Lace, v-neck, trumpet dress: ideas please! (aka Let the brainstorming begin!)

[puravida]

This is my FIRST time posting in this forum! And although I''m totally jumping the gun to start looking for a wedding dress (we just put an e-ring stone on hold a few days ago) I figure, what the heck! I tend to be really picky and the type of person who has to know ALL the options before picking something so I figure I''m not being too hasty...

I''ve never grown up with ideas about what type of dress I want and I''m not the type to drool over wedding magazines but I do have an idea of what I''m looking for, based on knowing what styles look good on me. So naturally, I can''t rhyme off wedding dress designers or dress styles. But I figure with baby steps, I''ll find what I''m looking for

Here''s the wedding dress wish-list so far:

-champagne/ivory/antique white coloured lace
-V-neck
-thicker lacey sleeves or even itty bitty cap sleeves (I have a very small chest and bony shoulders....V-necks tend to give me *some* chest definition and I insist on having my bony shoulders covered)
-trumpet/mermaid style (I tend to look better with dresses that are tight till at least mid thigh)

So far I''ve found these beauties for inspiration:

http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm/Bridal/Additional/Style-8800?result

http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm/Bridal/Additional/Style-8663?result

I loooove the scalloped lace V-neckline!

If I could change the top of the dress, I''d rather have it a teensier less low cut and have the straps a bit wider so they *just* cover the top of the shoulder.

As for the bottoms, I don''t want a train. If the dress was ankle level or even mid calf that would work too (I''m 5''9).

Let the brainstorming begin!!! Any suggestions on what other dresses may fit the bill are much appreciated! Thanks.

 

[caribqueen]

I'm sure the other ladies might have some ideas, but here's some:

Ambrose by Melissa Sweet
http://www.priscillaofboston.com/dress_detail.jsp?gid=1&sfid=51228&f1=V-Neck&f2=Fit-to-Flare/Trumpet

Melissa Sweet 4301
http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/vendor/detail/184204?f=92%3a96&offset=50

Reverie by Melissa Sweet
http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/vendor/detail/177662?f=106%3a117&f=92%3a96&offset=13

I found a couple of these by going to brides.com and then searching for wedding dresses with v-neck and trumpet/mermaid silouettes. (There are many more styles there)

You can always ask the bridal salons if you can change the hem of the dress at the time of order to not have a train.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Do you have a budget yet?

The train can always be removed, so I wouldn''t worry about than when looking at dresses. I
only wanted a sweep train, but the dress I ended up with is so simple that I decided to keep it so that I can do a cool bustle.

Some designers have a lace jacket you can put over the dress, or just an addition with sleeves. Here is an example of what I am talking about Romona lace sleeves ignore the dress.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

http://www.sotteroandmidgley.com/dress.aspx?style=JSM1340

i love the style you are looking for... unfortunately there were none to try on when i was searching!

 

[violet3]

The "amy" by maggie sottero is very flattering on too - i''ll try to find the link....

 

[basil]

I wore Jim Hjelm 8663...Here are some photos https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pro-pictures.100348/

The dress is less low cut on me because we tacked the lace together a tiny bit with like one stitch. And the sleeves cover most of my shoulders...if I remember correctly, we even had to narrow them a little bit. I have narrow shoulders though. But the point being, don''t take how it''s fitting on the model as totally representative of how the dress has to fit on you.

 

[sunnyd]

Check out Pronovias for lacey v-necks, they have several!

 

[puravida]

basil: Your jimhjelm (i.e. one of the ones I posted as a sample) is the only one of the replies that contain a dress like I"m talking about.

Thanks for all the other suggestions but they don''t fit the criteria....I"m not looking for a satin or silk dress, nor do I want something with thin straps (i.e. like the maggie sottero dresses). I want the lace straps to be thick or even preferable, just start to be a tiny sleeve that covers the tip of the shoulder.

Any other ideas?

 

[Bella_mezzo]

paloma blanca makes one that fits your criteria....I can''t remember the model # off the top of my head, but I think I have some photos at home. I''ll post tonight...

 

[puravida]

Checked out Paloma Blanca and they have some where the top of the dress I sorta what I like but the dresses aren''t all lace. Loking for something all lacey.

Still going through the Pronovias site....haven''t found EXACTLY what I''m imagining but there are many good contenders. Seems like one dress will have the exact neckline I want but then the straps are too thin, or the straps will be perfect but then the bottom of the dress is too loose/full/train-ey.

Thanks for the ideas so far

 

[zipzapgirl]

I found another discussion a while back where Winks_Elf was looking for a dress that was not strapless (like 95% of the ones out there!). There were some good suggestions in that discussion you might be able to leverage off of.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/a-vent-and-quest-for-long-sleeves.130219/

There was also a great discussion about Ivanka Trump''s dress. It isn''t exactly what you are looking for, but it could be a good inspiration piece to keep in mind.

http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/the-ivanka-factor/

Some tips...
- Look for "temple-ready" designs, as they will be more modest and it might be easier to cut out material than to add it.
- Pronovias, Melissa Sweet, and Maggie Sottero would be your best bets to start with. They do great lace designs.
- Take good foundation undergarments with you to try on because the lace gowns usually have less support.
- Get out there in there trenches and start trying on gowns. A lot of girls on this forum have been very surprised at how different wedding gowns are than evening gowns. Besides, that is one of the most fun parts of wedding planning!

 

[sunnyd]

You need to get out there and try stuff on. We probably won''t be able to find the exact dress you want.

Try searching brides.com. You can narrow by neckline, fabric, and shape.

 

[puravida]

Thanks for all the ideas. I''m not yet interested in trying dresses on as I''m not even engaged yet. We aren''t planning on marrying until 2010 so I have lots of time. I just thought that since I''m so picky I should start doing a virtual search to narrow down the choices.

What does "temple-ready" mean? A dress that is modest and suited for a religious place? Sounds a bit too modest for me if that''s what it means (we don''t want any religious element to our wedding what so ever)

 

[parrot tulips]

This dress is technically strapless, but it looks like it comes with the option of a detachable shrug. Also, don''t discount what a good alterations person can do. Mine turned my (lace) a-line dress into a subtle trumpet.

http://www.jasminebridal.com/J_1_1_1_1.aspx?sqno=JPN2008092511164&j_style_no=STYL20080821003&j_line_no=LINE20080821009&j_line_season=B&forb=f

 

[puravida]

Thanks parrot tulips. Its a pretty dress, I love all the lace. But its not V-necked (I think its sweet-heart?).

Also, I absolutely will not wear a strapless gown....I don''t want to wear a strapless bra- they make my already small chest look non-existant

 

[zipzapgirl]

"Temple-ready" refers to designs which are acceptable to wear in certain churches. Some religions require that shoulders be covered or have other more modest restruictions than what the typical wedding gown offers. Some people go temple-ready, some people do the bolero, some people add a bit of fabric or lace to the top. It doesn''t have to be religious. It''s a dress

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 2/8/2010 7:22:31 PM
Author: puravida
Thanks for all the ideas. I''m not yet interested in trying dresses on as I''m not even engaged yet. We aren''t planning on marrying until 2010 so I have lots of time. I just thought that since I''m so picky I should start doing a virtual search to narrow down the choices.

What does ''temple-ready'' mean? A dress that is modest and suited for a religious place? Sounds a bit too modest for me if that''s what it means (we don''t want any religious element to our wedding what so ever)

So start looking yourself? I don''t know what you want us to do. We gave ideas, you didn''t like them.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Puravida, I think that you need to just go try things on. It doesn''t sound like the suggestions here are helping you much.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Date: 2/9/2010 11:36:18 AM
Author: Bella_mezzo
Puravida, I think that you need to just go try things on. It doesn''t sound like the suggestions here are helping you much.

I second this. Plus, you may have this absolute ideal image of your perfect gown, then you try it on and POOF! It''s not everything you imagined. You may try on a dress that is nothing like what you''re looking for now and fall in love with it. You just never know till you try one on. I think I''ve seen a lot of ladies here who posted the dress they ended up buying and starting the post with "this dress is sooooooo not like what I thought I''d like."

 

[Lynnie]

La Sposa is a line from Pronovias...

http://www.splasposa.com/entrada.asp
Dresses from 2010 collection: Lemon, Leeds, Landa, Libra

Dresses from 09 collection: Furor (don''t like the bow, though), Flor, Floresta, Finesterre, Friburgo

As far as lacy sleeves, most dresses are sleeveless, but you could probably use a lacy bolero or modify a dress to have sleeves.

Good luck! I agree, you should stop by a shop and just try some stuff on.

 

[puravida]

Thanks for all the suggestions. A co-worker showed me pics of her daughter''s wedding dress months ago and it almost fit the criteria to a tee. Yesterday she finally told me who the dress was by and it was a Jim Hjelm!!! I think I''ll start there...Thanks for all the other suggestions, I''ve made a list.