cheap (knockoff?) dresses

how do you feel about sites like madeinchina.com?  they make extremely, EXTREMELY cheap dresses.  for example:

madeinchina.com

this thing is beautiful, obviously.  although i don't recognize the dress, the photos look professional, which makes me think they weren't done by this seller.  what are the odds they're just replicating this design, which they found elsewhere?  the chinese are REALLY good at knockoffs.

there's some line in fashion between finding inspiration and stealing.  it's not 'stealing' to make a one-strap, knotted, ruched dress with sweet buttons down the back after seeing this one.  but, is it stealing to try to make EXACTLY the same dress?  i don't mean legally.  there are some fashion laws, but they're hard to interpret and enforce.  the true question is whether it's morally ok, not legally ok.  if you don't often think about that distinction, you should!

consumers are sort of stuck in the middle of it.  we're faced with a serious choice - drop a couple grand on a dress, or spend $150 or less on one of these (and another couple hundred in alterations most likely).  a cheap one won't be as high quality, and may not last long.  but it really only needs to last one night.

what do you think?

insane dress at snippit & ink

wowee wow wow.  can you believe the dress on this bombshell?

Temperley London: http://www.temperleylondon.com/

featured as part of a lovely wedding at  http://www.snippetandink.com/photo-features/real-weddings/diy-portland-garden-wedding/.

i love how i feel like i know something about her personality just from seeing it.  that's definitely what i want others think when they see my dress.

why do i have so many dress posts when there are so many other things to do?!

which 'dress style' fits you?

i saw this over at martha stewart weddings: wedding dresses by style

the linked one is 'glamorous.'  i think that is closest to the style i'm seeking.  classic is good too.  i mostly love the buttons going all the way down, SO GOOD.

what's yours?

lace overload

did you see this post over at broke-ass bride? http://www.thebrokeassbride.com/2011/12/cant-afford-itget-over-it-lace-overload/

i had already seen a few of these, but WOWZA, this one really caught my eye:

Tadashi Shoji Lace & Chiffon Gown: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/tadashi-shoji-lace-chiffon-gown/3105854

$548?!  ok!  there's only one size left right now though.  and i'm nowhere near ready to buy a dress.  gah.  when should i be ready?  it takes something like 4-5 months from ordering til it's totally ready.

i firmly believe that losing a bunch of weight for your wedding is stupid.  i don't want to look like a thinner me, i like me.  that said, i've put on some weight over the last few months (a lot of traveling, which leads to a lot of eating and drinking and not a lot of exercising), which i expect to come off in the coming months now that i'm back to a healthier lifestyle (:D).  so i feel like buying a dress now would be extra silly.

the worst of lhuillier 2012

not all that glitters in the spring and fall collections is gold.  obviously, these are my own (humble) opinions.

"Flutter" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/

i really don't know what's up with the 'petal' theme i've been seeing everywhere.  this dress is not doing the model any favors, either - the sash makes her look weird and puffy.

  "Amber" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/  

this is a horrible 80s prom dress gone awry.  and 'awry' for an 80s prom dress is REALLY bad.

  "Rosie" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/  

is wrinkly cool?  i really hope not.  it could be a good selling point - 'save stress on your wedding day by sleeping in this dress the night before!'

  "Moment" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/ 

i know full, busy skirts are big right now.  i often think they look silly.  did someone give a small child a pair of shears and tell them to make 'art' with the bottom of this skirt?

the best of lhuillier 2012

i love love love monique lhuillier.  she is mostly outside my dress budget, of course, but i can't help ogling:

  "Lina" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/

i love this dress.  especially the back.  this is a sheath, right?  i love sheaths but i'm a bit too curvy for them.

  "Candy" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/ 

i'm digging the blush trend right now.  i even tried on a dress that was slightly blue!  it was...not flattering.  but so cool.  maybe not as cool as this beauty though.

  "Peony" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/  

such gorgeous modern lines.  i like the low profile.  when i see women in wedding dresses, i like to imagine them standing next to their grooms.  this couple would be very sleek.

  "Sahara" Spring 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/  

who ISN'T in love with that lace?

  "Monroe" Fall 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/ 

sexy and sophisticated.  my kind of gal.

    "Mila" Fall 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/  

digging the open leg slit.  this dress is beautiful like another milla we know...

    "Emma" Fall 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/  

i'd want something covering the shoulders a bit (why does everyone like strapless so much??).

    "Sentimental" Fall 2012: http://moniquelhuillier.com/ 

actually, this one is so lovely i think i like it without straps.  check out that lace overlay, yeahhh!

looking through the entire 2012 collection made me realize that i 'love love love' SOME lhuillier.  there's also a lot that i hate hate hate.  next post: the worst of lhuillier 2012.

dresses

ooo.  yes:

Watters Lasara:  http://watters.com/Product/WattersBrides/6079B/

imagine it with little sleeves added on.  actually, a lot of this collection is fantastic.

i love grecian styles like this one from pronovias, but they don't work for my short frame at all:

Pronovias:  http://www.pronovias.us/

this is also flowy but more in my style.  i would do it long though, and with a sash or beaded belt:

Saja HB6722:  http://sajawedding.com/collection_permanent.html

soooo many choices.  saja is relatively cheap which is lovely.  my dress budget: $1000.