before sunset: fashionista

"I don't design clothes. I design dreams"

- Ralph Lauren

The fitting room.

Oh man, I am not a fan.

I'm the type of shopgirl who sees something, loves it and buys it on the spot. Why? Because there is nothing I fear more than trying on clothes in the fitting room. It's weird, I know. I feel awkward and embarrassed...and that fluorescent lighting! oof!

For this reason, I held off on looking at dresses for our big day...for six months. The thought of having an audience while I was on my quest for this dream dress was daunting. And when the year mark finally rolled around...what did I do?

I shopped online.

I'm crazy, I know. But I promise on everything holy that I was able to find the perfect dress without ever stepping into a bridal salon. It did, however, take a lot of magazine browsing, online shopping, and picture sharing with the wonderfully supportive Mother Ostrich and closest, fashionable girlfriends.

One thing I knew off the bat - no strapless dresses.
(Unless it was a knockout sweetheart neckline and I couldn't find anything else!)

Why? Just a personal preference. I adore and admire strapless dresses on others, but ever since i was a young, homecoming/prom/sorority formal going Ostrich, I have never donned a strapless dress. Spaghetti, halter and one shoulder have always been my cup of tea!

And for us bees who have attempted to find a wedding dress with straps, in theory this seemed like a relatively easy task.

Oh, it was not easy at all!

As my dress shopping extravaganza began, all of the pretty designs seemed to be strapless. And after what seemed like forever, it got to a point where I was so exasperated I considered just buying a sweetheart gown and adding straps to it. (And made a vow to start a bridal line specializing in dresses with straps!)

But then, I discovered and was dazzled by these dreamy dresses from bridal designer extraordinaire, Jenny Packham.

{source: Jenny Packham}

Many of you style-savvy bees know of Ms. Packham. She is an ethereal yet cool brit designer who is after this Ostrich's heart. And her non bridal styles are equally stunning. What is there not to love?

And just like the classic dress shopping experience, the moment I saw the dress, I knew it was the one. And apparently, so did everyone else!

*** Mr. Ostrich, if you are reading this, STOP HERE. SPOILER ALERT! ***

Here it is! THE dress, also known as "Papillon," by Jenny Packham.

{source}

{personal photos from my dress's first owner}

And the most serendipitous part? Knowing this budget bee couldn't afford to order a brand new couture gown, I hunted pre-owned dress sites and, in literally one day, found this lovely item PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com....70% off! No damages, clean and pristine and my size...worn once by the most charming newlywed who was expecting their first child in a few months.

I have a feeling this was meant to be...

My sweet bride-to-bees, how did you search for your dream dress? And for my strap-loving bees, what dresses do you love most?

xo,
Miss O.

"We live not according to reason, but according to fashion."
- Seneca

{source}

I may have champagne fashion taste, but in my heart of hearts I am the definition of a bargain bee. Rummaging through vintage racks, scouring sale sections and endlessly bidding on ebay, the thrill and triumph of finding and acquiring a spectacular fashion item for a fraction of the price is unrivaled!

And as I glance at my little list of wedding day to-do's, I realized I have yet to find my ensembles for our rehearsal/welcome cocktail party and dinner/dance reception. Yikes! I am envisioning something breezy, flirty and maybe a little glittery? And, being the budget bee that I am, a fantastic, too-good-to-be-true fashion find!

Frugal Fashionistas - never fear! Net-a-Porter's better bargain sister - the outnet - is the answer to our prayers. Heavenly designer dresses and everything else for a fraction of the original-too-many-zeroes price! And after only a few minutes of cruising their dreamy e-shop, I found these two beauties that I cannot stop thinking about. I'm not going to pretend like they are H&M prices, but they are so incredibly lovely, and more like le crew and alice + olivia prices. That's not so bad, right?

I need your help, style savvy bees! To buy or not to buy? And do tell us about your favorite ensemble ideas for your rehearsal dinners :)

xo,

Miss O.