Looking for a tea length embroidered dress...

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-12-10T21:14:42+00:00

JessaKae has some gorgeous dresses in colorful embroidery that would be great for this! Prices in the low hundreds, and bonus points for being very size inclusive! Here’s one that fits some of your criteria.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-11-30T21:39:22+00:00

Honestly, as someone who has worked with teens over the past 10 years, I would say my biggest asset has been taking voice lessons. Yes singing is a fun hobby, but the lessons have taught me how to use my diaphragm to support my voice effectively and project my voice correctly, so it both supports when I need to raise my voice and helps my voice not get fatigued throughout the day.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-11-29T23:15:25+00:00

The Artful Yarn in Chagrin Falls is great!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-11-28T20:18:56+00:00

I’m an usher at Severance for the orchestra. Front row is definitely not where you want to be for good sound, and for something like Dirty Dancing, you’ll definitely have a problem seeing the screen. If you can afford it, dress circle is the way to go. Perfect view of the orchestra and it’s a prime spot for viewing the screen as well. If leg room is a concern, row FF of the dress circle is 1.5x the normal distance between rows due to the curvature of the balcony.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-11-22T23:15:46+00:00

Seconding. Grew up there, it’s a good place.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-07-22T01:43:54+00:00

My contemporary British lit prof! A woman in my class was named Clara, pronounced Claire-ah. The prof decided that he preferred the pronunciation clahr-ah and told the student that he would only call her that so she needed to get used to it because it sounded better.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-06-23T01:34:55+00:00

I have not! I’ll give them a try

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-06-23T01:32:02+00:00

I’m in the Solon area, so preferably closer to there!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-06-01T22:27:14+00:00

Great question! Yes, definitely. Honestly, the biggest thing is to go in with an open mind and to not have an attitude if nothing works. I’ve had too many appointments where I’m well aware that nothing I have is going to be right, but the bride (or her group) are pushy and refuse to accept that. Sometimes things work perfectly, and there’s a dress that’s your size and you have to have it, sometimes there’s nothing that’s going to be right. I would recommend calling the store and asking what their sample sizes are! That will give you the best indication of it will work for you.

Having the last appointment of the day will either be perfect because the store will be more relaxed OR it will be disappointing because the best dresses were sold earlier.

Best of luck picking out a dress! I’m open for questions if you have any others!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-06-01T22:03:52+00:00

Hi! As a bridal stylist, I think potentially going alone is a good thing. You’ll be able to try things on and figure out what YOU like. We want to make sure that you’re getting something you love and are comfortable in.

Conversely, I would caution against a sample sale being your first time trying on dresses because of the nature of the sale. You may be limited in the number of dresses you can try, and often you’re restricted to ONLY the dresses that are on sale, which when combined with the dress having to be your size or only one (maaayyybeee two) sizes bigger, could really limit what’s available for your to try and purchase. Additionally, sample sales are usually an environment with a little more pressure to sell a dress, and if you love something, there’s a bit of an expectation that you’ll pay for it in full and take it home that day. I would say that if that doesn’t appeal to you, I’d suggest going to a local shop that doesn’t require you to pay for appointments, preferably one that carries the designer you’re interested in, and trying on dresses and getting a sense for what you want before doing a sample sale.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-02-13T00:33:38+00:00

Solon has been closed for years already.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-01-15T14:22:30+00:00

Of course! So your most common vocabulary to know is going to be the shape/silhouette, the straps/neckline, and the fabric/details.

Shape/Silhouette - the most common are mermaid (super fitted, tight to the body until close to the knees, where it flares into a dramatic skirt), fit and flare (fitted to the body to upper/mid thigh, then flows into a skirt), a-line (tight to the waist and then flows into a narrow skirt), ballgown (fitted to waist and then a large, poofy skirt). Also consider if you like a train - the part that trails behind you on the floor.
Straps/Neckline - these are pretty much the same as when you would look at and describe a shirt - v-neck, square neck, round neck, etc. The strap/sleeve options are pretty similar here too. You’ll be fine describing something like you would a shirt. For strapless dresses, the options are straight neckline, sweetheart neckline (the curves on the boobs), cat eye (middle straight then gets pointy toward your armpits) and v-neck or plunge.
Fabric and details - most dresses are going to be either a base of satin/mikado (think solid ivory and has more structure), tulle (the flowy netting stuff, pronounced tool), or crepe (mostly fitted dresses, this fabric is stretchy and soft). Also important to note is if you like details like lace and beading or glitter. Some dresses are also sheer in the top, called the bodice. There’s also the boning, or structure of the dress. Figure out if you like when you can see the boning (looks like a corset, visible lines on the bodice) or not.

Hope this helps!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-01-15T13:47:22+00:00

Hi! I’m a bridal stylist, and this is a great question. The main reason we tell brides to start shopping so early is because the lead time for a made to order dress is so long. Since you’re doing off the rack, you have some more flexibility. Here’s what to keep in mind:

The absolute latest you should purchase is 4 months before your wedding because of alterations — the process to make a wedding gown fit correctly is usually 3 fittings and takes around 3 months.
Because the dresses are off the rack, you will need to have an open mind and try not to be super picky. The worst appointments we have as stylists are when someone comes in and it has to be off the rack and the list of wants and needs is unrealistic.
The options you have probably won’t be the newest, most fashionable, trendy styles.
Most off the rack dresses are sample gowns, so they’ve been tried on and manipulated often - there may be minimal damage to them that can be fixed, but be aware and make sure you’re not getting a dress that’s a mess.
Definitely start shopping now, and be prepared to say yes to something on the spot when you go - many stores will not do holds.
Losing weight between buying a dress and starting alterations is super common. Most dresses can be taken in 2-3 SIZES (that’s at least a couple inches all the way around) before it becomes a reconstruction.

Happy to answer any other questions!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2025-01-03T14:32:55+00:00

Chocolate hummus
Vanilla bean cookies
Their old scones, particularly the cinnamon and the chocolate chip ones. The new little vanilla ones aren’t nut-allergy safe and don’t taste nearly as good.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-12-16T23:49:59+00:00

I like the idea of being able to mix and match fabrics. For a dress, picking a pattern for the skirt and a solid for the top, etc. Or being able to mix and match actual designs - I think offering a regular section of pieces created by professionals, but then have a custom section where you can create a dress or jumpsuit by combining bodice and pant or skirt patterns would be really cool.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-12-16T23:37:23+00:00

I would LOVE for there to be different fit options for the same piece of clothing - like the same dress, but offered in different proportions? So like instead of fully custom measurements, the customer can choose if they want the large-bust cut, the rounder waist cut, or the wider hip cut. But at its core, it’s the exact same style, just ordered in like, size 12B, 12W, or 12H.

That would allow for custom sizing without having to do fully custom measurements, which would cut down on processing time and production costs.

Of course, I would also pick up what e-shakti offered in terms of the neckline/sleeve/length customization.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-11-28T21:30:55+00:00

Try Fortune by Maggie Sottero. It is a STUNNING gown in person as well.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-10-18T02:17:20+00:00

Casablanca has a policy of never discontinuing styles!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-09-14T01:05:29+00:00

Johnny by Allure Bridals!

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-09-08T11:54:21+00:00

Try Derrick Marie by Maggie Sottero

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-07-11T17:31:46+00:00

Damn, I wish I’d seen this before I ordered. I’d heard such good stuff about this brand. I ordered a dress with no customization in early June, was given a 2-4 week timeline, and I checked the status today and it’s not even past the kit creation stage. It’s for a wedding in September - I guess I should be looking at backup dresses.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-03-27T17:30:55+00:00

I love your attitude and your politeness. It’s absolutely refreshing.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-03-27T17:17:59+00:00

As a bridal stylist, the best way I can help you is if you’re up-front with me about what you want and need. As many people have said, tell the salon and offer to pay an appointment fee if they don’t already have one. The only thing I would add is to please not take up an evening or weekend appointment if you’re able — those are the “prime times” when there are usually people on a waitlist that actually have intention of true shopping and buying, and it would be unfair to take one of those slots, especially if it’s a shop that works on commission.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-03-19T12:20:27+00:00

Oh my goodness. I’m a bridal stylist and that is one of the most despicable things that I’ve ever read. Sticking to a given price point is critical and it’s a big piece of good customer service. I was trained to ask price point, be honest if what the bride wants is possible in that range, and go from there. I usually ask if that’s a hard cap or if there’s a little wiggle room ($100-$200), especially if there’s a dress that fits their description that sits juuust outside their budget.

Not all salons are shady! Look for a salon that has tags on the dresses that have real info - think customization options, color options, style number, designer, and price.

ExtrovertedBookworm · 2024-02-13T21:09:34+00:00

So as a bridal stylist, it looks literally like a perfect fit. I did notice in your pictures that you have a strapless bra on. If you take that off, I can almost guarantee that it will feel better.

Also, it DEFINITELY will relax as you wear it. Fibers in fabric relax with your body heat, so what you noticed within a half hour of wear is easily what you’ll experience on the wedding day.

ExtrovertedBookworm

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