During the summer, nothing is cooler than a floaty dress. I’ve been planning the posts for the rest of the summer and there are a number of dresses involved, but to keep things interesting (and informative) I will be focusing on accessories. To some extent.
But not today! Today is all about the cut of my dress. It’s another Fifty Cent Dress — but this dress, while looking like Fifty Cents only cost a dime (or so) because I found it on Gilt.
Let’s talk about cost.
This dress was final sale on Gilt, so I ordered a 6 rather than a 4 and the 6 was a little too big through the bodice. Fatima was able to take it in, but as you can probably imagine, the over-corset required some precise work to be re-sized.
As a result, the math required to rationalize the dress is nearly as complex as the math required to chart a lunar mission — but worth the effort. The dress was marked down 80% from its original retail price, but I had to pay Fatima $160 to fix it. So, not a cheap dress, but the cost of the dress and the alterations combined was still a fraction of the original retail price . . . which I never would have paid.
Isn’t the background terrific? It’s a mural at U.D.C.
Now that you’ve taken the dress in (by “taken in” I mean viewed and processed, not altered), come closer to see the details.
I’m just going to fix my hair while you approach.
You must come closer.
If you can’t actually make out the details, I will feel that I’ve failed.
Don’t make me feel like a failure.
OK. Here is our last ditch effort: an obscenely close, headless photo.
After taking photos, we stopped at our neighborhood market for a few necessities: a soda-fountain soda for The Directrice and a can of tuna for the cats.
In keeping with my accessories pledge above: If I had been thinking while I put on this dress — really thinking — I would have added this moonstone bracelet.
Dress: Jason Wu; Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff; Bag: Ferragamo
Really great dress with the bodice art piece added matching the dress. The unique look emboldens an otherwise pretty, but unremarkable dress. The whole look is great on you and the bracelet is interesting. Love that piece.
I think you should send Jason Wu the bill for $160. I’m serious.
I love the corset-ness of the bodice! Look at all the seaming!
Delightful – and the color is charming. And it’s got this sexy vibe clashing with a priestlike collar. The juxtaposition is wonderful!
This is exactly what I was thinking!
Love this dress!
The dress is lovely. I would like to see it worn with ballet flats or sandals in a creamy color.
The dress is very lovely, but the cost of the alterarations – yikes!
All good here, including the forgotten moonstone bracelet. and yes, the colour is a proper ‘sky blue, which is incredibly difficult to find in shops nowadays, I find: maybe because buyers feel there is already enough blue via denim in the retail world?
Hi The Directrice Team,
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Very pretty dress. I like the bodice/corset detailing a lot. I like that it is so detailed and feminine but uber subtle as you can’t see the bosom defining detail unless you pay attention, due to the monotone stitching and corset being the same colour and fabric as the dress.
The subtle interest and contrast make this stunning. But quietly. In my opinion, worth every penny.
Congratulations for making it into the top 30 work fashion blogs! Quite an achievement!
Beautiful color blue.