My Sue Wong Wedding Dress Arrived!!!

My Sue Wong wedding dress that I ordered from Bloomingdale's last week arrived yesterday.  And it's so pretty!

Thanks to a reader's tip, I have found stock pictures of the dress in white, which is exactly what mine looks like.

I didn't realize this when I ordered the dress, but there are subtle sparkly bits and pieces embedded on the feathers all over the dress!  It's a nice touch for a sparkly kind of day.  I'm including 2 zoomed in pictures below, but not sure if you can actually see it since it's white on white background.

So, same as my other Sue Wong dresses, I ordered a size 6 and it is about half a size too big.  Sue Wong dresses must all be dead on true to size.  It would definitely need to be taken in on top so that it won't fall down.  It is overall very pretty and just as I imagined.  At first, I thought the feathers made me look bigger.  But then I inspected myself more in the mirror and decided that they are fine.  Especially if I get the dress taken in around the top/waist to get it to look more fitted (and if I wear a bustier under?) then I think it would look even better.  It is also about an inch or two too long on me, even with my 4 inch heels.  So that would need to be taken in too which should not be much of an issue.  It might actually look better because then you would see the feathers on the bottom, not the fabric underneath.

But I really didn't realize how fragile this dress is!  The feathers (and ostrich feathers) are barely attached onto the under layer of the dress.  Each feather is only glued on by its base on top (they are upside down on the dress), obviously you can't attach the top (bottom) of the feathers because then they wouldn't have movement.  But I think they could have done a much better job making sure the feathers won't fall off.  In fact, as I was wearing it around for about 5 minutes, two of them fell off.  So... that's kind of a concern since I don't want to be babying the dress all night at my wedding, and be afraid to move around or sit down.  I guess I could buy a hot glue gun and reinforce all the feathers?!  Hmmm... for the price you would think they would have attached the feathers better.  Maybe I should take it back to Bloomingdale's and ask them to reinforce all the feathers for me!

I found this slightly different but very very similar Sue Wong dress in pink below.  I think the only difference between this one and the one I bought is that it doesn't have the sweatheart neckline.  But I really like these pictures (it's from Neiman Marcus) since they show the movement of the feathers with wind blowing.  This dress will show up really pretty on wedding photos I think.

Maybe this detailed picture show the sparklies better than white:

Anyway, I love the look of this dress but I still want to wait for my Tadashi Shoji dress to arrive.  I haven't gotten an update on the status yet so it will be a while.  Reader momof5 sent me a link today to Couturecandy which has this same dress in white (without the sweetheart neckline) with a 20% off code so I can get it for $600 after taxes and free shipping.  Very tempting, as I paid a little over $700 for mine after taxes.  But couturecandy only allows returns within 21 days whereas I have 3 months with Bloomies.  So do I give up the sweetheart neckline (which I really like) and return time frame to save $100?  I don't know, maybe I should just keep my return option so I can check out the Tadashi Shoji.

Well, overall I am happy with this dress for sure.  I like it best out of every dress I've tried on so far, including the Vera Wang dresses!  Goes to show you should go for the fit and style over a brand name right?  =P  If I don't find another dress that I like better, I will be very happy to wear this one at my wedding (provided the feather problems are resolved).  So it's a definite relief that it is now hanging up in my closet!

Sue Wong Color Block Vneck Short Dress

I bought another Sue Wong dress... uh oh... I hope this doesn't turn into another addiction!  This time, I got it from ideeli and I think I overpaid because a week later I saw the same dress on Hautelook
for like $40 cheaper.  Since I have bought many things from sites like these, I must say that in my experience, Hautelook always has the cheapest prices for the same brand/merchandise that appear on other sites.  But they also tend to have cheaper brands in general - very little "high end" brands.  I find Gilt to be the most expensive for the most part and has the best brands.  Ruelala and ideeli are about the same in the middle somewhere.  Oh well!  You win some and you lose some I suppose.  Though the dress is very pretty and flattering!  So I'm still happy about that. 

This dress is from Sue Wong's Walt Disney Collection.  She was inspired by Alice in Wonderland, all the flowers, the ethereal look, and the white queen!

Front Detail

Back Detail

Bottom Detail

I loooove it!  I think the flower details are so pretty.  And it's great that they are on the shoulders, the waistband, and the bottom band.  I got it in a size 6, same as my other Sue Wong dress, it is a little loose on the top.  But I think a size 4 would have been a little too tight.  So I'm really like a size 5 with Sue Wong dresses.  I really like how this dress fits around the waist though.  It's perfect, and gives you a very slim waisted look.  It also has lightly padded bra cups built in which I love, especially since you can't really wear a bra with the open back of this dress.  I think Sue Wong is on Ruelala tomorrow or Thursday... might have to check it out.

I think this is due to shipping, but the dress doesn't drape as well on the bottom as the picture shows.  There are wrinkles on the silk, so it just kind of sits on top of the bottom band of flowers all flat, not bubbly like it's supposed to be.  I guess I have to try to iron out the wrinkles and see if it flows better.  Because right now it's covering about half way of the pretty flowers on the band!  I wish they had shipped it in a hard box instead of a soft bag!  I really need to find more occasions to wear this dress to.  My fiance said it could be a summer day dress but I think it's too dressy looking for that.  But maybe it could work as just a nice dinner dress.

WINNERS!!! For The Spin Shoes Giveaway!!

Thank you all so much for sending in your stories to me with regards to the Spin Shoe Giveaway.  I love "getting to know" a little bit of everyone.  I really wish I could have given one to each of you!  But unfortunately I had to draw names out of a hat!  Or... a Lululemon Superhero bag!

First lucky name that came out of the bag is for the Specialized Spirita Touring Shoes, to refresh your memory, this is what they look like:

And the winner is............ drum roll please..........

And there were 2 winners for the Keen Arroyo Pedal shoes, here's the picture of the shoes:

The winners are:

Yay!  

Ok so to keep it fair, I ask that you three please email me your info for shipping if you are still interested.  If you aren't interested anymore, please let me know as well so I can give to someone else instead.  I will wait to hear from you for a week, and if I don't hear from you by next Tuesday (April 5th) then I will do another drawing.

I hope you enjoy these shoes!!!  I'd love to hear from you regarding how you like them as well!

For everyone else out there, thanks again!!  And I'm sure I will do another giveaway some time in the not so distant future!

Sunday Funday 3!

Ok I don't know why I call these posts "Sunday Funday" posts when they have nothing to do with the content... lol... but I guess the name just kind of got stuck from the first post when I thought it would be a one time thing.  Before I start with my workouts and outfits this week, I have to warn you that this is going to be a photo intensive post!  It's funny because it's been cold and rainy all week here, and I kept putting on more layers before leaving the house so I have the whole progression series!  You'll see...

Monday 3/21

What I did:  Kickboxing

What I wore:  Lululemon Wish Blue Cool Racerback, with Fruity Tootie Scoop Neck bra under.  And Bon Bon/ Paradise Astro Crop.  By the way, I love Bon Bon!  I wish this color would come back, along with Fruity Tootie.

And then, I decided to wear my Snorkel Blue Ambition Pullover as my to/from. 

Then, I decided that it was too cold to go out with crops, so I put on my White Dance Studio pants!

I love how snorkel and white look together. 

Oh yeah, I also took my angel blue Jumpstart gym bag to take my boxing gloves and stuff in.  I thought angel blue complimented snorkel very well!  The bag also has white stripes in it, so it was a perfect match.

I love it when my older Lulu colors can go well with newer ones!

Tuesday 3/22

What I did:  Cardio boxing class at the gym - was kind of lame as we didn't get boxing bags.  But I wanted to try it out anyhow.  So we just jumped around and threw air punches the whole time.  Don't think I'm going back any time soon!

What I wore:  Lululemon Power Y Tank in Three Print, and my old school Groove Pants in black / alarming lulutalic/ white/ black (what's up with the name?).  I think Three Print is my most favoritest print EVER from Lululemon!  Oh and I also realized how much softer my old groove pants are than my new ones.  My new ones are much more stiff, and feel thinner and less stretchy.  Sad!  Maybe I have to start buying used groove pants on ebay.  Lol. 

I forgot to take pictures of what I wore as my to/from, so I don't remember what I wore!

Wednesday 3/23:  Rest day.

Thursday 3/24

What I did: I tried out the anti-gravity yoga class at my gym!  It was interesting, and I think I'd have to agree with one of the readers that it wasn't advanced enough as a workout, even for my first try.  Well, that could also be because the instructors were late and it takes like 20 minutes to set up all the hammocks!  So we really only got to do it for 30-40 minutes.  I liked doing lunges and push ups with it - kind of like the TRX.  I also liked the feel of flying around!  We did lots of inversions and swinging, and I can see how it could take a lot of strength to hold and pull your own bodyweight.  It was a fun class!  I don't know if I'd go all the time, but I would definitely go back.  

What I wore:  I didn't know what would be an appropriate outfit for this, so I stayed safe and wore my Lululemon Cool Racerback in Majestic, with a white Flow Y bra under.  I wore my black / generation electric manifesto Wunder Groove crops - I noticed that the stupid generation electric manifesto print is falling off!!!  Ughhhh... it's like the same reflective material as the Lululemon logo, which also tends to fall off on older items.  But my Wunder Grooves aren't that used, and my whole entire waistband print seems to be falling off and it is not looking pretty!  I will have to remember to never buy anything with these reflective sticky things again.

I wore my Senorita Pink Inspire Jacket as to/from to shield from the rain.

I also have to note though, that the hammocks when used under the armpits to hold your weight, really hurts the armpits!  I think next time I'd have to wear a short sleeve shirt so there would be some cushion between the hammock and the skin.

Friday, 3/25:  Rest day.

Saturday 3/26

What I did:  Cardio drill class with different weight stations.  We did treadmill (sprint and hills), ropes, steps, TRX, triceps, squads, shoulders, chest, biceps, etc. etc.  Basically the whole 9 yards! 

What I wore:  Lululemon Push Ur Limits tank in Lolo purple / Power purple.  Lululemon Run: Passion Crop in Power Purple, and Run: Hills Pullover in Power Purple!  I was so power purpled out!  I layered my Coal Dance Studio pants over as a to/from. 

Sunday, 3/27

What I did:  A class at the gym called "Beach Body".  It was really just a hardcore cardio/sculpt class with steppers, weights, resistance bands, balls, super long abs session, etc.  This was at Crunch and I saw Bob Harper and the Biggest Loser contestants again!  He wasn't teaching this time, they were just working out and talking.  I think his boyfriend was there too.  He was cute, like Bob!  Too bad they are gay... and I'm getting married.  LOL!

What I wore:  Lululemon Cool Racerback in Raspberry (it's old but very similar to the current violaceous color), with Bright Blue Flow Y bra under, and Denim Wunder Unders.  I wore my Journey Jacket as to/from. 

Only one pic of this outfit - we were rushing out the door and my fiance snapped one of me in the elevator!

And that is it for this week!

By the way, I will be drawing the winners for my Spin Shoes Giveaway tomorrow!!!  Stay tuned!

Lululemon Studio Crop - Black

I'm so glad the black Studio Crops were uploaded yesterday on Lululemon's website.  I wanted to get them a few weeks ago when they arrived in the stores but I have not been to a Lulu store in like... a month?!?  I don't know, but it's one of the longest times I've been able to stay away.  Hehe.  I don't feel the undying desire to go grab the latest stuff anymore I guess.  Maybe it's a good thing and I can save some money!

But I did want to get the black Studio Crops because I love my wren ones, and I figured I would get lots of use out of the black one.  They will be great for street wear now that it's getting warmer.  I also want to start taking hip hop dance classes at the gym, and I think these would be good for that!  Out of everything in my wardrobe, these are as "hip hop" as it gets (when I tie up the cinchable cord)!

I got the black ones in a size 4 as well, which is the same size as the wren ones but a size up from the long Dance Studio pants that I own.  I find that they fit looser than my wren ones in the same size.  Maybe half a size bigger.  So that makes them feel about a size bigger than my long pants.  It's all good though, I actually like them to fit like this in crops.  Also, I never really inspected the black Dance Studio pants in person before, but black with the subtle pin stripes make them look like charcoal.  I really like it.

I thought I was going to get like 5 pairs of these Studio Crops in different colors, but I think I'm done now.  Well, unless an amazing color comes out that I can't resist!  But I think 2 is plenty for me.  I also started thinking that $89 is really quite pricey for these pants, especially since they will primarily be for street wear.  They really should be like $50 at the most.  My main reasons for buying Lululemon is for the technical properties.  So I won't be tempted to get another pair that easily.

I was a little tempted to get the Swiftly LS in Clarity Gray / Lilac Snow or Classic Gray / Black though.  They are both so pretty!  But I restrained myself because I already have the short sleeve version of Clarity Gray / Lilac Snow.  And long sleeve swiftlys don't work well for the weather here in my opinion - it's either too cold for such a thin shirt (I'm also a baby), or too hot for a long sleeve shirt, period.  There's only a few days a year where it's appropriate for the long sleeve swiftly for me, so I don't need to have a bunch of them.  I'll just admire them from here.

Vintage Wedding Bouquets

I have been kind of obsessed with vintage wedding bouquets this week.  I'm not even into vintage stuff normally!  I guess it's been more of a trend at weddings lately, and for good reason - why not spend the money on a bouquet you can keep forever?  They are such statement makers, and will look great in photos.  A lot of bouquets I have looked at are made entirely of colorful vintage jewelry.  If your family has a lot of these laying around, it would be a great idea to incorporate them into a bouquet and have it be meaningful.  There goes your "something old".  There's a website called www.etsy.com, which is a place for different individuals all over the world to sell their arts & crafts.  There is a wedding section that has so many great things to browse through!  I found thousands of bouquets that you can purchase to be hand made for you.  Some pricey, and some not so much.  There is really a choice for everyone!  I am really obsessed with this one right now, but I think $600 is just too much for something that I will hold for 20 minutes, if that.  But I do get to keep it forever!

(If you click on any of the pictures, it will take you to the actual listing.)

Isn't it gorgeous??  It has the "something blue" too!  For $600 it can be mine too.  By the way, I'm pretty sure the dress featured in this photo is the same Tadashi Shoji dress I just bought from Bloomingdale's!  It looks great with the bouquet!  Oh, and I just learned this from a coworker - I never knew you are supposed to hold your bouquet low like she is in the photo, so that it's not in your face or covering your dress!  I'm so glad she told me!

I like the little blue decorated throughout the bouquet for a pop of color, while at the same time keeping it low key.  But this muted one is very nice as well:

Once again, $600 = a little too much for a bouquet.

Maybe this one is a slightly cheaper alternative at $450:

Here are some bouquets like what I was referring to earlier - made with lots of vintage jewels and very vibrant colors.  These are not quite my style, but I think they would look great with the right person.  I don't want my bouquet to steal the show from me and my dress, so I'd stick with a more muted color palette.  I know, I'm such a loser competing with a bouquet for attention... LOL!  I do wish that I had some old family jewelry that I could incorporate, but my mom and grandma aren't really into jewelry I guess.  So no luck for me.

$525

$495

$370

There are also lots of choices for the "edgier" brides like this one:  I think it's beautiful but again not something I would go for personally.

$446

$170

Also some even less traditional choices, like sea shells, buttons and feathers:

$435

$125 - cute for beach wedding!

$135

And then there are also lots and lots of good old silk flowers arranged beautifully together.  I don't think I would want to get one made entirely of silk flowers though, because I think the whole point of getting a unique bouquet is to stand out.  I might as well just go with real flowers if I wanted all roses or something.  But I did find some like this one that has a unique country flair, and also has decorative jewels on it to pimp it out a little.  I like this look, but is it a little depressing to hold wilted flowers as you walk down the aisle? 

$170

Anyway, that was probably bouquet overload.  But isn't etsy.com an awesome site??  You can get anything custom made for you for a decent price, and lots of choices.  Not to mention knowing that what you are getting is one of a kind.  If you want to change anything, you just contact the seller - everything is totally customizable!  I swear I don't work for them, but I've been spending way too much (work) time on this site!  Like I said, the wedding section is insane and has everything you could imagine.  I saw lots and lots of floral sashes and hair pieces that I might have to look into more later when I decide on a dress.  

And looking at all these bouquets is making me want to attempt to create one on my own!  LOL!  I can only imagine what a disaster it will be.  But hey, if it turns out decent it might be a fun project!  I've been googling DIY bouquets, and it seems do-able with the right stuff, like a bouquet holder, floral wires, hot glue gun, and some imagination.  There are lots of whole sale jewelry / arts / crafts / fabric, etc. etc. type of places in downtown LA that I can browse through and find the right pieces for cheap.  This will of course have to be done after I take that damn test that's taking over my life!  If I fail at my own creation I can always go on etsy and order one.  Should be a fun adventure!

The Wedding Shop from Bloomingdale's

Soooo... I kind of gave up wedding dress shopping for a while, since nothing too promising came out of the last try.  But time is passing by fast!  The wedding is pretty much exactly 6 months away, and from what I hear, this is the time I should have a dress already.  I've just been really busy with stuff like work and study, that I haven't had time to schedule any appointments.  I think I'm going to try and get to a couple different bridal shops in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, I got an opportune email from Bloomingdale's today with a link to their wedding shop.  I peeked at it and actually ended up ordering 2 dresses from there!  Of course though, I talked to their customer service dept first and made sure that they were both returnable.  Their return policy is actually pretty good - you can bring anything back within 3 months to return, including one of the dresses that has to be special ordered!  The two dresses are kind of similar in style, so one definitely will be returned.  After looking at lots of different pictures, websites and magazines, I've decided that I really like dresses with lots of organza and feathers that are rather popular nowadays.  It's just such a romantic look, and would be great for my beach theme since they don't have long trains.

The first one I got is the Sue Wong Strapless Feather Gown.  I got this dress in white, not the peachy color as shown below.

I really really like this gown, I think it's just gorgeous and will be great in white.  I'm really hoping that this will be "the one".  How perfect if I have this as my wedding dress, and my other Sue Wong dress I just bought from Hautelook for either the reception or the rehearsal dinner (actually BBQ) the night before!  

They kind of match!  So fingers crossed for this dress!  It will be awesome if I can get a perfect dress without having to deal with going to an actual store.  And it's priced at $658 which is pretty cheap as far as wedding dresses go (I'm still trying to wrap my head around this).  Bloomingdale's has it in stock and they will be shipping it out within 48 hours so I guess I will be getting it soon enough!

Next, I got the Tadashi Shoji Strapless Feathery Gown:

This gown is similar, but it looks like it has more organza stuff than feathers.  It could look beautiful if it ends up fitting well too.  But I am not crazy about the black sash belt, so if this ends up being the one, I will get a different sash.  Maybe something like this Vera Wang floral sash from David's Bridal. 

I think it will go very well with the Tadashi Shoji dress because the Vera Wang dress almost looks exactly the same in the front.  It's just more "me" than black.

The Tadashi Shoji dress is $808, so I hope the Sue Wong dress ends up being the winner!  This is the one that has to be ordered, so I will be getting it in about a month or so.  

I really hope that one of the dresses will be a good candidate for me so I don't have to feel so pressured to go find a dress right away.  Besides, the return period is 3 months, so during that time I can still shop for other dresses just in case I like something better.  Then I can still return it at Bloomingdale's.  It's great!  I should've thought of this idea sooner.  I guess I didn't expect that you could return wedding dresses there, since normal bridal shops don't allow that, even David's won't take anything back.  If I end up not liking either dress, I will just return both.  No biggie.  I didn't even have to pay shipping for them because Bloomingdale's ships for free on orders over $300.  So it's really a win-win situation I think.  Now the wait begins!