Sorry for my lack of replying, I fractured my ankle and have been bedridden. Thankfully I managed to hobble up to get my laptop, daytime TV was simply driving me insane!

Anyway, thanks for the Ann Taylor tip. I checked out that link and adored the dress. I surfed around and found quite a few other things that looked perfect!


Oh, and DeltaBaby- I know you can't tell me what works for me. That's why I simply asked for an unbiased opinion of how the dress would be viewed solely on design. Opinions, even without a basis, can be incredibly helpful. All of your opinions have provided some insight, so thank you very much ladies!

Let me just say that I am in love with J.Crew and want to spend all of my money there. haha :D

Get to feeling better Sililoquy!!

Although, I wish I had a reason to lay in bed all day and do nothing but watch tv and surf the net....:rolleyes:

Well, if I wasn't in summer school right now.. it would be great.

This is finals week for us and here I had to go show off during a game. :rolleyes:

yikes!! i hope you are not down and out of commission too long.

j.crew is great-but, boy, they are proud of their merchandise($$$).

good luck on your finals.

I would suggest a boutique in your town over a major clothing chain. Look to J.Crew, Ann Taylor, and Lilly for inspiration for what might be appropriate, and pick something that doesn't run the risk of being worn by ookabillions of other PNMS. :)

Especially for what it is.

It's nice, cute stuff of good quality, and I'd say it's comparable to Banana Republic (although I don't like the dresses they've got right now) and Ann Taylor (many cute options), and yet in price things are likely to cost double what they "should" at J.Crew, using the Banana and AT as price points.

I think I have developed a slight twitch trying to find a cocktail type dress and an appropriate white dress.

No wonder why PNMs get so stressed out before/during rush... this whole shopping thing is a major bummer because I cannot find a darn thing I like! Well actually I am finding things I like but they are about $500+ and that is money I would rather save for my dues :cool:

Any other website suggestions?

Oh and if I buy anything in this small town, I can almost guarantee that someone else will be wearing it! Another bummer... :(

Try Chadwicks or Newport News for white dresses. I was having a lot of trouble finding a dress for initiation, and several people on GC recommended those stores to me.

Did you look on bluefly.com? Good website for deals.

in the past i have seen white dresses at reasonable prices, or even better than reasonable, at target, old navy and gap.

i have 2 friends who can shop at marshalls or tjmaxx and look absolutely stunning-as if they had just walked out of saks. i don't have the knack that they do, but if you are similarly gifted, give those stores a try.

i still like your burgundy dress for prefs.

I think you can have success at Marshall's et alia if you go in on a regular basis. Last time I was there they actually had Vineyard Vines (D's current favorite). I had seen that brand in men's clothing for awhile in several different stores but nothing for us women until now.

Depends hugely on the individual store. There is a TJ's near me that has great designer stuff all of the time, but the one a town a way is dirty and has crappy stuff.

You have to be a pretty committed shopper, I think, even at their good stores. (I agree that they vary in quality a lot.)

I think they are great places for people who love the experience of shopping and/or have a lot of time and a great flexibility in what they are looking for.

You might have good luck if your category was as broad as sundressess.

I've been seeing tons of white dresses every where lately. Marshalls, Ross, Target, etc!

The cleintale that the store caters to determines what they have. The better areas get the better stuff.