My Littlest Lady: Saying Yes to the Dress! Part II

I know that being a tween can be an awkward age for anyone.  There can certainly also be a slim & awkward selection of dresses to chose from to be in someone's wedding.

My littlest lady, FSIL Sweet Cream, is laid back & go with the flow, so I know that she wouldn't care too much about what I put her in for the big day.  She trusts my fashion expertise! I know this because she always hopes that I pick out her birthday and Christmas presents and that they are some kind of stylish wardrobe piece. (hey! I would too if I was the first girl with jeggins in my class, JUST as they were starting to hit the runways of middle school).

Since older FSIL Sweet Cream sometimes steals things from her 12-year-old sister, I was originally thinking that the littlest lady could totally fit into a size 0 of the BM dresses...and then with a few stitches here and there of a pretty shell top that would go underneath, we would be in business.

This is exactly what I pictured doing to my littlest lady's dress.

A few stitches would make this age appropriate and adorable!

Source: Stylehive

Rhianna does the "shirt under dress" good

 Source: IWantThatLook

Kate B. uses a tank under her sweetheart necklined 

denim number

Source: Fabsugar

My vision entailed a silkier or nicer shell -- not just some tank top.  But it didn't work out.  Not everyone was in agreement with the idea...

So...onward with the hunt! I was surprised of the minimal offerings for tween girls at the bridal store.  Dresses screamed out flower girl or bridesmaid -- with nothing in between.  Where are the Jr. BM dresses when you need one?  I wanted the littlest lady to feel confident, beautiful... & like she fit in with the big girls.

Surprisingly, after wandering in to David's Bridal, we found two different dresses that could be "the one."

Source: David's Bridal Jr. BM Dresses

While the littlest lady liked both, we decided on the one on the left, since the feeling of the fabric was so close to the everyone else's dresses.

Problem solved!  We might get it hemmed so that it matches the hemline of the BM dresses.  We'll see what she wants to do when it gets a little bit closer.

Did you have a crazy time coordinating tweens with the rest of your party?  How did you solve it?  Is it OK with you that they aren't really in the same "look?"

My Ladies: Saying Yes to the Dress(es)! Part I

As you may or not remember, my inspiration from a dreamy, coveted cloth lead me down the brick road of wedding decisions to lock in yellow as one of my colors.

So I began my journey searching for the perfect yellow dress.

Now originally I was thinking about all different dresses for each one of my beloved girlies.  And I'm not talking about different styles from the same maker (even though that is a great idea too!).  I'm just talking different dresses.

The sea of greens makes this party pop!

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I bow down out in respect of this perfect array of

beiges and whites!! Oh so lovely!!

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i DIE! I want all different vintage dresses!! This has charm,
adorable charm, written all over it.  If only I had a little bit more time!!
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So with the sales ladies' words lingering in my ear that involved hard dates of when we should order -- of course just in CASE of any issues -- we set out to find the dress.

I had in mind something short, sassy and sweet.  I didn't want them cashing in their 401Ks.  And -- even though it is the most cliched thing I could say -- I really wanted them to be able to wear it again.

After seeing "27 Dresses," that cliche now sometimes makes me giggle...

even though I know, Bees...sometimes it is true!

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And while my mind was all over the place as I had fun seeing my chicas in gorgeous gowns... It just wasn't what I envisioned for the day.  Maybe I'll share some from our impromptu photo shoot another time. another day. 

The most fun was when a bridal store would be too busy to dote all over us... so we would just play dress up all by ourselves.  And have photo shoots!

And while I loved those some of those dresses -- I really had envisioned pockets.  I. love. pockets.  And something a lot less "bridesmaidy."

I got to the point where I couldn't find anything that was a match for what was going on in my head that I was actually debating about whipping up dresses for all of my ladies!  

Until I found these.  (Sorry girls, even though I would love to -- I could very well imagine panic setting in as I crossed off days in the calendar. (Props to you bees out there who can pull off such a thing)).

  

There are pockets AND a bow in the back.  Pinch me please!!

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In yellow. At a local outlet.  For under $60.  Yes, urban legend it is not.  

I found them when I wasn't even looking.  While yellow was originally impossibly to find anywhere, Easter made that shade seem to pop up in stores like happy little daffodils.  

The dresses look amazing in person.  Although BM Sweet Cream was originally trying to talk me out of the idea because she thought the craftsmanship would show in the price tag, she completely changed her mind after seeing them.  And because the prom rush created dressing room lines that beelined around the store, she tried it on OVER her clothes first -- just to see.  I seriously almost lost it laughing so hard and insisted on taking a pic.

I love that dress with those shoes, BM Sweets!!

(self pic!)

So we made a date and all the ladies joined me to buy their dresses.  I had to threaten FSIL Sweet Cream not to wear it beforehand and I'm letting them wear whatever grey shoes they want.

FSIL Sweet Cream tries it on for size.  

(Pic by me!)

And somehow we pulled off...getting the right size non-returnable dress for Cousin Sweet Cream and shipping it to the West coast.  It fits her perfectly -- thank goodness!

Since the vows WILL take place in a Catholic church, I wound up finding these adorable grey & white striped cardigans at Forever 21.

I was going to send away for sweaters just like this

that had a three digit price tag -- not two!

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Did you go the "off the rack" path with your ladies?  If so, where at?? Were you as worried as me about them spending an arm & a leg on a dress they might never wear again?  Did you find some unexpected accessory for your girls when you weren't even really looking for it?!

Now... I just had to figure out something for 12-year-old FSIL Sweet Cream...