I just have to post my story here, as I'm still pretty steamed.....

As some of you might remember part 1 of this story....

For 2 years now, I've had unfortunate experiences w/ having a dress made long distance. Last year, it came only 5 days before the competition and was way too big--sagging. I was deeply fortunate enough to find a local seamstress who took pity on me, took it apart & re-sewed it so it would fit.

THIS year, I had no intention of doing that again! BUT.....I saw the perfect dress on ebay, but it wasn't my size. I contacted the shop owner, who said she'd have another one made (she's not the designer), to my measurements. I was hesitant but she said if it didn't fit I wasn't obligated to buy it, and there was lots of time to get it finished & fitted. We picked new fabrics (I bought some on ebay myself & had it shipped to her), I spent over $100.00 in stones so I could stone it when it came. I asked for it to be here by 2 weeks before the competition---so I should have had it yesterday (Sat.).

On Friday, she sent me photos of the finished dress....and it's NOT the same design as the original!! Turns out she used a different seamstress than the one who made the first dress, and said seamstress decided to get creative.....and decided that the skirt should be about mid-thigh length on one side & higher than that on the other.....this is a competition ice dance tango dress & I'm very tall. I'd look ridiculous in that dress with such a short skirt. And there were a few other issues w/ the quality of the sewing (or lack thereof...) So here we are, two weeks out, and no dress.....and the fabulous material I searched for and paid for has been cut up. The stones are of colors I have no use for otherwise; lime green, hot orange, yellow, etc.

SO I went panic shopping yesterday, and lo & behold, I found a super dress, at JC Penny's on the clearance rack for $30.00!!! It's stretchy, comfy, has a flowy skirt & diagonal hemline, a ruffled embellishment at the hip, it's even got sequins all over it! I wore it skating tonight to see how it felt--I won't have to do a thing to it, it felt great. AND everyone was asking me who made my beautiful new ice dance dress!! HA!! (and by the way, the skirt falls 3" BELOW my knee on the long side)

Thank you for letting me rant. Moral: don't limit yourself to "official" makers....especially for dancers, there are other options. I saw tons of really cute dancy type dresses, they're very fashionable right now.

wow! what a story! how did you find an ice dance dress at JC Penny's?! thats unbelievable! but I am happy that it fits you well!! I would love to see a picture of it! It sounds stunning!

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It's not really an ice dance dress--it's meant as an evening/cocktail dress......but it *looks* like a dance dress, because of the flowy fabric, sequins, etc. I just wear a black body suit underneath it, and viola!!

If thats not convenient I don't know what is!

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that's wonderful! sometimes ya gotta think "outside of the box"

I find the most interesting dresses (and fabric) at Goodwill and thrift shops

ETA: pictures??? do we get pictures????

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Phoenix, I remember following your first dress saga. I am glad to hear that when life has handed you lemons, you have taken it upon yourself to squirt it on lobster! Oh, please do post a photo of your find! we are all anxious to see!

Here you go.

I lightened the first one so you can see more of the details.

I still wonder actually if I should shorten and/or slit the skirt on the one side....and Jenlyon is going to help me figure out where/how to add a few more stones or color to it. It doesn't get in my way at all when I skate, I just wonder if you should see a little more 'leg' on occasion...

But even as is, I'm very pleased!!

http://phoenix.sk8rland.com/pictures...i=IMG_4188.JPG

Fortunately us guys don't have such a problem.

Steven

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"A sure sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." - Albert Einstein
"A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular." - Adlai Stevenson
"Got Edge?" - Steven J. Arness - Coachless, two years and counting.
"He who carves himself to suit others will soon whittle himself away."
"Sometimes you get what you want but loose what you have."

I like the dress you found at JC Penny's! Awesome!

But. . .I hope you got a refund on that other dress since it wasn't made the way you'd asked for it and you spent all that money on the fabric that's now unuseable!

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"Without Vision the People Perish"
שלום לעולם תמיד

It's lovely!

I have a couple of dirt cheap disco-type dresses that I bought in a cheap clothes shop where I live - I haven't a photo of me in the one I plan to use for our free dance yet, but the other day I posted one of me in the black one that I wore at the Mountain Cup. It's in this thread so I won't repost it!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

That is such a pretty dress! I don't think you could go wrong with a few more stones although it's got some nice sparkle already.

I do hope you get your money back on the other dress, it's a shame your fabric was ruined. I'd be pretty ticked !!!

The nice thing...you have a party dress also!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Take a deep breath and repeat after me:

I will NOT order to-be-made dresses over the phone or the internet.

Repeat as needed.

We have a different problem altogether.

Wow! What a fantastic find. I prefer real dresses to skating dresses because you can wear trunks and don't have to worry about last minute potty breaks. Yes I said potty. I'm housebreaking a puppy and all I think about lately is potty potty potty....

Phoenix, the dress looks great on you!

If you want to add more color, you could place a fabric flower or applique or some other sort of color accent near the waist/hip area where it gathers on the left--since the fabric is gathered there, the natural line of the eye will be drawn there, I think.

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Ive done over the ohone before, most of the time, yes, it needs alterations, fortunately I have an excellent local seamstress that will pin the corrections needed, I send it back for alteration, and usually it's perfect when it gets back.

One place I've almost never had a problem on fit the first time around is Revella, http://www.revellawear.com

I think your JC Penny's find is awesome and does the trick, good luck!

Steven

__________________
"A sure sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." - Albert Einstein
"A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular." - Adlai Stevenson
"Got Edge?" - Steven J. Arness - Coachless, two years and counting.
"He who carves himself to suit others will soon whittle himself away."
"Sometimes you get what you want but loose what you have."

Yes, such as changing costumes between dances, sometimes it would be easier to win the lottery.

Steven

__________________
"A sure sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." - Albert Einstein
"A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular." - Adlai Stevenson
"Got Edge?" - Steven J. Arness - Coachless, two years and counting.
"He who carves himself to suit others will soon whittle himself away."
"Sometimes you get what you want but loose what you have."

Well, the saga continues.....the shop owner took the screwed up dress to the *original* dressmaker---who took one look at it & said she'd make me a whole new one! So we'll see. I don't know if it will be done in time for next week's comp (aaackk!! Is it next week already???), so I'm still very glad to have a backup.

You can never have just one!

Steven

__________________
"A sure sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." - Albert Einstein
"A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular." - Adlai Stevenson
"Got Edge?" - Steven J. Arness - Coachless, two years and counting.
"He who carves himself to suit others will soon whittle himself away."
"Sometimes you get what you want but loose what you have."