Fashion thread: updating classics

[Iskaral Pust]

3 hours ago, aceluby said:

At twice a week that's only 25 or so wearings.  My pair took a good 60 days (probably more) before the cork and leather broke in properly.  My wingtips, that I wear once or twice a month, are still not fully broken in after two years.  I also just got a pair of boots that aren't broken in after about 30 wearings.  But on the other hand I have a pair of summer boat shoes that I wore for the first time a few weekends ago, and those were broken in after a few days.

OK, I'll suspend judgment for a while longer.

 

[Angalin]

Here's a fun one for y'all to ponder: I have a ball, an actual ball, to go to. Which means full-length dress, bouffant hair, the works. (Maybe not the bouffant, but you get the idea.) Kind of crazy and fantastic and also fun, as this is likely the one time in my life where I'll be at this level of dress-up. Being on the committee, I am also going to be on my feet for about twelve hours straight as it lasts ten hours of official party time. Suggestions for comfortable brands of heels or swanky flats are welcome, as is advice for frock styles. I'm too short for most off-the-rack evening wear, which means finding petite lengths or hemming a longer dress. Thoughts? 

[Sis Who Swears]

9 hours ago, Angalin said:

Here's a fun one for y'all to ponder: I have a ball, an actual ball, to go to. Which means full-length dress, bouffant hair, the works. (Maybe not the bouffant, but you get the idea.) Kind of crazy and fantastic and also fun, as this is likely the one time in my life where I'll be at this level of dress-up. Being on the committee, I am also going to be on my feet for about twelve hours straight as it lasts ten hours of official party time. Suggestions for comfortable brands of heels or swanky flats are welcome, as is advice for frock styles. I'm too short for most off-the-rack evening wear, which means finding petite lengths or hemming a longer dress. Thoughts? 

Where's a fairy godmother when you need one eh?

[Angalin]

15 hours ago, Sis Who Swears said:

Where's a fairy godmother when you need one eh?

I know.  Am determined to have fun, fairy godmother or not! 

[Tears of Lys]

23 hours ago, Angalin said:

Here's a fun one for y'all to ponder: I have a ball, an actual ball, to go to. Which means full-length dress, bouffant hair, the works. (Maybe not the bouffant, but you get the idea.) Kind of crazy and fantastic and also fun, as this is likely the one time in my life where I'll be at this level of dress-up. Being on the committee, I am also going to be on my feet for about twelve hours straight as it lasts ten hours of official party time. Suggestions for comfortable brands of heels or swanky flats are welcome, as is advice for frock styles. I'm too short for most off-the-rack evening wear, which means finding petite lengths or hemming a longer dress. Thoughts? 

My suggestion is to go for a simple plain gold or silver kitten heel pump with a pointy or semi-pointed toe.  It's dressy looking without having a high heel on.  You'll get the most use out of this style shoe.  People are wearing metallic shoes for non-swanky stuff too these days.  I have a pair of silver sling-back flats that I wear with pants, jeans, skirts - even shorts.    

Have you picked out a dress yet?  

ETA: I don't know how much you want to spend or what style you like - halter, strapless, one-shoulder, etc. - or I could link some pics of some really cute ones.  (I looked at one that was a two-piece with a sleeveless crop top and then a long skirt.  This place had the advantage of making them to order AND was a Canada-based company, which would solve your problem of length.  Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with the quality of fabric this company uses.) 

With prom season coming up, there's going to be lots of formal dresses around - in day-glo colors, unfortunately - but also a lot of pretty ones.  If you don't want to spend much on something you may only wear once, you might even consider trying a consignment shop.  Lots of girls sell their worn-once long dresses in these places.  One place near me has a sign in the window saying that new dresses are arriving daily! 

 

[lady narcissa]

Angalin,  Well other petite ladies I know like Nordstrom's for full length dresses as I gather online they have a larger selection than most.  If you see anything you like there but can't order it due to your current location, I am happy to assist.

As for shoes...is this one of those college balls that lasts until dawn where they have a breakfast for the survivors?  If so, I've been to one and I say forget the shoes because I lost mine at the one I went to at Cambridge.  Sometime around 3 AM my feet were killing me (right around after the reels ended) and I took them off and tucked them in a corner and never saw them again.  So my advice is wear shoes that blend in with your full length dress that won't stand out but will be comfortable and be able to stay on your feet for 12 hours straight.  Hell, I'd even say wear sneakers.  Bedazzle them with glitter or sequins if you feel the need to dress them up.  Or I saw a pair of Converse that had spikes on them - BATTLE SHOES!  But honestly I can't remember an evening where my feet ever hurt so much the next morning and my feet were much younger back then.  So take care of your feet!

[Tears of Lys]

I thought of Nordstroms too, but didn't know whether Angalin wanted to blow three hundred (or more) bucks on a one-night dress.  By the time you wear it again, it's out of style.    I held onto this one particular dress that I paid a fortune for, for so long. . .  if I posted a picture of it now, I'd give y'all a real good laugh!   On the other hand, I have a $400 (sale price) mohair/wool, mink collar, coat in a classic princess style, bought around 1980, that I could put on now and it wouldn't look dated. 

As for having to wear shoes all evening into the wee hours, there's hardly anything that's going to be comfortable THAT long.  I'd say start out with some pretty shoes and bring some comfy shoes for later on when no one's going to pay any attention anyway.  

[Iskaral Pust]

I'm really not well informed here but is this a moment for rent-the-runway or similar?  It does seem onerous to buy a dress for a one-off wearing.  I don't know if those services have a good selection for petites.

My wife is petite (5'2) and the only full-length gown I can remember her buying at an affordable price point was from BCBG.  She looked great in it.  It was satiny and quite fitted (she's slim and toned) and in a bright color with open shoulders and arms, so it didn't diminish her.  She thinks that generally full-length is less flattering for petites and she tends to look for something to the knee instead.

The one advantage of full-length is that it de-emphasizes the shoes and allows some bias toward comfort.  But I know, again from my wife, that some petite women feel the need for some elevation that pretty much rules out comfort.

Good luck and have fun.

[Starkess]

Angalin, if this is really the only time you think you'll be attending a ball, I would look into renting a dress. That's what a lot of the ladies around here do for the balls that we go to (military likes to do these things). Although I hear you need to reserve it far ahead of time to get a good one? Not sure, as I can't do it myself since full-length gowns are not made with me in mind. I think they usually do offer petite sizes though. And yes, comfy shoes. If you are wearing full-length, they won't be much visible anyway.

[Lily Valley]

Ang, I'd also say, don't rule out a dress you love because it needs to be hemmed or have other alterations made.  It's worth it to get a perfect fit.  

[Tears of Lys]

Angalin, you can't just drop this on us and then go away!  We want to shop for formals, but how can we do that if we don't know color/cut/sleeves/no-sleeves/price range, etc., etc.??

In the meantime, it's hard to go wrong with Adriana Papell dresses.  Nordstrom's carries them, AND they're regular and petite sizes.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/adrianna-papell-short-sleeve-sequin-mesh-gown-regular-petite/3337750?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=NAVY

[Angalin]

Quick update (am supposed to be writing performers' contracts): ToL, if you do the seasons thing, I tend to come out as a winter. The date for this is the beginning of July and it's an English summer, so count on the weather being chancy. I don't do strapless, especially if I want to dance (which I do). I'm about 5'3" which is too short for most regular lengths unless I wear stilts. Price range is preferably less than £100, whatever that is in US$ - Lady N, thank you for the offer, I may well take you up on it! Renting is also a possibility, Isk, although I worry that if I'm on party duty, the dress could get wrecked. Thanks all!

[Tears of Lys]

I'm 5'3" too.  I've never had a problem getting a long dress.  Don't be discouraged!

This is the website I saw that has, like, really low prices.  http://www.jjshouse.com/special-occasion-dresses-c3/no_banner__1/?ggntk=g&ggcid=58958568636&ggkey=cheap%20formal%20dresses&ggpos=1t4&ggdev=c&ggdevm=&ggplm=&ggtgt=&ggv=7&gclid=Cj0KEQjwoYi4BRDF_PHHu6rI7NMBEiQAKZ-JuC6pFjziYHpU7wbFY6n4La_NqERu76BbutK9E2ALMG4aAsVP8P8HAQ

Like I said, I haven't had any experience with them, so I don't know what their stuff is like, but the reviews are pretty positive.  As for a sleeveless gown and staying warm, you could get a shrug.  Here's an example (from my favorite place!) https://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi37262&defaultColor=7614&N=12161&selectedConcept=  

Good luck on getting the contracts over and done with.  

[DreamSongs]

Has anyone tried Stitch Fix yet?

[Tears of Lys]

I hear it advertised on the radio all the time and have wondered about it.  The name is pretty misleading, IMO.  It sounds like a mail order tailor. 

Here's a review I found that's enlightening: http://moneysavingmom.com/2014/09/completely-honest-experience-stitch-fix.html

[Inigima]

So I'm going to be honeymooning in Italy soon. I need general style advice, because I don't want to look like a goober American stereotype who doesn't know how to dress himself, but also I'll be walking several miles a day on what I am given to understand are not-great sidewalks and I want to be comfortable.

For this reason, while general style advice is also appreciated, my biggest concern is shoes. I need to be able to walk, a lot, comfortably. I am advised not to wear sneakers, and I'm concerned that hiking/walking boots will look bad. I'll also be packing dress loafers so I will look acceptable for dinner etc. Help please! It'll be early May, if season matters.

[Fragile Bird]

My sister-in-law is Polish and travels to Poland pretty well every year.  One of the questions she always asks is why North Americans wear the absolutely hideous sneakers we wear.  The last time we were in Europe together, in Italy and Vienna, we checked out the shoes and had to agree the European casual shoes were much nicer.  I looked again when in Ireland last year and in London the year before. but didn't buy anything because the Canadian dollar was so low.

I don't know if there is a stylish shoe shop that you know of that carries European shoes.  You can buy on line, I guess.  Here in Toronto in some of the European neighbourhoods (like in the west end where Germans, Poles, Ukrainians and other Europeans live) there are a couple of shops.  Perhaps you can search in your locale?  European shoes have their own idiosyncrasies and shoe sizes, you might want to try some on before buying.

From Wikipedia:  https://www.google.ca/search?q=european+sneakers&biw=1600&bih=744&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiUkI-SpvvLAhVHx4MKHRAVBrQQsAQIGg

[Iskaral Pust]

Ini - first of all, congratulations!  Have fun.

Sneakers are fine for long hours of walking if you wear nice ones.  No high tops or bulbous tennis shoes, just a sleek, simple design in a neutral color.  Although, sneakers and sandals are not allowed in the Vatican, from what I recall (we honeymooned in Rome).

Bring nice shoes for meal times.   We used to freshen up and change clothes & shoes before lunch and dinner each day, creating a sense of occasion to support really big meals.  Definitely dress up a little for dinner, and a nice sports jacket goes a long way.   Dress code expectations will be higher in Rome or Milan than Venice or Tuscany.  If you are in Rome or Milan, do some shopping -- you'll find stuff very different from here.

Just don't wear dorky shorts or baseball caps or long, baggy T-shirts; those plus rampant obesity are the signifiers of American goobers.

 

[Tears of Lys]

I'll add my congratulations too, Ini.  And have a gelato for me, okay?   

I must agree with our European friends that the way Americans dress generally is for shit.  We must learn that comfort doesn't preclude style.

[Xray the Enforcer]

You can get some nice-looking comfy walkers from Clarks. Black or brown leather or canvas. As long as it has good cushioning/foot support, and a good sole, you should be able to navigate any street with aplomb. And, yeah, no baseball caps.