The search almost ends before starting

So, as I promised, I set out to find pretty ball gowns to inspire my newly engaged friend. Not being a huge fan of ball gowns or princess gowns, I decided that I needed to stray away from Craigslist and go to the mama of all bridal sites-The Knot, as they were sure to have heaps and heaps and heaps of all kinds of gowns and princess type outfits.

Well, The Knot certainly did not disappoint. They have so many gowns to view, that you can pick by designer, price, style, etc (you all know what I'm talking about-you know you've looked before). And so, I clicked "ball gown" and leaped into the world of puffy skirts, petticoats, and Cinderella dreams come true. And I swear, I was set on finding pretty gowns and showing them to you.

98 gowns in, I was horrified!!!! Designer, after designer, after designer, dress, after dress, after dress I would only maybe wish on my worse enemy (if I had one) to wear on her wedding day. What has happened in the wedding design world? I cannot imagine brides actually wears these monstrosities! Maybe it's just like "couture" where they don't actually expect a normal person to wear what the models wear down the runway? Maybe they make something more normal for people who do not plan to get married in their own version of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"?

I got so distressed, that I just have to show you these, and beg you all to please please please be brave and save any friend, cousin, sister, ex-boyfriend's new fiance, some woman you saw at David's Bridal from wearing one of these! I do believe that if we work together, we can save brides from wearing these.

To help us in our quest, I am posting a few examples from The Knot. I am not picking on any one designer, they seem to ALL have gone insane. (all the photos are from The Knot.com, but I assume they got them from the various designers)

St. Pucchi,

Someone explain to me, what is this on the bottom of this skirt? Feathers? Seaweed? Kelp? That stuff that holds soda cans together? And ok, I know we are being artistic and all, but when was the last time we saw a bride play a mandolin at her wedding? Nicholas Cage had a hard enough time with it in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". Who has time to worry about dragging a mandolin around their wedding?


St. Pucchi is not the only ones, here is Enmanuel Couture

I LOVED feathers in the ballerina's outfits in Swan Lake. So unless you are a prima ballerina marrying your leading man, PLEASE LEAVE THE FEATHERS AT HOME.

What is it with designers trying to make people look like a mix between a wedding cake and "Gone with the Wind" gone wrong?

Justin Alexander

Someone explain to me, how are you supposed to sit in this? Technical drawings of how one would sit in this thing are welcome and will be prominently displayed on my site.

My Lady Design:


Prina Tornai:




Sposa by St. Pucchi:


Destination by Mon Cheri: (this one could not look more like a wedding cake)



Ok, ok, amongst all this I did find a few dresses that were, well, NOT UGLY, and even kind of pretty:

Birnbaum and Bullock:


A "interesting" one by St.Pucchi:

Oh so Pretty...

I am still so overjoyed that my friend is getting married, I have decided that for the next week or so, instead of celebrating the ugly of Craigslist, I will celebrate some of the pretty dresses I have found through Craigslist postings.

A recent posting in Denver Craigslist that I mentioned in this blog led me to the Watters website, www.watters.com. I have to say, I found several of their gowns very inspirational-simple yet beautiful, and skillfully incorporating some of "in-style" features that are just so "in" right now, like the sash or a skirt that looks like layers and layers of shaving cream, but doing so in a way that's very tolerable, and even pleasant on the eye. I will not feature many of the sashed numbers here, but there are plenty on the site that even Style Diva approves of. (I couldn't save photos from the Watters site, so all these photos are of Watters gowns, but from House of Brides.com which bills itself as "the world larges online wedding store.")

I should also mention that the Watters website features beautiful bridesmaids dresses as well. It even offers suggestion of matching bridesmaid styles when you click on a particular gown. If you are looking for a simple wedding gown, some of those bridesmaids dresses could easily be turned into a gorgeous dress for down-to-earth bride.


A note about our next entry: "Princess/Puffy Dress Do's"



I will start with my very favorite. I have always loved sleeves on wedding dresses. But sleeves, as we have seen so many times here in this blog, can so easily go so wrong. But in the number below, the sleeves, the dress, the body, the skirt, they are all just so right.


Here are some more faves:



And even something for the more non-traditional bride:

Must be the season

On the heals of one friend getting married in San Fran earlier this month, this morning great news from Chicago-a friend is engaged! Now, this being one of the sweetest, kindest people I know (you have to be to be a teacher I think), I have decided to dedicate this posting to her. Even though my friend readily agreed to have Style Diva approve via the web all potential wedding dress choices, I dedicate this posting of Craigslist Chicago Don'ts to my dear friend, as a warning. Chicagoans may have great pizza, and great culture, and great wind, but it seems at times not the best taste (obviously this would not apply to my friend).

In fact, Chicago brings us the first winner of the "This is So FUGLY I don't know if I should even expose my readers to it" award.

I really feel this one requires no explanation. I might just note that the ad claims this is a "designer, hand-made dress." Hand-made by whom? A blind want-to-be debutant from Texas?

For $200, you too can own this "one of a kind."

Next we have a designer, Ulla Maija dress. I strongly urge anyone planning to buy a wedding dress, and in particular a designer one, to visit this site for examples of what NOT to spend your money on, because it doesn't even look like the model can pull off those numbers. The one below is offered for $1800. The top reminds me of another designer dress, the one Kat from TomKat wore to her wedding. And we didn't like that one either. Looks like the designers are all having "original" ideas that might just be too original for us normal people.



I may have to hand out a second "Fugliest Ever Award" all in this one post. Our next "winner" combines all the best of a FUGLY wedding dress-too much shine, too much ruffle, too much puff sleeve, and of course, the too much ass bow. This one is billed as "slightly used." Pity on the soul who used it for anything other than a Halloween outfit.

A note to my friend: I tried hard, for your sake, and even hoped, that Craigslist Chicago would be chuck-full of beautiful gowns for sale, and then I could post them up here to let you know that indeed, Chicago knows wedding style. Unfortunately, there were slim stylin' pickings. But I did find this one dress. It is an Oleg Cassini, (I assume the photo is from the official website) and maybe not as Couture as some of the dresses we've mentioned here, but still, so pleasant on the eyes. And the veil is nice too. It makes me hopeful that at least one bride in Chicago had some style sense! I know you will outdo them all and wow us!