BellaOnline Forums Family Daughters dance ball

I love that idea Michelle, you know I still haven't seen that movie, and it even made it to TV. I know the feeling, and I'm so short I must have looked like a snow beast. LOL

Would any of you be interested in helping me find a dress i could bare?

Hi Carrie,

Hopefully you'll get some ladies here today, that are young dress shoppers. My oldest has not considered a fancy party yet so I haven't shopped for a formal in years.

If you don't hear from anybody here, always check over at Beauty and Self because I think there is a fashion section in there. They might even have a sticky post up top with recommendations.

Do you have enough time to shop online, or will you be looking for something in a shop close to home?

Do you know what color you favor and what material?

I know I have all the right questions and not enough of the right answers...

I can give some tips online - but you will really need to go shopping "live" and try things on to make sure they look and fit the way you like.

Here are a few questions to consider:

1. Length of gown (I'm assuming floor length - but just checking to be sure)?
2. What type of "sleeve" - long, 3/4, short, spaghetti straps, or strapless?
3. The neckline you like best: square neck, scoop, boat (which is the one that opens shoulder to shoulder), sweetheart (the one that kind of swoops over the breastline)?
4. Color: your favorite color (of cours), but also do you like only solids, or bold prints, stripes, florals, etc?
5. I'm gathering from your other posts that you don't really want frills or lace, but what about sequins or other decorations?

Ok - so think about those things, and let us know what you lean towards, and maybe I can find some exmaples online.

Who knows - maybe I'll start a new career as a personal buyer after this!

Here's a couple that I thought were really different, and not terribly "girly" looking:

Some ppl at school are pushing me to strapless

my mother and nan arent much better

they want floor length or ankle length

they want silk or satin - and definately the girly look

my nan wants pink

ma wants pink or lilac or purple

just nervous and not sure what to do - wish someone could hug me for real

Carrie! Hang in there. I think you should try to work on a compromise. Maybe you get to pick the color if you agree to ankle/floor length in silk/satin.

I also think you need to get out to some local shops and try them on. Who knows, maybe you'll find something you actually like!!

Carrie, I had exactly the same issue over my wedding dress...

My family wanted the big, poofy, frilly, traditional dress, and I wanted jeans and a t-shirt...

The comprimise?? I wore my jeans under my dress so I still felt kind of normal, then, after the reception got underway, my husband and I changed into fun shirts (His said, "I love you, I need you, Blah, Blah, Blah," and mine said, "My heart belongs to what's-his-face..." The guests all had a good laugh...

But, if you're willing to undertake a dress, and I agree with the others, live shopping is probably best (since we don't know your size/budget), here are a few sites that I found doing a google search....

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I would deffinately go shopping just on-line. You can even look at photos from "Hollywood" type events or actual on-line catalogs to get ideas.

I don't know about the whole pink and purple thing either. That is pretty frilly. What is your favorite color? Maybe if you agreed to the long dress that your family feels is appropriate then you can choose the style and color.

You could always try agreeing with them on dress length, give in on that one thing and then explain (even if it's not even remotely true) that you'd really be happy if your dress was blue, black, grey, red, etc. Explain that you want something simple and sophisticated rather than frilly. It's always worth a try.

I'd look for photos on-line to share with them as well. Maybe they could show you a photo of what they think you should wear and then you can find a photo of something you'd be comfortable with. You could share with one another and then each make a compromise or two that still leaves you feeling comfortable.

PS: If they insist on fancy jewelry you don't like, you can always stash it in your purse once you get to the formal and they won't be the wiser.

OK, here's another one I found - this one comes in about 5 different colors. (Black, navy, red, emerald, and chocolate). Very sleek and simple.



You can find it on Promgirl.com

I was absolutely NOT into dresses or anything girly of any kind when I was in high school. I was more of a skateboarding tomboy...but when I went to my first formal, adding a pair of combat boots to my silk dress was the perfect in-between.