That's it, I'm getting married in my underwear!

Ok Stefanie, not advice for you ´cause i "see" is a complicated decision... I´ll be waiting at last for the pic´s, .....deal?

EDEN Bridals has always had lovely gowns in my opinion.
www.edenbridals.com

have you tried theknot.com? they have tons of links for dresses you could look through!

Originally Posted by turtlecat

For the build that you describe, I would cgo for almost a slip style cress in cream, or an empire waist.. there are only a couple body types that can pull that off without looking with child, and yours sounds to be one. Alfred angelo I think makes petie gowns, though some of his designs can be expensive... my dress was exceedingly inexpensive (for a wedding dress) but I can't think of the designer... bleh.

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hi Stef! This is REALLY good advice on the empire waist. It can so flatter you and I am petite so wearing a Big Dress with a traditional waistline can make me look like an umbrella.

I used to work for a custom haute couture dressmaker in Seattle a couple of years ago when I was in college, so I did her books part time and marketing materials. She moved to the Chicago area to be closer to the mercantile markets where she would get a better start. Her creations are flawless. She has pizazz but not over-the-top, if you know what I mean. She has your exact figure and she was always making things for herself. She even made her own wedding dress (I went, she looked fabulous). So if you are interested, please pop me a PM and I will tell you her name and where to find her. She is one of the most astute designers I have ever met. She works her magic for your figure and color, not necessarily to show of her craft.

Try something with princess waist and asymmetrical hemline. This gives you dressy but won't need much alteration. If you're busty, princess seaming, in the bodice and a sweetheart neckline help. Stay away from big, poufy sleeves - cap sleeves or a fluttery ruffle works best.

Too bad, that you're not nearby. Since 1988, I've custom- made approximately 50 wedding, prom, First Communion and evening gowns - no two alike and no complaints.

If you're serious about the underwear, check these out:

http://http://www.corralwest.com/cgi-bin/sgin0101.exe

http://http://www.corralwest.com/cgi-bin/sgin0101.exe

They come in several colors. Naturally, my set is lavender!

Originally Posted by katl8e

Try something with princess waist and asymmetrical hemline. This gives you dressy but won't need much alteration. If you're busty, princess seaming, in the bodice and a sweetheart neckline help. Stay away from big, poufy sleeves - cap sleeves or a fluttery ruffle works best.

Too bad, that you're not nearby. Since 1988, I've custom- made approximately 50 wedding, prom, First Communion and evening gowns - no two alike and no complaints.

If you're serious about the underwear, check these out:

http://http://www.corralwest.com/cgi-bin/sgin0101.exe

http://http://www.corralwest.com/cgi-bin/sgin0101.exe

They come in several colors. Naturally, my set is lavender!

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Linkies no worky

I'm also pretty short, five feet, but farely averaged sized at size 8. I found quite a few dresses at a local bridal shop. They included alterations. My fiancee's mom made his sister's very beautiful wedding dress for about $150 using designer fabrics and a Vera Wang pattern. Have you tried jcrew.com or David's Bridal? I know David's Bridal has a million dresses, you can buy most right off the rack and they have sizes ranging from 2 to plus sized. They actually have a 99$ sale going on right now and a bunch of dresses for $500 or less. I ended up going for a split front and split back dress with an empire waist, I think that's a good style for us short girls!

Congratulations on your engagement!

lol.. BTW, I've been drawing fashion plates for YEARS, starting from bare skin.. As much as I've drawn your figure type, I must say, the less the fabric, the better. THOUGH..

Hey Stephanie Do they have a David's Bridal shop in your area? try there and maybe they will have one for You .

Okay, not quite. But I am having the hardest time finding a dress! It's out of my budget to have something custom made, and I can't find anyplace that sells pretty ready-to-wear in petite sizes. It doesn't even need to be a wedding dress! I'd get married in a champagne or pale pink evening dress if I could find one. This is making me nuts.

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Hi Stephanie, congrats on your upcoming Marriage!! I too am going through the exact same problem except in a different way. I too cannot afford a custom-made or even afford an altered one!! I swear, NOT ONE single dress designer ever considered that a flat-chested, over-weight in the abdominal area, woman would ever find a man who would marry her, so why bother making dresses in anything other than full-bosom, hour-glass waist design??
My mother's friend's daughter walked into a bridal shop and pulled on off the rack in about 5 minutes and it fit PERFECTLY

My mother is custom making my dress (at 60 yrs-old) and it will be gorgeous

i'm also 5'2" and had quite a hard time finding a dress as well. But i got mine in a sample sale in NY (if you remember my "Apprentice" adventure ), there are always tons of sample sales in the city. Though the dress i got was a size 10, it was nowhere near my actual size. i just sent it in for alterations to fit my petite frame as well. i normally wear a 0/2 but just had to get it because i simply love the design.

But definitely hit the sample sales, if you need a dress shopping buddy i can come along!! Anyway, have you check out the jcrew dresses?
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product...catId=cat66646
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product...catId=cat66646
If you don't mind me asking, how much is your budget? i've done my fair share on dress research and perhaps can help you with that

Ok, I don't have that problem....my problem is short legs, a long body that isn't overly thin (I have a tummy problem ) and a weird bust. Anyhow, do you have someone, or can you make yourself, a dress from scratch? My mom made the bridesmaid's dresses for my sister's wedding

http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin...M=&search=6533

(hope it works...if not go to www.mccall.com and in the search section, put in 6533). We all rebelled and said we didn't want to go strapless, so we had spaghetti-type straps put in them, and they were really good. I'm sure if you go to a fabric store even, or a craft store that has fabric in it, they have patterns, and you can look around there. They often have different sections on dresses, and you can probably find a dress that you can make yourself, or get someone to do cheaply! Here are a couple of sites to help you on your way, if you're so inclined:

http://store.sewingtoday.com
For Butterick and McCalls and Vogue patterns. They have a lot of different styles and sizes, just take a pick!

Have fun and good luck finding a dress!

Originally Posted by Hobbester

i'm also 5'2" and had quite a hard time finding a dress as well. But i got mine in a sample sale in NY (if you remember my "Apprentice" adventure

), there are always tons of sample sales in the city. Though the dress i got was a size 10, it was nowhere near my actual size. i just sent it in for alterations to fit my petite frame as well. i normally wear a 0/2 but just had to get it because i simply love the design.

But definitely hit the sample sales, if you need a dress shopping buddy i can come along!!

Anyway, have you check out the jcrew dresses?
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product...catId=cat66646
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product...catId=cat66646
If you don't mind me asking, how much is your budget? i've done my fair share on dress research and perhaps can help you with that

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I have looked at the J. Crew dresses. Some of them are nice and that has become my fallback position, because even though I want something simple, they are REALLY simple. But definitely on budget! Honestly--and everyone is going to think this is impossible--but I would like to spend under $1000 on the dress (the more under the better ). We are trying to keep the total cost of the wedding under $10,000, which ain't easy, especially in NY.

I am so jealous of all of you with family members who sew. Unfortunately, no one in my immediate family sews--weeeelllllll, not entirely true. My mother sewed when I was a kid. She made virtually all of my clothes until I was 8 or 9 years old. She even made my First Communion dress. But after that she kind of tapered off, and I don't think she's made anything for a good 18 years or so. I would be putting her in a terrible spot if I asked her to make my dress.

You'll go nuts when I tell you this though--my future s-i-l (my fiance's brother's wife) is a designer. She has her own store on Madison Ave., where she sells her own line, though it's not primarily formal wear. She did make her daughter's prom dress though (gorgeous...so sophisticated, not like a prom dress at all--heck, I would wear it!) My fiance suggested early on that I talk to her about making my dress, but I feel funny about it. I would obviously pay her, but still...she is an incredibly busy person, and she typically doesn't do custom made stuff. Do you think I'm crazy not to at least speak to her about it?

I don't think you're crazy for wanting a dress for under $1000. I only paid $700 for mine (which included $100 worth of alterations)... which is pretty low-end in regards to wedding dresses.

Best wishes!!! (=

Originally Posted by 22angel

Ok, I don't have that problem....my problem is short legs, a long body that isn't overly thin (I have a tummy problem

) and a weird bust. Anyhow, do you have someone, or can you make yourself, a dress from scratch? My mom made the bridesmaid's dresses for my sister's wedding

http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin...M=&search=6533

(hope it works...if not go to www.mccall.com and in the search section, put in 6533). We all rebelled and said we didn't want to go strapless, so we had spaghetti-type straps put in them, and they were really good. I'm sure if you go to a fabric store even, or a craft store that has fabric in it, they have patterns, and you can look around there. They often have different sections on dresses, and you can probably find a dress that you can make yourself, or get someone to do cheaply! Here are a couple of sites to help you on your way, if you're so inclined:

http://store.sewingtoday.com
For Butterick and McCalls and Vogue patterns. They have a lot of different styles and sizes, just take a pick!

Have fun and good luck finding a dress!

Click to expand...

That is really pretty.
If i could i would buy it and make my self an evening dress out of it!!

You can get it in different sizes. I'd look around, and see what i can find, if I were you. You never know. I guess for that dress, the smallest size is size 6.....Good luck!

I paid $780 for my dress and it's really pretty, with a lot of hand-beading, and that included alterations. Casablanca Bridal has great dresses and when you decide to buy one they actually take your measurements and construct one specifically for you. Most of their dresses, like mine, are around the $700 range. www.casablancabridal.com Have you tried Ebay at all? I found quite a few dresses by Bonnie, Casablanca, McClintock, etc for several hundred dollars less than you would pay in a bridal shop. We're sticking with the Olive Garden for our food (I get a discount, so that will be nice), and you can easily feed people for 5 or 6 dollars a head if you have the equipment to keep the food warm, etc. We're having our reception at the church, so that worked out all as far as having a fridge, oven, plates, food warmers, etc. We're keeping it well under $5,000 this way.

I can understand about not wanting to contact your future sil. I didn't want to ask my fiancee's mom to make my dress because she's so busy. It couldn't hurt though, maybe she would really like to.