Difference between....

[Tiiiigergirl]

A formal, a prom dress, a bridesmaid's dress etc. You'll see how people say that people were wearing an old bridesmaid dress and I wonder how they know?

Disney Wonder 9/00
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Disney Magic 9/02
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[Andee]

Although there are certainly lots of different kinds of bridesmanids dresses out there, there seems to be a look that sometimes calls out bridesmaid--for example taffeta in a color that isn't the best on the wearer, a bow on the butt, puffy sleeves, etc.

[madelinerose]

You can just tell...



Karen [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Carnival Miracle 10/24/04
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[trish1c]

A formal would be an elegant dress that is age & color appropriate for the wearer.

A bridesmaid dress is too busy & probably an odd color -- not elegant / evening. See Andee's explanation above. Not all bridesmaid dresses fit this definition but some are just glaring.

A prom dress looks young -- perhaps too young for the wearer or the wearer is that age.

Trish

[Tiiiigergirl]

I see. I'll fess up the reason why I'm asking. The empire waist on me is very flattering. I'm a full figured gal and this style is attractive with my full bust while minimizing those darn hips. I've found a dress that I can afford but it technically is a bridesmaid's dress. It has very simple lines. A scoop neck with short sleeves. The fabric is satin. I have very long hair that if I put up in an a elaborate style with some very understated but glittery jewelry should be pretty. I'm 35 turning 36 on the cruise so not old or young, I guess. I'm quite tall for a woman just under 5'10". I can order it in about any color but if it just screamed bridesmaid then it would obviously be a waste of money. If other's thought it would be appropriate then what color? Pastels do look good on me but that really does seem like a bridesmaid dress. Red, black?

Disney Wonder 9/00
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Disney Magic 9/02
Monarch OTS 1/04
Disney Magic 5/04

[natalunia]

I would go with black, it is timeless, can be worn year-round, and hides stains. It would look less like a bridesmaid dress then, too.

Natalie

Superstar Leo to Alaska 5/22/04
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[pattigay]

Wear what looks good on you. I'm wearing light blue on Alaska cruise in June - it may look mother of the groomish but the color is good on me and black washes me out. Can't stand the really bright, intense colors. If your dress is simple enough and you accessorize it properly it should be fine. Black has become such a uniform for formal nights that its nice to see color once in awhile.

[lszu]

I think what you have descibed sounds perfect. (unless you're just not mentioning the big puffy sleeves and bow on the butt!)

I'm laughing at that part because the last two weddings I was in were odd colored dresses with...you guessed it...big puffly sleeves and butt bows! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]


Pastels are so "in" right now. I think if it's really a simple, elegant gown a pastel would be pretty.


Happy Birthday!

lszu
Sovereign 7/99
Monarch 7/00
Vision 9/01
Voyager 9/02
Adventure 9/03

[Tiiiigergirl]

It doesn't look like a big bow or puffy sleeves. I'm going to try to insert a link but I'm not sure how successful I'll be since I've never done it!

I'm now feeling really guilty because I made my bridesmaids at my first wedding have a big bow on the butt. Of course that was in the mid-eighties and it was the beginning of that fashion! For my second wedding only my sister stood up with me and she wore a tasteful and elegant beaded suit! Much better.

Anyway here is the link if it will work.[url="http://www.bridesonlinestore.com/rcatalog010.htm"]http://www.bridesonlinestore.com/rcatalog010.htm[/url]

Disney Wonder 9/00
Disney Magic 9/01
Disney Magic 9/02
Monarch OTS 1/04
Disney Magic 5/04

[zazzy]

tiiiigergirl,
the dress is beautiful. although I am shorter and two years older(ok, three, but who's counting) I think it is very age appropriate. It will be very flattering. I would go with black or navy.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;08;30;20;00;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]  until our virgin cruise Westerdam 8/30/04

[madelinerose]

Pretty dress...I'd go with the red or black. Silver shoes and sparkly earrings and bracelet are all you'll need. It'll be great!


Karen [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

Carnival Miracle 10/24/04
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[JudyKa]

If pastels look good on you, you must be blondish? If that's so, I bet navy would look fabulous on you. Nothing more elegant than a navy satin with sparklies around the neck.

You are SO lucky to be 5'10" if you have to carry around the little extra weight. I'm a little-extra-weight person also and 5'5" to top it all off....sigh.

=o) Judy (o=

[Tiiiigergirl]

Judy, I have light brown hair with natural honey highlights. When I get off the cruise I get to donate my hair to locks of love but for the present, the hair is mine! I have very fair skin so I'm guessing a navy would look nice. It would also be a change from the standard black. Sorry to keep asking questions but you have all been so nice....A navy dress won't clash with my husband's black tux will it?

I do appreciate my height now! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] I can tell you it wasn't much fun when I was about this tall in the 7th grade [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]. Painful, painful. Thanks again for everyone's honest comments and help. It's been a rough day for me.

Disney Wonder 9/00
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[JudyKa]

Nah....a beautiful satin navy dress would look smashing matched with your hubby's black tux. People don't nit-pick that bad......hopefully.

If they do, dear hubby and I will be in trouble on our formal nights. Long black sheer gown with sparklies on it for me and Navy suit coat w/ charcoal gray pants for him with a white shirt and fancy formal tie. I have a pale, lavender gown with sparklies on a jacket for 2nd night; and probably different color shirt and bow tie for him. He's a "dude"....LOL! What fun this is planning for our first-time fancy night-out on a gorgeous cruise ship.....WAY excited here....can you tell? LOL!

=o) Judy (o=

Conquest 6/6/04

[CruiseDreamer28]

I'm also 5'10" with a little "extra weight" and I don't think a dress that style would work on me. I recommend you try it on if you possibly can, or maybe just one in a similar style. They never look the same on as they do on the models [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img] It is a very pretty dress though and I love the idea of the navy! Good Luck!

[lszu]

Very pretty! Not overly bridesmaid-ish! Hey, back in the '80s we wore big puffy sleeves and bows on our butts as every day wear!

Seriously, though, with your coloring I'd go for navy above black or red.

lszu
Sovereign 7/99
Monarch 7/00
Vision 9/01
Voyager 9/02
Adventure 9/03

[sandytoesrose]

That dress would look good in navy blue or black with some simple, elegant jewelry.

[Baxter]

I think I own that dress in 2 colours (burgundy and black). Be sure you get fitted for the dress, or have the opportunity to try it on. For one of the dresses, I found the sizing to be way off...Even though we ordered my usual size it was about two sizes too big. I took it to have it altered and they could only do so much with it being so large. So the burgundy dress was a right-off. But I have worn the black one on a cruise.

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Sapphire Princess

[gayla59]

The dress is pretty and grape might also be an option if you were worried about navy on black. There were several cute dresses at that site and they are quite reasonably priced. Thanks for the link.

Gayla

We can hardly wait
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[Tiiiigergirl]

Sadly, they were out of my size in navy, black and red. Figures, doesn't! THey had it in a size bigger so I called my dress maker friend and asked her if it could be altered down. She said yes, but I likely wouldn't want to pay for it. She would have to take the entire dress apart, fit it to me and then sew it back together. At $10 per hour, she's right I could buy a different outfit for less money. She suggested that I try David's Bridal and then she could alter it if it was just a little big. Well it turns out I found a fabulous outfit there. It was expensive but so pretty. It is a fly-away pants with a beaded tank and a long coat with beading on the sleaves. It is so light a cool and definitely does NOT look like anybody's bridesmaid's dress, mother of the bride or anything else bridal or prom. It is flattering on my figure and worth every penny! And it fit, I don't need to have it altered at all.

Disney Wonder 9/00
Disney Magic 9/01
Disney Magic 9/02
Monarch OTS 1/04
Disney Magic 5/04

[jessizadorable]

You can generally tell the difference, but one of my dresses for my winter cruise is a bridesmaid dress from one of my friend's weddings. I don't think it looks like a bridesmaid dress, more like a prom one. or, at least thats what my prom dress sort of looked like my senior year in high school.

[url="http://www1.davidsbridal.com/bridesmaids_dresses_readyforyou_detail.jsp?stid=1001&prodgroup=7"]http://www1.davidsbridal.com/bridesmaids_dresses_readyforyou_detail.jsp?stid=1001&prodgroup=7[/url]

Jessi

First Cruise - RCI's Legend thru Panama Canal
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[dcat2u]

We went to my husband's military ball last week and you would have thought we were at the prom with some of the dresses we saw. My friend could have swore she saw her mom's curtains go by-lol. As someone else said I believe, dresses should be age and event appropriate. I believe for the most part you can't go wrong with the little black dress.

Darlene
Proud Wife of a 4ID Soldier!
WE GOT HIM!!!

[imatarb]

I'll be one wearing a recycled bridesmaid dress:

[url="http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=showMyPhoto&albumID=140206490&photoID=140206928&security=iwatVp"]My bridesmaid dress[/url]

I feel like it's a very elegant dress, and I'm so fortunate that I'm able to wear it again!

Lisa [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[b]Monarch of the Seas - 1994
Royal Majesty - 1996

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Until VICTORY is ours 5/9/04


<MARQUEE>A day at sea is better than any day at work</MARQUEE>

[Jane110]

Tiigergirl,

Since you asked, I'll be honest.

I'm glad they didn't have your size. The beaded pants outfit sounds much more elegant.

The dress looked like a bridesmaid dress and had no pizazz to it. The short sleeves were very matronly (sleevless or 3/4 sleeves are much more up-to-date) and the bow in the back was silly looking. I know you felt that it covered your figure "flaws", but at 5'10", you don't have to look so blah.

Remember, bridesmaid dresses are designed to make the *bride* look good! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

I'm sure you'll look smashing and much more up to date in your beautiful beaded ensemble.

Jane