Poofy short dresses

Via not martha's Planning to Elope blog, which is what turned me on to a short dress in the first place.

Random memory: Lauren K going to senior prom in a short dress. I think someone had said to me some time before, "Well of course you'll want to get a long dress for prom!" so that just never really occurred to me at the time. Good on ya, Lauren K. (I remember Laura B had a Spanish rose thing going on, so that probably meant a shorter dress too, but I just have a distinct memory of being a bit taken aback and secretly impressed by Lauren K) Anyway:

• massive thread on Kvetch (since 2006!): I need to read through all of this, many photos are included so it'll be a great source of inspiration pictures
• Dolly Couture dresses: love, love these.

The Beverlywood

(really like the sleeves and the crossover in the front, though a bit older-looking)

The Milan

(strapless just isn't going to happen, but look at the poofy and the flowers!)

While these are not > $1000 which mean budget in the Wedding Industrial Complex (WIC) terms, they're still hundreds of dollars. I was going to set a cap of $500 and look into how hard it is to get these sorts of dresses re-dyed, but then I remembered how I wanted to try my hand at sewing my own, and also to get a non-white dress because eh, the whole white = purity = no more purity post-marriage.

I am taking a sewing class right now and so clearly, my sewing skills are serviceable but not great. It might be fun to try, at least, or maybe design and get partway there myself and then try to find a seamstress willing to work with me on the whole fitting aspect.

I think I want red and gold brocade or silk, to reference the Chinese heritage. Also, there's a reason East Asians love red so much--our skin tones look pretty great in it, you know. It's gotta be for-real wearable again so right now I'm thinking a sleeveless v-neck red dress with the red/gold on the bottom hem and around the waist and neck (all over just might be too much...though depends on the fabric, really) with a little jacket that has about the length of the sleeves in the Beverlywood for covering up. Maybe with a mandarin collar, I've got a short neck than I'm constantly trying to give elongating illusion to, but it might be ok depending on the neckline. Then with two pieces together it'll be dressier and separately they can be dressed down more easily.

Also definitely would have to have pockets. Pockets in dresses and skirts are the best trend of the last few years.