about my wedding as a little girl because I was too busy playing in the mud or pretending to be Martha Stewart–but now that it's here, I'm having a fabulous time DIYing everything in sight! We’re planning a very fun multicultural wedding (I'm Jewish and Mr. Cream Puff is Chinese), filled with as many personal details as I can muster.
My OTHER Wedding Dress!
March 26th, 2008 @ 5:18 pm by Mrs. Cream Puff
I have been bugging FMIL Puff to help me out with ordering a Chinese dress for ages. It’s been on my to-do list for the past few weeks; I was worried it would never get done. Luckily, we were all able to coordinate our schedules around Momma Puff’s visit, so we all went together! After doing a little bit of online sleuthing, we decided to go to Ling’s Bridal in Oakland’s Chinatown. Connie, who works there, is SO AWESOME and nice.
This whole cheong-sam thing has gone through several stages. First, I was planning to borrow FMIL Puff’s dress. However, it was a two-piece and not all that flattering, and when I tried it on, I found that my boobs wouldn’t even fit in it. So there went that. Then I decided to buy one online. FMIL Puff dismissed this idea outright, saying that it would look tacky and low quality and would wrinkle when I sat down. I have learned not to argue with FMIL Puff on certain points, and this was one of them! However, as you can see, we are slowly going up in price here. In order to keep the cost in check, I was thinking that I’d rent a dress from Ling’s. Then I found out it was only about $150 more for a dress I could KEEP, so we decided to go that route.
I tried on some of their sample dresses in order to get more of an idea of what I wanted. This is the first dress I tried on. This dress would be over $600 to have made because it has three trims (the big, light colored one, and then two smaller ones). This one is rather traditional and bridal.
After that one, I tried on this style. Obviously, it’s pink, not red (it has to be red). However, we all really liked the roses on it. It’s also not too traditional or bridal-ly, so I could potentially wear it again. When Connie brought out the fabric in red, we were sold.
Me with FMIL Puff. This is the red fabric that my dress will be made from.
Here, Connie is helping us decide what piping to choose. The fabric has red, gold and aqua in it. We experimented with red, aqua, gold and light blue piping fabrics.
This is what we decided on. I’m so excited! The fabric isn’t typical for a qi-pao, but FMIL Puff is thrilled, so I know it’s all good. 
We decided to do two linings, because it didn’t look quite right with only one. We couldn’t afford the third, though!
Connie suggested that I choose a dress that is cut on only one side on the bodice (like the first dress), rather than both sides (like the pink dress). Apparently this will be more flattering on my chest. We’re also going to get some “frogs” put on the dress. These are amazing handmade decorative buttons. Connie showed Mr. Cream Puff how she made them, and he was very impressed.
Here are the frogs, close up. Mine will be red with aqua.
Connie taking my measurements:
And of course, we’ve gotta measure the big ol’ Jew boobs:
And that is all! I was a little worried about what might happen if I lose weight do to stress. Connie said that they do free alterations up until the wedding (as long as it’s down in size and not up–they can’t re-cut the fabric, obviously). I am so excited!!
36 Responses to “My OTHER Wedding Dress!”
yay for qi paos! i’m having one custom made as well! isn’t it so much fun to think you get to change into different dresses? Are you changing into an evening gown too?
omg Miss Creampuff, your expressions are priceless!!! Now you’ve got me all excited about qi-pao shopping! Care to elaborate how having one split on the side is more flattering? I didn’t know they charge a lot more for the trim. About how much more will it be to have two or three trims as opposed to just one?
I know exactly where that is at! I went there to check it out too …. I ended up renting mine somewhere else.
I agree with it being cut on the one side. :]
I LOVE your chipao! Okay, I know it doesn’t exist yet.. but I can already imagine it in all its red and aqua glory. To be honest, I’m not a fan of most traditional bridal chipaos. (This includes my own.) But I ADORE your fabric and non-conventional twist! I can’t gush enough about it. Yay!
“big ole Jew boobs” love it. Too funny.
LOL at the big ol’ Jew boobs.
The first time I met my fiance’s extended family, they took one look at my rack and said “It’s official! She’s really a Jew!” I was totally humiliated and have not forgiven them for that comment yet!!
You look AMAZING in the first dress and adorable in the second dress…I think it is the one side split that looks more flattering…YOU ARE JUST TOO CUTE!!!
What is it with us jewish girls and the boobs? And why don’t people understand that they really are real, even if they may be unproportional to the rest of our bodies? Oy!!
You crack my shiz up creampuff.
You look great in both dresses! I’m forgoing the cheongsam despite my Chinese heritage - I didn’t want yet another garment that I have to suck my tummy in for
Just beware of how high that slit goes. FI’s cousin’s wedding pictures have one particularly racy one taken from the side, in which you can see his new bride’s…er… ASSets pretty clearly..
I love the first qipao but I see it on lots of brides. Your dress is going to be amazing! As an added side note–I was told that the double side piping (like on the rose dress) was reserved for the Empress. The single side cut was for concubines. After that, I checked out the concubines & empresses on Chinese dramas for some non-academic research and as far as I’ve seen, the remark is accurate.
Thanks for the cheongsam lesson, it was very informative. Still in the process of searching for mine. Did you happen to take notes on the frog making? If so, please share. I wanted to create them for napkin rings.
How cool! You look like you had a lot of fun. I was reading halfway and was about to comment that the first dress is more flattering on you than the second and then I got to where you wrote about the cut to one side. I’m glad they know what flatters your figure!
Haha I never knew that about Jews and boobs, but there IS a girl at work whom I THINK is Jewish and that was the first thing I noticed (and her arms are sticks!).
i just bought my qipao over the weekend too! i picked one that wasn’t very traditional too. i love the fabric on your’s…and i agree that the one sided bodice is more flattering on you.
That dress is so pretty! I like all the decisions you made from the 1-split cut and the fabric to the lining colors. You’ll definitely be able to wear it again. The way the cheongsams are cut they don’t look like they’d be very forgiving on the tummy. It’s good that yours is totally flat - it looks really good on you!!!
When I had my alterations done recently by my Japanese alterations lady she commented on how I should shop at a few Asian-oriented clothing stores she named because I had an Asian figure. I took that as code for “no boobs.” Sounds like you have the opposite “problem”!
Was Mr. Creampuff there?
Miss Cream Puff, You ROCK that cheong-sam!
=) Seriously, you look fantastic in it. And I completely agree with the one side cut on the bodice….it’s definitely more flatering.
Wapow! Gawgeous! I agree, the single cut on the first is much more flattering. Can’t wait to see the finished product
hahha!
just needed to comment and tell you that you are too cute!! I love your expressions!
So excited for you! I would have never thought of teal and red together, but I love how you got a “red” dress that still is contemporary and non-bridal enough to wear again! And interesting point on the concubine vs. empress swtlmt made.
I love the picture of you and FMIL Puff. You two are really cute together.
Seeing your post makes me wish I had gone the non-traditional route for my cheongsam (although my mom’s making mine, making it a little more special to me)!
ou look great and the choices you made on fabric and colours are fantastic!!
miss cream puff, you are too cute!! i love reading your posts 
thanks for sharing, and in such a fun way. it’s so great your your FMIL went with you to help you with a traditional dress. i LOVE the fabric. so pretty. can’t wait to see it finished.
miss creampuff — i know the exact shop you visited! it’s in my neck of the woods! you look beautiful and your facial expressions are priceless.
Love the colors and style of qipao you picked. It’s gonna look so awesome…..and like everyone else mentioned - you are too adorable!
your facial expressions are awesome! i cant’ wait to see the final result of your dress! i ended up ordering mine online b/c i didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg.
very lovely qipao! i had mine altered significantly a week before the wedding so it shouldn’t be a problem if you have a tailor.
Miss Cream puff your are the cutest thing since Shirley Temple. I love the fabric you chose
Miss Cream Puff! As I was reading, something clicked and then everything looked so familiar because I picked out the EXACT same fabric for my qi-pao in Beijing, with the single cut but with gold trim and buttons! I picked it b/c it wasn’t so “traditional” too - great taste
[…] My OTHER Wedding Dress! by Miss Creampuff, The Perfect Dress, The Purchase (Part Four) by Miss Peacock […]
Just wanted to say I’m glad you posted this on your LJ… I LOVE what you have come up with, the flowers are amazing, and I really am excited that they can do the 1-side cut at the top instead of the 2-side cut in the pink dress b/c I agree that the cut of the first dress is much more flattering.
And I have to say that you look really amazing in all your pics on here.
And I also have to say how awesome it is that they are willing to do free alterations up to your wedding! It’s a rarity!
I am so jealous of your qi-poa… FH and I are the same nationality and pretty much the same religion so I’m always jealous of multicultural ceremonies.
P.S. You look great in both, I can’t wait to see pics from the actual day.
