STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

jah · Dooney & Bourke

Wedding - ARGH!

Elle · Hermes

If you're even slightly shorter than average, these might hit you mid calf:

$124

$148

$158

$158

$158

$178

$198

These are already intended to be calf length:

$150

$158

$158

$180

$198

$198

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$310

Most of these also come in some dark neutral (black, brown, navy, etc) too if you'd prefer that to a color.

HTH!

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

Can you some sort of stunning pants and top combo to the cocktail/rehearsal dinner? At least that would take care of one dress...

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

jah wrote:
First, is it appropriate to wear tea length at cocktail/semi-formal? Secondly, can I wear black to the formal wedding?

To answer your questions yes it is totally appropriate to wear tea length at a cocktail party.

And yes, in NY black is fine. Maybe in other parts of the country its a no no, but in NYC I always see women in black at weddings.

littlebean · Kate Spade

Just to reiterate previous posts: black is totally fine for NYC, tea length is totally fine for the rehearsal dinner, and if you hate wearing dresses, I don't see why an elegant outfit with a pair of pants couldn't work for the rehearsal dinner.

Just had to post this dress because I love it so much. It's only available in US size 8 though (UK size 12), but it's $442 marked down from $1106 so I had to suggest it just in case that is your size!

I really like Elle's sixth and seventh and final suggestions.

blubirde · Chanel

I went to a veerrrry formal wedding in NYC last August and tons of people were wearing black. I plan on wearing black to an evening wedding next month here in TX too. I consider it completely acceptable to wear black to evening weddings today.

I don't have any specific suggestions (although I'll look and post some later) but for the rehearsal dinner a nice pants outfit would be fine. One of my BFFs wore goldish/cream pants and some kind of more formal top (I can't remember if it was a vest or a suit jacket or what) to a formal event where we were all wearing dresses, and she looked the best. Everyone commented on how amazing she looked in her outfit and it was definitely formal enough.

As for the wedding, I know you said tea length but that length tends to accentuate the size of calves more than anything else, imo. I think the most flattering length for larger calves is a skirt that hits right at or just below the knee. But if you're more comfortable with the longer length, that's what's really important. Elle posted some beautiful suggestions. I'll look around and see if I see anything great, too.

P.S. A wedding in NYC sounds totally fun! I had a blast at the one I went to, although it was totally posh. It's so much more fun to get fancied up in a place like NYC than other cities.

cc · Marc Jacobs

I agree about trying to find a fabulous pants outfit for the rehearsal dinner. Unless the crowd is going to be super conservative I think it would go over really well. This is the only good picture I can find right now and of course the outfit is out of your price range but you get the idea. I was also picturing some kind of cream and gold combo - like cream wide-leg pants and a strapless gold top.

As for long dresses, this is the only one that caught my eye in a quick search, though it isn't black.
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-- Edited by cc at 02:02, 2008-04-22

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

let's try another take on this--what part of your body do you want to accentuate? like i know you don't like your calves but what part DO you like? I think we might have better results going about things that way.

also, if you don't mind, what part of your calves really bother you? the ankle part? or the upper calf? because if it's upper calf, we can try to have the dress be longer but that's really tricky without seeing it on you--because blubirde's right, certain tea length dresses may hit right at the part of your leg you feel most self-conscious about, in which case, we def. want to rule those out.

Suasoria · Chanel

A long dress will be perfect for the wedding. Formal means long gowns.

A pantsuit or dressy pants + dressy top is cocktail attire in my book - have fancy side dishes like strappy heeled sandals, glittery clutch, etc.

If you really feel like a dress is best for the rehearsal, a summery maxi sundress might be nice, like in a jersey knit.

I agree about tea length not being the most leg-flattering. It tends to cut off the leg at the widest part of the calf.

blubirde · Chanel

What about something like this for the wedding? The bare top keeps the dress sexy even though it's long...

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

I was thinking... What about some black satin pants for cocktail/RD? I wore some black satin pants and a fancy top to a cocktail reception a while back, and I didn't feel out of place.

jah · Dooney & Bourke

Thanks for the replies thus far girls.

In terms of height, I am 5'7", so the dresses that hit knee length will be knee length on me, not calf length.

Regarding which part of my leg, I don't particularly like any of it, but particularly the knees/ankles (so that is pretty much all of it I guess). I should note my friends tell me I'm insane, but hey, you get something in your head and it sticks, eh?

So, I am on board with pants for the cocktail reception. Any ideas for a smashing ensemble? If it needs to be more than $300, I'll do it, so really just throw anything out there.

Regarding the wedding, if black is good to go, then suggestions for a formal black dress for the wedding?

TIA!

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

mandalay 1105

tadashi $460

nicole bakti 375
badgley mischka platinum label 795

david meister 500 (this is navy by the way, not black)

nicole miller 575