Say 'yes' to the dress...or just 'maybe'

The dress shopping process has begun.  While there are several gowns that I have seen pictures of and really liked, there has been a voice in the back of my head saying "But how does it look on you?".  So today, I attempted to answer that question.

I am not a big fan of the popular strapless, mermaid, flair style that is out there in all the magazines.  I've always been attracted to more of a vintage, whimsical style.  Several years ago, I stumbled across Claire Pettibone.  I immediately fell in love with her "Forget Me Not" dress as well as several others.  When I found a San Francisco boutique that carried her line, I knew that when I started shopping I would have to go to this shop and try some of the CP dresses on, which I will be on April 13th!!!

Ms. Pettibones dresses are rather expensive, so I decided to try and look into a few other designers that were whimsical like her.  There really aren't that many out there, but I was able to find a boutique in San Mateo called, Nouvelle Vogue.  This past Friday, my mom and I headed over there to try on some dresses.  Here's what I learned:

Empire waists with a plunging neckline are very flattering on me.  I tried on 6 or 7 gowns and only two really flattered my body type.  One Jenny Packham gown had the empire waist and was chiffon and silk.  A very romantic style that was very comfortable.  It was definitely a dress that I could imagine me walking down the aisle in, but it didn't say "this is it!".

The other dress was a fun ruffled skirt that could be adjusted to show some leg, with a fitted bodice on top also by Jenny Packham.  It definitely showed off my curves and was very cute on me, but I decided that I didn't want to be wearing a corset all night long.

The ladies that own the shop were trying to make the sale and pressure me into making the purchase that day.  After reading several articles and talking to friends who have recently gone through the dress buying  process, I knew that I shouldn't feel pressured into making a decision, plus I still have my appointment at the San Francisco boutique.  If I can't find anything that speaks to me (and my pocket book), I will probably go back to the romantic empire waisted Jenny Packham gown.

Since I have less than 6 months, the pressure is definitely on for finding the gown, but I am going to really try to not rush into anything.  Cross your fingers for me!  The hunt continues!