So glad to report a 'success with the dress' story here and that you too were successful, kswl. We were guests at a wedding at the Davidson Center, which meant the wedding and reception were 'under the rocket' in a large venue that is part of the US Space & Rocket Center. Surprisingly, it worked very well. The reception side was walled off with partitions and after the ceremony you just walked over and found your table number where drinks and appetizers were waiting prior to dinner and dancing. It was chilly inside, so I was glad I had a jacket, but shed it when the dancing started.

I wore a raspberry cap-sleeved sheath with a white cut-away jacket, grey-ish taupe low-heeled wedge sandals and bag. I can wear this to work or church. We now have another wedding around the first of November so I will be on another search as this won't be appropriate for the season.

Wow, what a wonderful venue for a wedding, outside! Were the bride and groom affiliated in any way with the aerospace industry? I like weddings that are at a single place (ceremony and reception) as it makes things so much easier on the elderly guests. And if I am being honest, it makes things easier for the middle aged as well :-)

Your dress and ensemble sounds perfect for a variety of occasions. I also love a contrasting jacket as that dresses up any outfit in the time it takes to put it on. Is your next wedding in the afternoon? It's so much easier to dress for an afternoon even than evening, I guess that's why my default is lace, it may be old fashioned but at least it's never inappropriate ... Which I realize is a long way from "stylish," lol.

Kswl, lace is in! Just look at Kate Middleton. I bought a cute black lace dress two years ago and was thrilled to be able to wear it two more times.
I think I like your way of thinking, it's never inappropriate;)

I'm going to a very casual wedding in September in Chicago. I boought an Ann Taylor black with white polka doted flare skirted dress. I also got it on sale but even thought it's a petite I still needed it shortened.

My sister still did not get a dress and her daughter's wedding!

Kswl, both the brides parents work in the aerospace industry. The MOB is a good friend of mine. Her father is a bit claustrophobic and hated the thought of large crowds in a small space, so this venue was perfect with the soaring ceilings and spaces. I had been to other functions here and couldn't quite imagine a wedding but it was really nice. There was a harpist and everything was miked so you could hear well. The center opened up one of the rides for anyone who wanted to do that and you could walk around and look at the exhibits. An informal feel too which suited. Instead of the bride's and groom's sides, it was 'Alabama and Auburn'. You know us and football around here, and yes it's a mixed marriage of graduates.

Your ensemble also sounds really lovely, as does yours, ellendi. I love polka dots! The wedding in November will likely be more formal, and it will be in a Catholic church with reception elsewhere. I'm not sure of the time of day yet, will have to check that. Lace is sounding like a great idea. I don't think it's old-fashioned either! It just takes me a while to find something long enough; just the opposite of ellendi!

We are attending a wedding next weekend (Friday the 13th!). The wedding will take place in a church (7:00 pm) and the reception is at a venue just down the road a ways. Lovely old home with beautiful gardens. It actually used to be an orphanage for boys when I was a child!! It has been refurbished and the gardens added and is a popular spot for weddings. I have never been there since it became a wedding spot. It was bought and refurbished by a couple who lived there a few years before selling to the wedding/catering company. I'm excited to see the place! The reception, I believe will be outside. I am either wearing a maxi dress with straps and a short cardigan/topper/whateveryoucallit or a long skirt. I can wear a cami and again some type cardigan, etc. Attire is not formal. I will dress up whichever I wear with my jewelry, etc. Probably strappy sandals with a mid heel.

Not a formal event, but I was so happy with the dress I wore to DS' graduation yesterday. I had a different dress from Boden that I intended to wear, but when I put it on that morning I just didn't feel good in it. The top was a bit big and I realized far too late that I should have had it taken in. So I threw on this green dress I had recently gotten from Lands End, and it felt right. Very comfortable and fit me perfectly. And the price couldn't be beat! I ordered another one in the blue floral, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dress

Sue, it goes to show you that it's really not how much a dress costs, but the way it fits and how you feel in it.

Outside, I definitely know what a "mixed marriage" is from an Alabama / Auburn standpoint--- We know many of them! The Space Center sounds like a wonderful place for a wedding! It's an impressive complex ... one of our sons went to space camp there and still has his flight jacket. And it's nice that a venue could be found that is both wedding friendly and allays the claustrophobia of an honored guest.

I love those fit and flare dresses, Ellendi, they look retro and new all at the same time. Polka dots are ALWAYS in :) and I am glad to hear that lace is back. I don't keep up with Kate Middleton but maybe I will start, if only to get a jump on what dinosaur I can pull out of my closet next!

Tinam, another interesting wedding venue! The grounds sound very nice. Many years ago my SIL's wedding reception was held at an herb farm in Maryland and it was **strictly** casual. I think DH enjoyed that tieless wedding more than any other, before or since. (I had to laugh about the original use of the building, though, as DS2 and I completely rejected one of the boarding schools we looked at because the boy's dorm looked exactly like a turn of the century orphanage.... tiny rooms that somehow all managed to look like garrets. I am pretty sure they were not even up to code.)

Pretty dress in a nice style, Sue! It looks like it would be very easy to wear and dress up or down. Summer clothes just do not last me more than a season or two, they are laundered often and are of much thinner fabric. Often I buy something I really like in multiples too, just to make sure I can wear the style more than one summer.

Kswl, do you have a pix with your post? I see the camera icon on the title and a tiny, blank box at the end of your post but no pix. Once in awhile that happens but if I reopen the thread the pix show up. Not so this time.

My nephew gets married this summer. I've tried on 50 dresses and nothing looks okay. I don't think I'm so oddly shaped and/or demanding but there hasn't been anything I would buy, at multiple price points. I'll probably end up reviewing what I already own, some how they made the cut in other years so presumably there is something that fits.

Thanks for letting me know the photo didn't display Hhireno, occasionally I try the single-photo-from-a-device method of posting a photo and it often just disappears. I use smugmug and have never had a posting problem with the photos I post from that site, so I've reposted the photo, it is of my cute new evening purse!

This post was edited by kswl on Tue, Jun 3, 14 at 9:03

Hhireno, I ran into the same thing with all these sheath dresses which just are not the best shape for me. Once I went back to the "Marilyn" style, it looked much better...more flattering for my top and bottom....

Ooooo, I see it now. Lovely little bag.

Annie,
I kept an open mind and tried on a little of every style. I knew sheaths were not for me (to phrase it in a positive way - I have curves; to be realistic - I also have a tummy) but since it was the most prevalent style option I gave it a try. Wow, worse than I thought possible. To add to the curvy tummy problem, I'm usually cold and need sleeves. So that eliminates, I dunno, 90% of the dresses unless I can find a jacket/sweater/wrap to go with it.

Sue, that is a really cute dress! I am so long from shoulder to waist I generally can't wear anything with a true 'waist'. That's why sheaths generally work for me. But your story was a great reminder for me to try on the dress I'm planning to wear in a couple of weeks to DH's class reunion! I tried it on last night. It fits even better than when I bought it thanks to all the running and exervise I've been doing. Now I've just got to be diligent this next week.

I don't know how long this link will work but this popped up in my email this morning. Lord and Taylor has a Wedding Guest Guide
with suggestions for beach weddings, black tie, city and countryside. Of course the dresses featured are those carried by L&T but there is a nice selection and price range.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lord and Taylor Wedding Guest Guide

Maire_cate, I love L&T! My favorite place to shop for special occasion dresses, but there is no location near me. There is one in my hometown.

No weddings this summer, but I needed a dress for an awards ceremony at my conference (I became recognized as a Fellow in my professional organization) and dinner. I went to the largest location of local dept store since they have a giant special occasion dress section figuring *something* had to work.

I found this Ann Klein dress that is very figure flattering--though I normally have trouble with sheath styles, and I am not at the size I would like to be. I did not feel either overdressed or under-dressed. Plus, It is a knit. Then I went upstairs and tried on some shapewear with it. I felt as good as I could. It was the first dress I tried on out of a whole bunch.

Many of the Anne Klein dresses were very flattering.

I have a similar-looking vintage cocktail handbag from my mom, and I forgot to pack it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Anne Klein dress

Congratulations Gscience on your Fellowship award!

Congratulations on your award, gsciencechic! I seem to recall you are an engineer (me too). Is this a Tau Beta Pi award by chance or within your specialty? Love the dress, btw.

Congrats on the award! FIL was a prof of engineering and was very involved with Tau Bets as he used to call it.

Thank you! No, not an engineer. I'm in exercise physiology/sports medicine. It was really a nice ceremony, like commencement! They called us across the stage and gave us a certificate.

Congratulations, gsciencegirl, becoming a Fellow in any discipline is a wonderful professional recognition!

Classic dress with just enough pattern. For me, AK is hit or miss on fit but her styles are great. There is a Lord and Taylor about an hour from us but I always seem to get sidetracked into Nordstron's, lol. When we lived in New York L&T was the only store charge I had, as they had reasonably priced children's clothes (that had the added advantage of not making DD look like a child stripper!).

gsciencegirl - congrats - it's wonderful to be recognized for your achievements.

kswl- 'child stripper' brings back so many memories of shopping for clothes with DD. Buying children's clothing was simple compared to trying to find outfits when she was in middle school. She gave up on the junior department at Macy's, calling it slut wear. Then we'd head upstairs to ladies clothing and try to find clothes that didn't look like 'old ladies clothes'.

That was before L & T and Nordstrom's opened in our mall.

Lol, Maire Cate! Your DD was too right! Our DD was somewhat (ok, very) sheltered and to her first middle school dance wore a charming flowered linen dress with a matching flowered cardigan, white sandals and ankle socks. She was heartbroken when I picked her up, all the other girls were wearing "slut clothes" (thank you) or jeans and had made fun of her attire. She looked just like a princess and they were pretty horrible to her. She told me she had to get "dress" jeans, and we went out and bought some the next day. :-(