As an avid obsessed thrift shopper I’ve noticed that second hand stores are packed with beautiful special occasion fantasy dresses.
You know the ones I’m talking about, bought for someone’s wedding, graduation, anniversary or office party and then never worn again.
It’s a crying shame! All those amazing worn-once fantasy dresses just shuffled off to the thrift store to waste away.
I’m a sucker for fantasy dresses.
Remember that movie with Kevin Costner? Field of Dreams?
The famous line from that film is, “Build it and they will come.”
My mantra is, “Buy it and the occasion will present itself.”
And if that doesn’t work then just host a party so you can wear your dress. Yes, I know it may seem extreme but I’ve done that time and time again and had a ball.
Lately I’ve come across some really fantastic fantasy dresses I thought I’d share.
This first one really reminds me of the Dolce & Gabbana ad,
Instead of traipsing around showing off my underwear I decided a full length vintage slip was in order. Initially I had a black fitted sheath dress underneath but then you couldn’t see the wonderful lace detail.
I’d love to find a vintage red maxi slip to go underneath. Or one that matches my skin tone even more. Then it’d look like one of those red carpet naked dresses.
A couple of things I will need to watch for when I wear this dress is washing my hands…the sleeves are abnormally long, and standing up after sitting as the dress is so long I found the lace catching in my heels at the back.
This dress makes me feel insanely glamorous!
Like, “I’m Queen of the world universe!”
I’m thinking I may wear this out for dinner and a play in Stratford.
Stratford Ontario is all about the glamour.
Ha ha! That is an Ontario joke.
Doesn’t matter one bit to me that everyone else will be rural business casual, AKA no cow dung on their boots. Ha ha! (If you are from Stratford I’m not dissing you. Mississauga isn’t known for high fashion either.)
In my book you can never be overdressed.
How many fantasy dresses did you buy only to wear them once?
I have a serious problem collection of beautiful fantasy dresses I’ll be sharing with you over the next few weeks.
Linking up with the lovely Patti over at Visible Monday.
Absolutely stunning!!!
Thank you! : P
Oh yeah! You remind of a glamorous 1940s actress. And I love the way your hair looks with a wave.
I definitely have had theme parties just so I could wear a particular dress. But never a gown. That’s a great idea. Will have to work on building up my fantasy dress wardrobe.
And, btw, wherever did you get that amazing fabric backdrop?
Theresa
I’ve had that fab backdrop for a while. The vintage couch and chair sit in front of it in my bedroom. I bought it at Society 6. It works perfectly for that wall.
Oh how I *wish* my hair would keep a curl for more than an hour.
I have to do a wet set to get my hair to keep the curl, which I didn’t do here ( I used hot curlers) so the curls were completely gone after about 3 hours.
This dress is insanely gorgeous on you ! I am so glad you showed it off! That shot of you with the compact…
, the best ever! 💕💕💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽👗
Always go for it!
Xx, Elle
💋
http://www.theellediaries.com/
Thanks Elle : P
Yes, yes! this lace dress is exquisite. The party will come to you! Love the pale slip underneath, and I think red will be amazing too. A great find, too good to leave behind. xox
Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Okay girlfriend…keep an eye out for a long red slip for me when you are at the thrift store : )
Gorgeous Suzanne! So, SO pretty!
The compact must have some magic dust in it. You are totally channeling an iconic movie star!
Ha ha! So *that* is what is in that compact : ) It wouldn’t surprise me since it did come from Judith and she looks like she eats magic dust for breakfast.
Good lord woman…I can’t even with this! The hotness seared my retinas.
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
Ha ha! ; P
I’ve got a couple of fantasy dresses I have yet to wear. I take them out from time to time, and once in while I try them on, mainly to see if they still fit, ha ha! Yours is spectacular, and I’m already envisioning it with a red slip underneath! I love that photo of you with the compact, and the amazing backdrop! xxx
I sometimes do the same thing and check to see if the dresses still fit.
Those were my Grandma’s words and I’ve stuck by them all my life. There’s not an occasion i’m not ready for, from a funeral to a Greek style orgy!
You look absolutely ravishing in that dress and your hair looks incredible. If something fits, doesn’t break the bank and makes you feel and look fabulous then you’d be completely mad not to buy it. xxx
Ha ha! You are the only person I know that is prepared for a Greek style orgy and I flippin’ LOVE that about you! Oh the trouble we could get in, you and I ; )
I’m so glad to see YOU benefiting from that extraordinary backdrop. You look fabulous.
I have bought many fantasy dresses and gowns at thrift-stores, both to breathe new life into abandoned items and to explore fancy girl clothes. In fact, that is the first section I usually check out. I have a gorgeous long white gown w/ embedded jewelry on deck in my blog’s batting circle. (Am I allowed to mix baseball metaphors w/ fashion chat?)
Ha ha! I will admit that is the first time I have read a style blogger use that expression but I knew what it meant and I hate baseball. I used to play outfield when I was a kid. Like WAAAAY outfield and prey that no one would ever be able to hit the ball that far. Needless to say I was the last picked for baseball.
I can’t wait to see your next photos. I’m also looking forward to seeing that sequinned number on you that we picked up when thrifting. I thought about you a couple of times today while I was out thrifting.
You Really Look Like a Queen Wearing This Dress!!!!!
And I’m loving your attitude and that fab motto ‘buy it and the occasion will present itself.” Best advice on thrifting ever!. A girl can’t have too many fabulous dresses!
besos
Somehow I just knew you’d agree : )
Wow! I love this dress- definitely wear it out whenever you can!!! I have a whole line up of evening dresses in my wardrobe too- despite the fact that my idea of a great time is an evening in 😉
Nicole you need to do a photo shoot of you wearing fabulous dresses while sitting in front of the TV eating popcorn! That’d be awesome : P Or wearing a fab dress to play Scrabble.
I’m in total agreement with you. I have just one more fantasy dress still unworn. I need an art gallery opening for it.
You look fabulous, queen of the world indeed!! X
Art gallery openings are perfect for fantasy dresses!
WHOA, these are some of my favourite photos of you ever. You are definitely channelling your movie star self in these. The dress is stunning. Your hair and makeup – so perfect. How did you keep Zoe out of the frame? She would have totally been attracted to your energy.
You also looked stunning in that yellow gown at Talize when we went shopping. The poor gowns hanging around, bored. I’m with you, if you buy it, the event will come.
But you don’t have to wear anything to a Greek orgy, do you? Oops, maybe that’s why they were all looking at me funny. Hahaha!
Ha ha! It is always a challenge to keep the pug out of the frame!
Yes, you might have been slightly over-dresses at your last orgy. But then who are they to judge? Ha ha!
This dress is so stunning, and so beautiful on you, I’m kind of speechless! Perfection.
Thanks Lana. It’s the dresses’ transformative powers : )
It’s absolutely incredible, Suzanne!! And I would see no reason not to wear it out to dinner—just because everyone else can’t take the time to look fantastic, doesn’t mean you can’t, right?? Besides the other people will look at you and KNOW that you are a star!!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I’m SO going to wear this out to dinner : P
I think we should all take a look in our closets to see if we have anything to wear to a Greek Orgy (thank you Vix!). The lace dress positively oozes glamour and you look stunning wearing it. The curls are gorgeous on you – definitely old Hollywood vibes.
I may have one, or maybe four, fancy dresses that I’ve purchased secondhand that are waiting for a party. I’ve worn a couple of them out for an evening, but not all of them. I’d better not wait too long to give them a night out or I won’t be able to fit into them anymore.
I agree…I also think I need to get wearing more of my wardrobe before it no longer fits. It’s a race against time and potato chips it seems!
Oh My! Suzanne you look totally stunning in this! What an absolute beauty of a dress- you definitely belong on the red carpet.
I always used to buy dresses that were fantasy gowns. As a musician, I used to have gigs that required a lovely gown so I did used to wear them. Nowadays, I do less and most of those require a black dress but I do have some lovely black gowns- I just miss wearing the colours!!x
I do find even if they are black dresses if you manage to incorporate some kind of texture, embroidery or embellishments they can replace a bit of that colour craving you have.
Gorgeous! Rural business casual–new term, but totally correct. I lament that people don’t dress up for the theatre anymore. People often look like they’re going on safari instead of going to the theatre. Hope you wear your gorgeous dress to town (come in and see me where I work at Danna Nicole on Ontario Street)!
I’ll try to stop in if we are there during working hours Susan!
Absolutely stunning and I love your hair! I have a few fantasy dresses, a few I’ve just donated too. One wear and done and shouldn’t some other woman be able to wear them and feel fabulous too?
I do agree that passing on the fabulous is a great idea as long as they don’t wind up in the landfill.
That is why I feel it is my obligation to rescue as many fantasy dresses as possible when thrifting.
That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. ; )
Spectacular!! You are completely bedazzling in this black lace dress and i think it’s worth investigating a seamstress to create several in lovely colors of your choosing. Cobalt blue, mustard yellow silver…
I have exactly the same straight hair. Setting gel (remember dippity do?) does an amazing job of holding the curl.
You look SO beautiful on your fancy couch against that stunning backdrop. One of my favorites for sure. Robert will never leave to return to work after his upcoming visit.
Setting gel? Wouldn’t that just weigh down the curls? I need to experiment a bit.
I challenged my stylist to put in curls that would stay. She used a bunch of products on my hair. It lasted about 2 hours.
Wowza! Beautiful!
Suggestion for the “slip to match skin better”. Consider tea dying. Use any old cheap tea — not the good stuff!
Ah yes, I used to tea dye for scrapbooking. Thanks for the suggestion!
Oh, dear Suzanne, how amazing you look, so fabulous and beautiful! I loooved the dress and I totally agree with you – buy it and the occasion will present itself, at the right time 🙂 Yes, very long sleeves, but anyway, such an amazing dress! I loved the joke 🙂 One of these days I was getting ready to visit friends and I heard that I was overdressed – although I really was wearing something simple. I think the joke would be good then 🙂 I am normally not this way, but I had to reply – as a joke – “there’s no overdressed in my dictionary. Other people are underdressed then, if they think I am overdressed”. Yes, I said to the people that it was a joke, but I totally identified myself with your post now 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful week! Bisous!
DenisesPlanet.com
I think it is a good thing to be the one considered overdressed : ) Plus, people will always remember you.
From the hair to the makeup, that beyond gorgeous dress and right down to the shoes…#ImDying
I can’t wait to see what else you have to show us!
http://styleforlessvegas.wordpress.com
Wait till you see this little red dress I was forced to buy. Yes, FORCED by the thrifting Gods. Ha ha!
I don’t have to explain it to you. You’re one of my tribe.
Talk about Glamour Queen!!! I love to dream about fantasy dresses but I rarely find the occasion to wear them. Dang, I need to take your fantasy class . . . because of course I could wear it wherever I well please, right? I’m on the hunt for the perfect red slip for you.
I am stupid as in too sensible. I don’t buy fantasy dresses. Seeing you in this lace number, makes me regret that. Thinking I might look just as gorgeous in one of these as you do. HAH.. dream on Greetje. You have such a beautiful hourglass figure. Love the red pumps with it as well. Good buy. Even if you do your groceries in it. As I agree with you: you can never be overdressed. I do wear glamourous clothes to the office. Shiny silk tops and such. If they ask me whether I am going to a party, I always answer: “I got up this morning and I was healthy. So every such day is a day to party.” Shuts them up nicely.
Greetje
Ha ha! I LOVE how you respond to your coworkers. Brilliant! I’m going to steal that : )
FABULOUS!
You are just nailing these fantasy looks, Suzanne. But of course you are!! You’re SUZANNE “effing” CARILLO!!
This Dress probably caused as much of a scene at Stratford as the play itself! And you know I love Stratford!!! Them’s my peeps!
Can’t wait to see you soon and go in search of some fantasy dresses together. I have ideas I will share with you via email!
Hugs,
Sherry