Holiday Party Dress Shopping - Part II (The neutrals with some glimmer)

From left to right: Sue Wong Beaded Tank Dress in Platinum, Max Azria Ponte Cowl-Neck Dress in Mocha, Nicole Miller Sequin and Tulle Dress in gold 

Would metallic be considered neutral?  Probably not? For this entry, lets pretend they are because I surely can't categorize them under black.

Another image I conjured up of my dream holiday dress involves a neutral color with sequins (and lots of it)!  Of course I didn't realize that my dream will make me look like a misplaced-tree-ornament-that-has-fallen-from-the-biggest-Christmas-tree-on-display until after I ordered the dresses.  Bahh!  But hey, if there can be an ugly Christmas sweater theme, this is surely a candidate for the "blind-all-the-guests" theme.

Oi and I realized today that the holiday party is this Saturday!  I can't believe how fast time has flown by this year.  I actually ordered one last dress on the 24th and it is scheduled to be delivered on the 3rd so maybe it'll join the post of black dresses.  Talk about a last-minute decision!


How did this round of dresses pan out?  Anything I may possibly wear on Saturday?  (For reference I am 5'4" and 95lbs)

Sue Wong Beaded Tank Dress in sz.0

PLUS:  The intricate beading detail and design on this dress contrasts quite well with the simplicity in the shape of the dress - as a result, even from afar, the detailing is noticed.  I am a fan of low-back backs on dresses (as long as it is the only statement of the dress) so the low V-neck back of this dress is something that definitely caught my eye.

MINUS:  Like any other dress with beading, the beading is super delicate!  A snag on a chair splinter or any sharp edge will rip a strand of beads right off.  The dress drapes real well except I think the top can be more form fitting, would definitely need an experienced tailor to alter.

Max Azria Ponte Cowl-Neck Dress in sz.xs

PLUS:  The design of this dress is marvelous, love the modern touch it has and the black panels are in areas that really flatter and accentuate the figure.  I also fell in love the color combo of taupe and black.

MINUS:  While this dress fit the model perfectly, it was horrendous on my frame!!  The dress was overall way too big and I can just imagine a peek-a-boo boob from the side if I am even slightly standing straight. As a result of the poor fit, the concept of the dress is definitely off (the black panel across the back is suppose to be close to the body) and I do it no justice.  Another difficult dress to alter so it won't be worth it to keep.

 Nicole Miller Sequin and Tulle Dress in sz.0

PLUS:  Ok I'll be honest and admit that the only thing that caught my eye was the back.  It's probably because it reminds me of prom when all the girls had in some shape or form, a "backless" dress.  I avoided that back then and thought now would be the perfect time to try it.

MINUS:  I was wrong.  IMO the x-string-backless-style is juvenile and should remain as something on prom dresses, it is definitely not appropriate for a company holiday party.  Also not a fan of the three different materials placed so obviously on top of each other with no attempt at making them flow together.  Hey, at least I can check "mermaid" off my list of 30 things to look like before I'm 30.

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From this group of dresses, I would only consider the first dress.  And six dresses later, I still don't have a strong contender for the party.  With 5 days left and three more choices, I am hoping that the decision will come to me soon because I still need to accessorize!


What do you think?  Is there a dress that really stands out so far?

Holiday Party Dress Shopping - Part I (Rich Reds and Purples)

ETA 2/14/11 - Raina Thorpe is wearing the red Laundry by Shelli Segal Matte Jersey Ruffle Dress in most of Gossip Girl, Season 4, Episode 15 "It-Girl Happened One Night".

From left to right: Nicole Miller Butterfly Pleated Dress in Red, French Connection "Been Dreaming" One-Shoulder Dress in Purple, Laundry by Shelli Segal Matte Jersey Ruffle Dress in Red

And so it begins!  I am a bit behind this year in searching for a dress for my boyfriend's holiday party (my company only has a holiday luncheon/secret santa exchange) but better late than never.  Since I've had no time to go shop in stores, I relied heavily on the dot coms and kept my fingers crossed that all orders would arrive in time.  Fortunately the shipping gods heard my cry because everything arrived this past week!  The unfortunate thing about shopping online?  You never know what to expect in terms of fit...

I ordered six dresses online and discovered when they all arrived that half were rich colors and the other half were more neutral colors.  I am actually not too certain on which dress I want to wear yet so I am going to try to find three black dresses from my closet that can become potentials (that can be part III of this holiday dress saga).


The only requirement I made myself follow is no strapless dress (I wore one last year so I want to change it up).  Initially when I started browsing I wanted something in red (what other color is more suited for the holiday?!) and then thought something in a deep purple would be nice too.  These three dresses sparked my eyes online but in person, only one is a candidate.  What do you guys think?  Should I even keep any of these? (For reference I am 5'4", 95lbs.)

Nicole Miller Butterfly Pleated Dress in sz.0 (Red one on Bloomingdale's here)

PLUS:  The dress fits right out of the box!  I wouldn't have to alter anything because the dress has some stretch to it so it molds to my body perfectly.  There's also a side zipper so it is quite easy to slip on.  Love the bright red color.

MINUS:  The ruching throughout the whole dress reminds me of a slinky!  While it looks okay from the back and side, it definite makes me appear wider.  The ruching and fabric content (while stretchy, it is still pretty stiff) adds too much dimension to my tiny frame so my stick arms and legs looks even thinner :(

The dress looks amazing on the website models but it just wasn't for me.  Any other day I woudn't mind the added width but for a holiday party, I would like something more flattering.

French Connection "Been Dreaming" One-Shoulder Dress in sz.0

PLUS:   Absolutely stunning color, reminds me of an eggplant!!  Love the big bow on the shoulder (I am such a sucker for oversized bows on clothing items).  And the waistband is very flattering with this style dress, hello teeny tiny waist.  Also love the skirt vent.

MINUS:  Fit is too big - if I inhale, I would be able to slip a roll of pennies down my dress and that is a big no-no.  The sleeves are also at a weird length but that could be easily fixed by folding it up or releasing the stitching and letting it down.  If I were to get this altered I would get the bottom taken in so that the skirt is better acquainted with my thighs.

This dress has made me want to run out and buy a handful of royal purple colored accessories and tops because I need something, anything, in this color.  The anything isn't this dress though because the cost of the dress and alteration costs would be more than what this dress is worth in my eyes.

Laundry by Shelli Segal Matte Jersey Ruffle Dress in sz.0

PLUS:  The ruffle collar and shoulders.  The ruffles makes the top look like a matching sleeveless bolero and that is just darling.  Also the ruching is done just right - very minimal down the side and the back to accentuate the waist/hip area.

MINUS:  This is a show-all dress with its fabric mixture of polyester/spandex.

Hey, only one hate!  Out of the three dress, this was my favorite in terms of fit and style.  However it does give off a more mature look so I will have to put that into consideration.

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What do you think?  Are there any other red/rich-color dresses that you guys can recommend?  I probably won't have time to order them from online but if it's available in stores, I can check it out!