Saying “Gimme That Shiz” to the Dress

Saying “Gimme That Shiz” to the Dress

December 1st, 2011 @ 8:36 am by Miss Unicycle
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After my whirlwind trip to four bridal salons, I was still a little bit turned off to wedding dresses. Sure, I was glad that the samples were able to zip in the back, but I still hadn’t found anything I actually liked, let alone something under budget. (Remember, my budget was $500, which a lot of bridal consultants would laugh at.)

Way back in 2009, when I was shamefully trolling wedding blogs on the sly, I started following Mrs. Pretzel’s dress search, which eventually led me to this picture:

Image via Stephanie James Couture

At the risk of sounding completely cliche, I actually gasped when I saw this.

That was the very first (and, *spoiler alert*, last) time I ever saw a wedding dress that I just had to have. I loved the silhouette and the fact that it had a poufy skirt without being ridiculous like the Vera Wang sort of was. I liked the clean lines with no bling or lace, I loved that it wasn’t strapless, and I was obsessed with the retro-inspired design.

I had been tentatively toying with the idea of a tea-length wedding dress for a while because I found dresses like these:

Image via lynnsrags on Etsy

Image via Dolly Couture

Image via Posh Girl Vintage

Image via Fifties Wedding

I couldn’t leave out Audrey’s dress from Funny Face!

But I didn’t really want a short dress. You’re supposed to have a long dress on your wedding day, ya know? So when I found the Stephanie James dress, it was the best of both worlds! And now some more dress p0rn for you. (The following images are via Stephanie James Couture.)

I saved this dress picture and occasionally gazed adoringly at it for the better part of a year and a half, and when Mr. Unicycle proposed I went right back to it. I figured my dress search would be quick and easy because I’d just buy this one.

Cue record-scratch sound. The dress was custom made and $2,300. Bitch, please. I didn’t even spend that on my last car.

Have you ever fallen in love at first sight with a dress or other inanimate object?

Tags: chicago, wedding-dress |

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20 Responses to “Saying “Gimme That Shiz” to the Dress”

Member

knvprincess143 (message) 807 posts, Busy bee

Yes, I carried a picture of my dream dress around with me in my wallet. I even laminated it to insure it would weather the years. It moved homes everytime I change wallets. When I found out it is $4,000.00, it was a huge stomp on my heart. Why I didn’t check the price 3 years ago when I ripped it out of that dumb bridal magazine is beyond me. So yes, I feel your pain. Now the picture RIP’s in my wedding planning book. I just can’t bring myself to throw it away.

11/30/11 @ 2:03 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Aardvark (message) 635 posts, Busy bee

I have to say you have amazing taste! I have every single one of those saved in my inspiration folder

11/30/11 @ 2:05 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Mink (message) 1,520 posts, Bumble bee

The second I slipped on the $7,000 Rivini Dari, I was in love.

Not “forget the budget” love…I’m far too practical for that. But I loooooove that dress!

At 22, when helping a friend look through bridal mags, I saw what must have been Monique Lhuillier’s first collection with colored sashes and I loved them! I cut one out and kept it until last year.

11/30/11 @ 2:06 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Porcupine (message) 429 posts, Helper bee

Every dress I fell in love with was Kenneth Pool - expensive jerk. I also fell in love with a tea length dress (Miss Kettle’s to be exact). Too bad I’m a midget and it looked full-length on me. Can’t wait to see your final selection.

12/1/11 @ 8:45 am (reply)

Guest

kaepo1

love this and not only because of the dress (which is abs gorgeous), but usage of “bitch, please” gets high points in my book!

12/1/11 @ 9:13 am (reply)

Member

daybyday (message) 634 posts, Busy bee

“Bitch, please. I didn’t even spend that on my last car.”

LOL. I like you.

12/1/11 @ 9:15 am (reply)

Member

jacinda10 (message) 469 posts, Helper bee

Get the dress made from a chinese replica maker! You’ll pay under 500 for that exact dress, in high quality materials. Check out Jasmine’s Bridal Shop or Dressilyme. A lot of the girls on the boards used them and loved it!

12/1/11 @ 9:22 am (reply)

Member

TinyTina (message) 3,312 posts, Sugar bee

Hahaha the first dress I fell in love with was a Lazaro that retailed somewhere around $4,500… Riiiiiiight.

12/1/11 @ 9:41 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Honey (message) 1,069 posts, Bumble bee

These dresses are so perfect for a retro wedding, oooh can’t wait to see what you get

12/1/11 @ 9:43 am (reply)

10.

Bee

Mrs. Pony (message) 4,175 posts, Honey bee

I love your taste in dresses! And I totally fell in love with Jim Hjelm dresses long before I was engaged, but gave up that dream after I figured out the cost.

12/1/11 @ 10:13 am (reply)

11.

Guest

Psingo

I thought the same thing! lol

@daybyday:

12/1/11 @ 10:17 am (reply)

12.

Member

lolo7835 (message) 558 posts, Busy bee

There was a badgley mishka dress from their 07′ collection that I LOVED. Still love. Even found it on preowned wedding dresses and it was still out of budget. So I forgot about it.

Then after I bought my dress I found the old picture. And wouldn’t you know? They are virtually the same. At a quarter of the price. Go me.

12/1/11 @ 11:10 am (reply)

13.

Member

szaerpoor (message) 215 posts, Helper bee

Lol your posts always make me laugh. I second the suggestion - get it through a chinese replica place. especially since the dress doesn’t have a lot of really fine details - like beads or embroidery, i think it’s like that you will get something very very close to what the picture is. Go for it!

12/1/11 @ 2:07 pm (reply)

14.

Member

Ms. Anemone (message) 624 posts, Busy bee

That dress is GORGEOUS. Oh, please tell me you’ve had it made elsewhere for less $$$.

12/1/11 @ 2:25 pm (reply)

15.

Member

Rubies (message) 862 posts, Busy bee

Oh, I don’t even know the price of my Love at First Sight dress…The number of little $ symbols on the Kleinfelds site just frighten me too much to ask.

12/1/11 @ 4:32 pm (reply)

16.

Member

Future Army Wife (message) 1,110 posts, Bumble bee

I feel in LURV with the long-sleeved Vera Wang gown at David’s Bridal. Wound up buying another DB gown for $450. Even better.

12/1/11 @ 7:07 pm (reply)

17.

Bee

Miss Unicycle (message) 293 posts, Helper bee

@Miss Aardvark: thanks, Aardvark! I can’t wait to see your dress too!

@Miss Porcupine: I feel ya. I cannot do tea length. No way. Not on only 62 inches of bod. Fine, 61.5.

@jacinda10: and @szaerpoor: I actually considered that! Stay tuned for my next post…haha

@Ms. Anemone: I did! Sort of. Stay tuned!

12/1/11 @ 8:09 pm (reply)

18.

Bee

Miss Mole (message) 985 posts, Busy bee

At the second bridal store I went to, I fell in love with a dress that was around 2500. I could have rearranged some money around to buy it, but - as you said- my first car cost less than that! I decided to keep looking and eventually found a wonderful dress in my budget comfort zone. Can’t wait to hear more about your dress!

12/1/11 @ 9:58 pm (reply)

19.

Guest

Ass

I believe it’s spelled Pr0n.

12/2/11 @ 12:11 pm (reply)

20.

Bee

Miss Kettle (message) 909 posts, Busy bee

I fell in love with the dress I ended up buying on first sight. Well, on first and a half sight because I saw it in white first, but fell in love with the taupe.
I went all types of ways against the grain. My dress isn’t white, it’s tea length, and it’s way poofier than anything someone with my small stature and short fram should be wearing, but I’m happy because I lurv my dress!

12/6/11 @ 2:48 am (reply)