rings & dresses...

Yesterday was very exciting.

As I wrote last time, we went and picked up the ring. Now I just want to wear it, but it's ok, I can wait a week. I can wait. I can wait. I can wait. It's so pretty and I love it, and it's just so perfect. I'll post a picture after next Sunday.

Then, as we were in the City, we were quite near the "Brides of Melbourne" shop- the biggest one in Melb (Victoria?), and also obviously quite the commercial, typical one. Fairly sizeable range. It's so funny looking at dresses on the rack, because you so can't picture them ON... The problem I have with most of them is that there is SO. MUCH. BLING. So much beading and details and it's all too much, and looks heavy and overdone. To me. I'm not saying I don't want ANY detailing, but not as much as I saw.

But I did try on probably about 8 dresses. The poor saleswoman was doing her best to sell me dresses which I didn't want, because I KNOW what I want, and although most of the ones I tried on were really lovely, and some were REALLY lovely and made me look quite pretty, they didn't have everything I wanted, and were too expensive. It was very hard to turn her down, but I suppose that's her job as saleswoman. I kept trying to tell her we're really only looking today, not looking to buy, the wedding isn't for 19 months, I just want to know what styles fit me, etc... It wasn't until I started telling her about the fact that I've been drawing my own dresses at home, and that I have such a solid idea of the aspects I want, that she started backing off, and instead tried to sell me on the quality of the material. And look, that's fine, but at the end of the day, if I save some money by having less high-quality material, but it looks just as good, who cares? Nobody's going to look close at my bust (except maybe Nic) and comment on my lack of Swarovski beading.

Regardless, my ideas are coming together now. I've decided a sweetheart neckline is probably the way forward (surprising myself), possibly with spaghetti straps... I'm also very much an hourglass figure, but only half as va-voom if I loose the shape of my hips under a dress. Therefore, the cut needs to be figure-hugging to below my hips, sort of like a mermaid. I've also decided that I really LIKED my figure, which is good because I was mainly worried about looking fat. I also want a tie up back. Very much.

Here's a picture of the design I'm currently playing with. Sorry it's not much but it's good enough for now, and I understand what I'm talking about. Re: the skirt (most important part for now, the tricky bit of mixing 'whimsy' with 'shapley'), I picture satin underneath in kind of a loose mermaid shape, so close to the figure till about mid thigh or just below, then dropping straight (?), with a layer of chiffon or soft tulle over the top. I've put a picture of a dress from Badgley & Mischka below, ignore the top half- it's the look of the skirt that I'm loving..

Isn't it amazing though the terms and information you pick up while doing big projects? I've learnt about all different fabrics, necklines, dress shapes... and for the trip, about different places, cultures, websites for bargains, etc.... This is why it's SO important for students to have the same experience- planning a big, authentic, meaningful, REAL project... And putting those skills to actual use. But that's for the other blog, not this one. ;)

 Um, so, yeah. On my design... well, it all makes sense to me. It's annotated, but really scribbly so I figured it wasn't worth putting in the photo. The waist line is the higher one as I figured the lower one was too low. There's a lace panel down the side of the skirt, and lace detailing/flower/lace-type appliques kind of trailing up like vines almost. Um.

So there we go! Hurrah!

Nic and I are going to see a psychic show in about an hour. Looking forward to it!