Christmas wedding-ness: 2. The dress

O yay this was fun. Fun fun fun.


The dress hunt started back in October when I was back in the UK for a friend's wedding. My sister and I went to a couple of dress shops and I tried on maybe 30 dresses. The very first one I tried on was the best by far from the whole day. Lovely. And the shop I tried it on in was selling the sample: reduced from £2K+ to £650. So the business-minded part of me thought I should go ahead and buy it. So I did. Eek. Worst case I find a better one and can sell it second hand. Best case I've got my dress for a bargainous price.


So back in the UK last week I did two full days dress shopping. First was a day in London with a friend (a brutally honest friend, it turns out!) I guess I am lucky; I am 5ft 11 and reasonably slim, so I fit the samples and most dresses look good. The best one with her was a lovely Alan Hannah number (the picture doesn't do it justice), but it was a pretty standard white meringue (although with a cool diamante embellishment on the hip):

There was also a slinky David Feilding thing, which was AMAZING, but I guess the front just didn't look special enough (and I can't find a picture of it).

Then I did a full day with my Mum in the North. First up was a shop that stocks the dress I've already bought. So tried it on for her. I still love it (phew!) but I'm not sure it does wonders for my bum. Link to the picture is here (I'm posting as a link in case T peeks). It's ever so fitted down over my hips, and I think I end up looking a bit big from the side. But I love the neckline, love the skirt... and could always spend the day doing that funny hunched over pose the models do....

Then we went and tried on a buch of Jenny Packhams. WOW. But Mum wasn't sure: What would Granny say? What would the vicar say? I can see your belly button. I can see you nipples (for the record, you couldn't!)

I loved them.... especially Tamsin:

The third favourite of the day, which we both agreed on, was a lacy thing from Pronovias. Very different and makes me look Spanish:

But I almost felt a bit too grown up in it. More beautiful and sophisticated than fun.

So I'm happy with what I've got (I think). But need to somehow reduce the size of my hips. Although I do have ages to go, so maybe this won't be a problem. The sample I've bought is a UK 14, and I'm more of a UK 10-12... but Mum seems to think it will be easy to take in. Over a size? Will that be OK?

Around 90% of all the dresses in the shops were strapless. I am the only British Bride with an ugly podgy chest? Only straps for me.