Continuing the hijack...if you haven't been professionally fit you totally should. I measured myself to the best of my ability and got 34D...then finally got fitted and found out I was a 32F. It made a HUGE HUGE difference.

My problem is the only options here are the dept stores and VS. And VS is notorious for fitting to their bras only while the dept stores are nearly as limited in sizing selection :-/

Scoured this thread, but one question based on the links: are prints a no-no?

Drole do you have a Nordstrom? They have a fantastic lingerie department that does fittings.

I need to get fitted. It didn't dawn on me until after I'd lost a bunch of weight that it also meant I'd be joining the itty bitty titty committee. I think I'm set to become VP next month.:o;)

I'm in the ittybittytitty committee...and strapless dresses can be a huge problem. They're almost always too big for me in the top and I HATE worrying about whether it's going to slide down or not. My two solutions: fashion tape and alterations. Getting the dress altered to fit (and always get a correct fit on the bra, then wear that exact bra to the appointment with the tailor) is the best option and I have to do that for just about every formal dress I wear. But when there isn't enough time (or money) fashion tape can help everything stay in place.

If the dress is fully lined I've bought a size smaller before and gone braless. It can occasionally be a little uncomfortable but as long as you can't tell...it stays up better (at least for me...and if the dress still looks like it fits in a size smaller than I'd usually buy). But this is only if you are a small enough cup size to not really need the support (the ONLY advantage to having small boobies, sigh) and if you've made SURE there's no nippage. Because that would not do at a recruitment party...at all.

So if you find the perfect dress and it's strapless try to make sure you have enough time and money to get it altered to fit you like a glove, or at least have some fashion tape and a bra that fits correctly, and you'll be ok.

I do not. Around here the dept. stores have like special weeks where they advertise fittings but I have no idea if they're prepared to do it the rest of the time.
No-nippage pasties can also work if you meet all the other criteria.

True story. I forgot about those...I know Target has them for like $5 or something.

Prints are one of those things you've got to use your best judgment on. I'd certainly not ban a print, I'm a huge fan of a nifty print/design and I think it can be an opportunity to express your personality. Just make sure that the pattern is in proportion to your body, and that it isn't too loud or tacky (neon pink leopard print may not be the best pref dress...). Again I think a lot of that comes down to the material and construction of the dress. A beautiful silk dress with a subtle print can be a knockout. The same print in a jersey or other fabric could just be blah.

There was a question asked a page back that was never really addressed: does a PNM want to look more formal than the sisters at Pref?

equally as formal-unless the chapter wears floor length gowns(some do at some schools), in which case the pnm would want to be slightly less formal(no long gowns for pnms!).

I think strapless cocktail/party dress is fine for SEC. It is hot as heck, so most girls are in strapless, or spagetti strap type dresses.

The actives are usually dressed that way, so the pnms are as well.

I like those Lulu dresses posted above by Nittanygirl. That is very typically seen at Arkansas on pref. Although it can swing too a more "fun" style of cocktail dress too. Not very many sequins or spangles are seen.

I have never met a strapless bra I liked, and I have tried a bunch of different ones, even the all-one-piece deals that have the built-in slip (I thought that having more fabric to "hold onto" or anchor the garment would help, but they don't). My drawer is full of uselessness.

And yes, I have been fitted; three different places and they all gave me the same exact bra size (yay!). However, I usually have at least one of these problems:

- If the band tight enough to stay up, it's very constricting on my chest and affects my breathing (I have lung problems and my rib cage is a bit bigger).
- The cups are either too unstructured to feel "shaped" and the girls just kind of "rest" there, or too molded/thick under the dress and add bulk, making it just a smidgen too tight.