Lisa sent me a link to this site, The Dress, and visiting it left me with a few questions:
First, has anyone purchased this dress, and if so, can I meet her? I think we'd have a lot to talk about. Unless, of course, this was purchased for some kind of manga cosplay I don't know about (um, which would be ALL of them), in which case I wouldn't talk, I'd just nod a lot. But I'd still be interested! Other people's outré enthusiasms are my favorite things!
Also, I know I'm more sensitive on this subject than a lot of other people (except for all you copyeditors reading this) but -- please, please, if you are building a web page, have someone proofread it for you! This site spells 'peplum' at least two different ways, and talks about flounces "ascending down dress back." (Note: if something is ascending, it is going UP. Things that go down DESCEND.) I don't know why these kinds of things bug me so much on dress sites -- probably because the dresses are so beautiful that I want everything surrounding them to be perfect, too. (Note: I will copyedit for dresses ... and I know a lot of other people who probably would, too!)
This shop is at 138 Ludlow Street, in NYC. It's definitely on my list for my next visit ... and I promise not to pull out my sharpie to correct their signs, if any.


































That dress looks like a shortie opera costume. Say, for Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, or Cherubino dressed as a girl in Figaro. Love it!
Posted by: Jennifer | 05/09/2007 at 08:50 AM
Amy Sedaris gets many of her clothes at The Dress. They suit her too.
Posted by: Chintz22 | 05/09/2007 at 09:03 AM
Come on, Erin you expect too much. The opening page has a link for a "c-thru peasant." Spelling and grammar are obviously not a priority. I'll admit, however, that I do not patronize merchants with lax standards- especially in communication and cleanliness!
Posted by: ShannonAnn | 05/09/2007 at 09:21 AM
Jennifer, I thought HMS Pinafore when I saw the dress!
Posted by: Anonymous | 05/09/2007 at 09:41 AM
Oh, I really adore twirl, even if it does have a "rushe-topped bodice."
Posted by: smonster | 05/09/2007 at 10:01 AM
I'm pretty sensitive to errors too so I know where you're coming from. I had brunch once at one of the better dining establishments in the city run by one of the star chefs here and was so annoyed with the obvious spelling errors on the menu that it's since coloured my opinion of said chef. I love the "fancy halter" on the site...makes me think of a 50s cocktail party.
Posted by: phoenix | 05/09/2007 at 10:02 AM
I don't think it's too much to ask that someone who charges $1500 for a dress (worth every penny, I'm sure) pays someone to proofread their website copy; nor do I think it's ridiculous to assume that someone can spell the words that pertain to their trade!!! (Whoever wrote the copy is also unclear on "ruched," and just for style purposes I would recommend "cascading" over "descending," and of course "ascending" is right out.)Sorry, I'm a little strict about those things too; but I think spelling is part of aesthetics (not to mention clarity - "pepplon"? what is that?). I agree with Erin wanting everything to be beautiful; a dressmaker is in the beauty business, after all.But enough early morning crankiness. The dresses themselves are inspiring, and in general I like her sense of color and layering. How fun would it be to have a custom-made dress with layers and layers of silk? (And when in hell would I wear it? Icouldn't let the cats near me, that's for sure!)
Posted by: Nora | 05/09/2007 at 10:10 AM
Lovely as this dress may be, it does look like a Civil War reenactor costume...one that had the bottom of the skirt amputated!
Posted by: kathyg | 05/09/2007 at 10:22 AM
"navey"?!?
Posted by: India | 05/09/2007 at 10:38 AM
*Unless, of course, this was purchased for some kind of manga cosplay I don't know about*I'm off to Wikipedia....
Posted by: dawn | 05/09/2007 at 11:14 AM
Maybe it's just me, but when I look at that dress, all I can see is a little outfit I'd wear for my husband for a little July 4th bedroom rendezvous, if ya know what I mean. ;)Something to give him a laugh and a memory while giving a shout out to historical holidays. Although the skirt would have to be an eency bit shorter and the neckline would need to get rid of that little "V" with the three stripes. But other than that, this looks like a striptease waiting to happen...;)
Posted by: Jess | 05/09/2007 at 12:00 PM
Oh, I love a lot of those dresses! I'll bet they don't come in my size, though, which is just as well, since that means I can just admire them from afar.
Posted by: rose | 05/09/2007 at 12:26 PM
Looks like Japanese "Gothic Lolita" wear.
Posted by: Veronica | 05/09/2007 at 12:31 PM
Where do people wear such dresses? They (almost) all seem to be appropriate only for the set of Moulin Rouge... or Jess's bedroom on July 4 ;)
Posted by: Robinson | 05/09/2007 at 01:27 PM
I really liked the pink dress. Good thing I did not know about there when wedding dress hunting -- not that I could afford one - and no sleeves on me, probably a bad idea
Posted by: Theresa | 05/09/2007 at 02:07 PM
I also thought Japanese Goth. They lok like frocks that would be in a Gwen Stephani video. I do love the taupe/blue dress though. I would actually wear that one... though where? hmmmm
Posted by: vicki jane | 05/09/2007 at 03:16 PM
Hmm... it's kind of a "Sound of Music meets Lost in Space and got mixed up in a blender with Pirates of Penzance" kind of dress, isn't it. I think I like it. But wear would I where it? (couldn't resist)
Posted by: The Momma Chronicles | 05/09/2007 at 04:39 PM
I'd wear that dress everywhere, of course! To the park, out shopping, to class... As for the spelling errors, they jarr me too, but they're mildly better than entirely wrong terms used to describe something, such as a corset topped dress I saw labeled as empire waist. As this description was right next to the picture, it made no sense at all, and caused me to question whether it was the correct picture of the dress being sold. Bad spelling and the random tossing out of terms will make me not buy something, even if I really, really like it, because I just don't trust the sellers.
Posted by: Ivy Frozen | 05/09/2007 at 05:01 PM
It looks Gothic Lolita to me, too, or at least the sailor dress does. There's similar stuff on Gothic Lolita sites Metamorphose and Baby The Stars Shine Bright. I'm kind of intrigued by the Little Red Riding Hood-themed embroidery on this dress, although as I am 35 and 5ft 9, it would clearly look utterly ridiculous on me.
Posted by: Kate in England | 05/09/2007 at 05:04 PM
Mmmm! It's like looking at one of those books on cake decorating where each cake is more luscious and extravagant than the last! Who cares if I have no place to wear any of them (at age 22, I would have)?However, I went to junior high school, so I would not have to hire a copy editor in order to catch those glaring errors. Sheesh!
Posted by: Saint Pud | 05/09/2007 at 09:55 PM
If you do find a place that will trade dresses for copyediting, give them my number.
Posted by: Val | 05/09/2007 at 11:35 PM
Oh, how I love this cute dress! It looks slightly "marine" doesnt it? It makes me want to have a sailor collar real bad! :-)
Posted by: rka | 05/10/2007 at 03:21 AM
I would give anything for the guts to rock that dress.
Posted by: Maddy | 05/10/2007 at 07:01 AM
Visited the site and wow: eye candy like I have never seen it before. I'm still on an ocular sugar high as I type. Amazing!These people know from frou-frou.
Posted by: Nancy Bea Miller | 05/10/2007 at 08:04 AM
Amen to "I want everything surrounding them to be perfect": I just realized that the instructions on green carding which I found at ins (dot) gov contain the heading "Becomeing a lawful permanent resident." All I want to do is become Mrs. Jon B., American! Why must you hurt my eyes so, government of the country in which I hope to reside, permanently?Also, Jon B. says hi.
Posted by: Christina | 05/10/2007 at 09:19 AM