Fashion Friday: Bridesmaid Blues

Fashion Friday is back but this week's title post is a little misleading. You see, I am deeply honored to be in my dear friend Megan's swiftly-approaching wedding as one of her bridesmaids. And like many modern brides these days, Megan is sweetly letting us maids pick our own bridesmaids dresses. She did give us some guidelines: navy or dark blue, knee length, and a shiny/iridescent fabric that catches some light (read: not chiffon). So for months I have been on the hunt for the perfect navy dress that won't break the bank. But with less than one hundred days till Megan and her hubby-to-be say "I do," I really need to step up my search.

(As a side note, this is one wedding trend I love. I did this in my own wedding, and it really lets everyone look like themselves, pick something flattering, and not go broke. Have you seen the price of the typical bridesmaid's dress? Ouch!)

My first thought was to check out Rent the Runway for a dress I could rent for Meg's big day. This ingenious website is a spin-off of the infamous Bag, Borrow, or Steal. I used Rent the Runway to rent a dress for my girl Lianna's rehearsal dinner, and I found the whole process easy - especially on the pocketbook. But when I checked out the available navy dresses, I have to admit I was more that a little disappointed.

This the Rebecca Taylor Blue Smoke Tiered Dress. The flirty ruffled skirt caught my eye, as did the $50 rental fee, but I think it is too short for a girl of my height and might look too baby-dollish on me. Also, I don't want to detract attention from the star of the show: Megan.

I also found this dress, Brielle Bow by Badgley Mischka, which is a little more appropriate. At $100 dollars to rent for the weekend, it is definitely still in my price range. Since it is part of RTR's bridesmaids collection, they will even ship it to me any time in the next 60 days to make sure that I like it before I commit to wearing it for the actual wedding. That's a pretty sweet deal.

 Source for above images.

The problem is, I am not crazy about it, and I keep going to back to J.Crew where there are three dresses that scream me.

Here's the first.

She's the Silk Organza Soiree Dress in Dragonfly Blue. I see her as a more ladylike version of the Rebecca Taylor dress above. It's a little less voluminous, a lot longer, and there are less tiers, which help tone it down but still keep it flirty. But it's also the most expensive. (Cue the sound effects.) Wah-wah...

I am also drawn to this dress:

It's the Cotton Cady Erica Dress in Classic Navy. It's a classic silhouette that I can wear again and again, it has pockets, and it's $50 less than the Soiree. But it's not nearly as fun... 

To my surprise, I am also falling hard for this dress:

I had been envisioning something strapless all along (perhaps because I didn't wear one for my own wedding?), but I am drawn to the twist detail at the bust and the dramatic back of the Elizabeth Wrap Dress in Dark Navy. It reminds me of my own wedding dress, which I still adore, but I am worried it might be a little too buttoned up for a spring wedding. Perhaps it's the cap sleeves...

Obviously I need some input here. What are your thoughts? Oh, and we are *officially* homeowners as of yesterday!