Is "recycling" formal dresses bad?

[AGDee]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
I've worn pretty much all the dresses I had in college at least twice. However, what if it's not you but your date that has the issue? As in, he doesn't want you to wear a dress you bought to wear to a function with someone else?

If someone is that totally insecure, he isn't worth your time! Like he's not wearing a suit that he's worn with someone else? What about jeans? You're supposed to get a whole new wardrobe every time you start dating someone new? I can see if your second husband doesn't want you to wear the same wedding dress the second time around, but in any other situation, I'd just have to tell him where to go with that idea!

Dee

[ADPiSAI]

I recycle formal dresses all the time! If I bought a new one every time I had to go to a formal here or a military ball with my boyfriend, I'd be... more broke than I already am. Plus, I have a pretty big supply of dresses (which comes from having too many senior guy friends who needed a prom date... and an uncanny ability to find $180 dresses on the clearance rack for $25), so I can usually find something that nobody at the formal I go to has seen before.

[33girl]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
I've worn pretty much all the dresses I had in college at least twice. However, what if it's not you but your date that has the issue? As in, he doesn't want you to wear a dress you bought to wear to a function with someone else?

If he feels that way he can jolly well pay for a new formal dress then.

[UGAnchora]

For my first formal last year, I wore my senior prom dress. Because 1) Nobody here had seen it. 2) It was bright pink, therefore, I loved it.

This year, I'm going WAAAY back and wearing the very first formal dress I bought in 10th grade. Except I had major alterations done- took it from having a scoop neck and wide straps to being strapless and had all the crenlin taken out. Its like I got a new dress for $40 instead of $140!

[justamom]

"A woman should enter a room before her dress."

James has a good point about "What kind of dresses are you buying?". If it's memorable like zebra or leopard print then be careful where you wear it. EVERYone will remember it. Plus, wearing it with the same guy-Maybe it was you IN that dress that caught his eye, so I can see how he might remember.

I recycle because if I didn't, I'd have thousands of dollars tied up in dresses! Honestly, the Mardi Gras season is all sequins and
beads. It's very difficult to distinguish one dress from another season to season. For the future, consider buying classic styles
that don't shout out for attention. They are the better investment and will serve you well. Plus, how cool is it to be able to go to the opera on a moments notice or a classy black tie event? Remember it's YOU they should remember, not the details of the dress.
Bottom line-recycle or you will waste money that could be better spent. Just do so judiciously.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I have to say our formal is pretty low key. We're a small chapter, so it's not a hug event. Everyone dresses up very nicely, but no one is super super formal.
My first Pi Phi formal I wore my formal dress from my last year in highschool. Last year I bought a nice red sparkly dress (not too sparkly) and this year I have decided to go low key. I have a very simple black cocktail dress, which I bought a while back but have one worn it once before. and to jazz it up a bit I bought a baby pink wrap to go over my shoulders and have decided to buy some fancy jewlery, just to make the dress a little more formal.
I guess it all depends on how formal you formal is.

[GeekyPenguin]

If any guy ever gave me crap for recylcling a dress, I'd get annoyed - like he never wore the same shirt and tie to one of my banquets? My chapter banquets drive me nuts because all the girls wear prom-type dresses and most of the guys just wear a shirt and tie with khakis - so this year when I go back I'm rebelling and just wearing a cocktail dress. I'll be able to dance and I'll match my date.

[jh124]

However, what if it's not you but your date that has the issue? As in, he doesn't want you to wear a dress you bought to wear to a function with someone else?

Run! Now!! This guy is insecure and a control freak. It may only be a casual date, but if this is a boyfriend, you need to get out now. You do not want to build a future with this man.