Which dress for which wedding?

[expectantsteelerfan]

I posted previously about a wedding for dh's cousin that we will be going to in Estes Park Colorado over labor day because we found out the the dress code for the welcome/rehearsal dinner was 'mountain chic' and I was all wtf is that???  I'm good with what to wear on the welcome dinner though actually, but I was also slightly annoyed that the dress code for the wedding was listed as 'formal' because I had been loosely planning on wearing a dress that hit below the knee (dress 4, which I will have to add to another post because it says I'm at my limit for this one), and I feel more comfortable wearing a long dress for a formal wedding.  Long dresses are hard to find when you are 5' but have large boobs and aren't petite overall, so I asked for recommendations and got a lot, so thank you.  I ended up with a couple of options, and now we found out my cousin is getting married the 2nd week of Sept. in PA.  And I can't decide which dress to wear to which wedding.

Wedding A: Labor day weekend, Estes Park CO, Dh's family, many people our age who dress pretty fashionably.  Both SILs are wearing long dresses, but I haven't seen what they are wearing.  They are known to do rent the runway for stuff like this though.

Wedding B: 2nd weekend of Sept. in PA near Pittsburgh but at a barn far away from everything, no dress code.  Couple getting married is much younger than us, and based on the bridal shower there will be lots of friends of the bride wearing dresses that make me raise my eyebrows, and then people the parents of couple's age and older.  And although Sept. is technically fall in PA, it'll prob. still be really hot out.  

Dress 1: Has a high-low hemline that I don't love, and the bottom material is really stiff and uncomfortable, but feels the most 'formal' to me.  Was my first pick for Wedding A, but it didn't feel 'me' so I kept looking.
Dress 2: Feels the most me and is the one I like the most and would probably be my pick for Wedding A, but I worry it isn't formal enough.
Dress 3: I loved the colors when I kept seeing it from ads from a cheap fashion site, so I ordered it, but don't love the amount of material on top...feel like it makes me look bigger on top in a not flattering way.  I actually went to return it, but they offered me 50% back to keep it, so I figured I might as well since I hate returning stuff, so I have it, and it's an option.
Dress 4: I wore to a school event a few years ago and is comfortable and would love to wear it again.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Dress 4 

[bbdoll]

My favorite one is #1. I think it gives you a lovely shape and I love the color.

[circa1978]

I picked dress 3 for wedding A and dress 1 for wedding B, I think. The second dress, to me, is too casual.

[soccermama]

I love dress #2 on you!! I really like the dress in general & I think that one is very flattering!

[followyourarrow]

I think dress 2, 3, and 4 are all too casual for a formal wedding. I picked 1 for the formal wedding. I picked dress 2 for the more casual wedding since you said it seemed the most you.

[georgeglass]

Dress 1 for A
Dress 2 for B

The neckline of 1 is super flattering.

[deadwing]

I think dresses 1 and 2 are the most flattering on you. I think I prefer 1. Dresses 3 and 4 aren't doing you any favors.

[jinkies]

Dress 1 looks so good on you! I would definitely do that one for the more formal wedding.

Then I would choose the dress that you feel the most comfortable in for the PA wedding.

(So, I guess, Dress 1 for A and Dress 2 for B)

[lavenderblue]

As a fellow shortie with a big chest, number 1 and 2 are the most flattering on you.

[brooke77]

I would keep looking (I’m sorry!) for wedding 1, since I am not sure any of your choices are formal enough. I love dress 2 on you and since you love it, I would go with that one for the September barn wedding. It seems perfect.

Have you tried Nordstrom Rack? They had some nice formal gowns when I was looking this summer.

[nicolewi]

Definitely dress 1 for wedding a. It is very flattering and I think the high low hemline looks cute.

I like dress 4 for wedding B.

[noodleoo]

Dress 1 is definitely formal enough and I’d do that for the first wedding. It looks great on you! I think I ordered that same dress as an option for a wedding I went to over the summer.

Dress 2 is also really pretty and I’d wear it for the second wedding.

I’m not a fan of dress 3 or 4, they look too casual for weddings.

[TR]

Dress 1 for the formal wedding and 2 for the PA wedding. From experience, I can tell you not to travel with a pleated dress (3) and 4 seems more like a work dress than a wedding guest dress.

[hermione]

Dress 1 for A, Dress 4 for B.

[eb777888]

I love the first two dresses on you! I can't speak to the formality, I suck at that, but every formal event I've been to has had many loose interpretations of "formal" and I think you'll be fine with dress 1.

[So_Fetch]

I love dress 1. wear it to both

[scout8]

Aug 16, 2024 17:04:57 GMT -5 So_Fetch said:

I love dress 1. wear it to both

This.

[maudefindlay]

Dress 1 looks fantastic on you and I'd wear it to the first wedding. I agree you could wear it to the second wedding too.

[DarcyLongfellow]

I think dress #1 is by far the most flattering. It looks great on you! The neckline emphasizes your chest, and the defined waist is at the perfect level.

I think #3 is also flattering, but if you don't love it, you won't feel good in it. Also, I agree the pleats would be hard to travel with.

#4 is too casual.

I'd wear #2 to the barn wedding, although wearing #1 to both would be great too. I'd try to find a different bra though. Coming from someone else with big boobs, you need to get them higher so there's more separation between them and the high waist of the dress :-)

[expectantsteelerfan]

I know we all like updates, so here is my dress update: so I ended up ordering more dresses from Macys because they are local, returning all of them, looking in store, finding one I liked that was an Adrianna Papell that I really liked, but it was way too 'spring' for this wedding, going home and looking at the Adrianna Papell site, and ordering one more hail-mary dress that was a final-sale marked down dress and hoping it would come in time and fit.  It came yesterday, and it fits and I'm happy with it, after all this, this is what I'm wearing to wedding A. 

I knew Dress #1 was the most appropriate from my options for that wedding, and I knew it looked good on me compared to the other options, but I just didn't FEEL good in it, so as much as I tried to convince myself that that was what I should wear (and why this post was so helpful, thank you for all of you for convincing me that dress #1 was my best option of what I had), I just wasn't happy with that option.  I am much more excited to wear this dress. 

  

[mrsukyankee]

expectantsteelerfan, that dress is super pretty and you look great in it!

[lavenderblue]

expectantsteelerfan, great update! It's so important that you feel good in what you are wearing. I'm so glad that you found something that you love. Plus, it's very pretty and looks great on you.

[maudefindlay]

Wow, that one looks so good on you! You will be more relaxed and have more fun when you feel confident. Great choice!

[kellady]

I really like that dress, and it looks great on you!  I’m so glad you found something you are excited to wear.  

[bbdoll]

That dress is the best of the bunch! You look great!!

[brooke77]

It’s beautiful!

[momin2013]

That's very pretty!

[fortnightlily]

Ooh, it looks great!

[7costanza]

Beautiful!