Trying for second best...

Weddings can be a bit tricky to dress for. One must be fashionable but on the more conservative side. While there are arguably appropriate times to rock the gold lame mini skirt or the all sequin ball gown (perhaps at a drag show?), a wedding is decidedly not one of them. And of course, the number one rule is that you cannot show up the bride. In other words, you want to be the second best dressed woman in the room. She has had to deal with guest lists, catering staff, future in-laws and dress fittings. The least you can do is make sure that your outfit does not detract from the attention on her. (Yes, I do mean her. The bride is the center of the whole parade. The groom rides in the sidecar).

On top of the usual rules of how to dress at a wedding, I have my own. My friend, Lisa, is getting married in mid-July. It's a summer wedding, which means that I require a summer dress. Under no circumstances do I want to wear a black dress. It's not so much that it's a fashion faux pas as much as it's simply boring. I want a fun-colored dress of modest but not matronly cut. I like most bright colors within reason but I'd prefer it not to be yellow as I already wore a yellow dress to her bridal shower. This should be a fun task but the mother has put a limit on the price of the dress and let's just say that the whole process gets a bit more tedious when one has to stay under $100.

Things started off great at the BCBG sale when I spotted this cute teal dress for 70% off. I like the bright but not overwhelming color and the two patterns complement each other. Sadly, it was not to be as none of the stores in the Bay Area had my size. If you happen by a BCBG store anytime soon though I suggest you look for this dress because it is super cute in person and for $84 it's a steal.

I then decided to exhaust my designer discount options. This meant trips to Loehmann's, Marshall's, TJ Maxx, and Nordstroms Rack. I don't know what Loehmann's in NYC is like but I can tell you that the SF branch is depressing. Sure, there might be something beneath the piles and piles of hideous patterns and wretched cuts but it certainly wasn't a wedding appropriate dress. As for Marshall's and TJ Maxx, I walked in, looked at the rack of dowdy, box-shaped dresses and walked out. Nordstroms Rack was the only one with any potential but unfortunately most of the better dresses were in poor shape. There were tears, lost sequins, and makeup stains. I tried on a couple for good measure but they simply did not fit correctly. On the bright side, I managed to snag a pair of tan leather loafers that are oh-so-comfy and have cute little gold accents. There is one last option I haven't checked out, a Neiman Marcus Last Call in San Jose. It's far, especially with recent gas prices, but if I get desperate I might just have to make the venture.

For now, I have turned to trolling the internet. It seems that every online store is having sales. I have my eye on this Nieves Lavi dress at ShopBop but at $254.10 it's a little out of my price range. I just love the colors and pattern. It's eye catching. Plus the cut is perfect for a summer wedding. It shows some skin but not so much that I'll look like the town whore. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that the price drops or that I can find a discount code.

Of course, in the end I might just end up wearing that Marc by Marc Jacobs dress. I only worry about it being just a little too casual. It's a summer wedding but a late afternoon one. I'd prefer one that wasn't quite such a day dress. Plus, why not take advantage of the opportunity to snag a new dress?