The Dress - When to Give Up and When to Keep Going!

As you know, I did not buy a dress my first time out.  In fact, I did not buy a dress my second, third or fourth time out either.  I had a "moment" of panic.

I'm getting ahead of myself :-)

My trip to the Bay Area had given me a baseline to start with.  I had two dresses I liked, not loved, that I was trying to beat.  I was talking to my friend, the future Mrs. R, about my experience when she gave me an update on her dress.  She was coming from the same place I was: she didn't want to spend tons on a dress she was going to wear for one day.  She had found a beautiful dress at Macy's on clearance; originally $475, marked down to $150.  It wasn't a bridal dress per see, but it was white lace, with gold woven into it and it was wonderful.  Then her bridesmaids and her mom started asking if it had a train, and just "how bridal was it?"  She started second guessing herself.

While driving through Stockton The Future Mrs. R saw a bridal shop and thought, "what the heck, might as well!" and went in.  She walked in and saw that they weren't that busy (it was the middle of the week).  She the saw the SALE wall.  before she knew it she had an arm full of last year's sample dresses to try on.  And there, at Bella's Bridal, she found the dress of her dreams for around $375.  Not only did she get a screaming deal, she was able to take the dress home since it was a sample.

She told me it was a "must see" even though Stockton is about an hour and a half away from where I live.  My mind was set!  I was off to Stockton!

There I found two very different dresses that I really liked.

The first, a Mori Lee, Style # 2171 I did not expect to like at all.  In fact, it was my cousin, Mrs. M's pull.  I only tried it on for her.  I loved it as soon as I put it on!  I didn't know that my body could look that good!  I did want to make it strapless and take off the bottom ruffle.  With alterations and bustle it would run $375.

The second, a Christina Wu, Style # 5521 I loved.  It had much more beading than I thought I would like.  It was very beautiful and looked great.  Two things held this dress back from being on my short list.  1) It was a little too formal for the outdoor lunch wedding we were planning. 2) it was $100 more than dress 1.  It was out.

Once again, I had found a dress I "liked" but didn't "love."  I pushed on! More to come :-)

How many dresses did you try on before you found "the one?"