I was an extremely lucky child. My mom painstakingly made sure my sisters and I had one of the most magical childhoods imaginable. So, she replaced video games with fairy wands, computers with forts and mini cottages, and television with our very own costume closet. I think this is where my love of dressing up originally stemmed from. My sisters and I would spend hours in this closet, dressing up as our own invented characters and planning numerous events and (yep…you could have guessed it), weddings!

I guess you could say I just expanded my childhood costume closet moving into my adult years. I’ve managed to fill my own shop with glittery ensembles, classic gowns and dresses that look like they are out of fairytales. When you come to the shop, you will constantly hear me tell everyone that they need to play dress up, and I wholeheartedly believe it. Weddings and events are already stressful/intimidating enough, shopping for a gown should not be either of those things. So, if I tell you to play in the dresses, I mean it!

Here are some of my tips for trying on wedding and prom gowns:

-Pinterest is your friend and your enemy. Don’t let it completely rule your gown choices.

-Try on every possible style imaginable, and listen to your consultant. They generally know what styles will look good on different body types.

-Let go of all preconceived notions of what you think you want. If you have an open mind, you will be more likely to find something that you love.

-Be careful of who you take shopping with you. It might not be the worst idea to browse solo first. Too many opinions can make any major decision difficult.

-Play! Channel your inner child and have fun. At the end of the day, this is going to be a special purchase, and you want all your memories associated with it to be happy 🙂

This shop is my own grown up costume closet, and I want you to see it that way too. If you’re in the market for a dress, hopefully we’ll see you soon!

Alyce – The Newfangled Bride

P.S. My sisters and I still regularly play dress up together here. It’s just on a whole new level 😉