Oops.

Well, seeing as I bought the dress second, I thought I'd better find some way of adapting it to make it seem like it's less obvious that we're wearing the same dress (I don't know why it matters that we are; it's not like we're gonna be anywhere near each other, but still)

Is there any way that I can adapt the dress without permanently altering it? I've thought about sashes etc, but I don't know how it will work seeing as the dress has a bustle back.

Ooh, and by the way, the dress looks like this.

Dress

Any ideas?



And what shoes etc could I put with it? I was thinking silver, but I'm worried it might look a bit cosmo-girl ish.

Team up with your "twin" and brand yourselves as "double trouble"

I love that dress, it's gorgeous

I'd ring the changes with accessories - a different shrug, a nice wrap etc (something lilac or gold maybe?) make quite a lot of difference. I went to a ball and found someone in the same dress but she was wearing a shrug over hers and the only reason I even noticed it was because I was looking at her dress and thinking how nice it was until I realised!

For shoes, I'd probably say gold rather than silver, or just something neutral and standard like black. Hope that helps

What's wrong with having the same dress?

Perhaps stick a nice rose or similar on the strap, where it joins the front of the dress? If you have to have it shortened you could use some of the material from that to make something.

That is a *loverley* dress! I'd just wear it and if anyone comments about the fact that someone else has the same, say it just shows you both have good taste

My mum, and my mother-in-law both bought the same dresses for a family event once (I think it might have been our Millenium party), despite the fact that they lived about 200 miles apart, and it wasn't even from a chain store. M-I-L, however was more gutted about the fact that hers was 3 sizes bigger than my Mum's so she wore something different.

simple answer - go to a different prom

It's not me that's fussed, but the other girl is. And since I bought the dress after her I thought it would be up to me to try and do something different. I'm going to be doing different coloured accessorise anyway, so it won't look the same, and she's wearing it without the strap. Do you think that's OK?

Ask her what's wrong with having the same dress. I'm sure that you can convince her that there is nothing wrong with it unless she is irrational in which case it serves her right.

That was a lovely piece of fashion advice Jamie.

It's a really lovely dress. Have you both bought exactly the same colour?

Yeah. And we've both bought the wrap that matches it as well. I'm not too fussed by the whole "samey" thing, but I don't really want to upset her seeing as she did get it first and the prom means a lot more to her than it does to me.

Then try and convince her of your viewpoint. if she manages to defend her opinion successfully then you can make the effort but if you convince her that it doesn't matter then you have nothing to worry about.

Could you line the wrap with a contrasting fabric (it's probably just a straight rectangle so not too difficult) so you have a double-sided reversible wrap (if you see what I mean). Wear shoes to match the "new" side, so eg black satin for one side of your wrap and black satin strappy sandals ?
Haven't seen the wrap of course so not sure if that would work - just a thought.

See if you can take the wrap back and have money back. Then get a wrap and LONG gloves to match each other. ie not the dress colour.
Bev.

I had the same problem with my 6th year dance. It was a beautiful wine coloured dress from Monsoon. You can soon make two dresses look quite different by what yo do with your hair, how you accesorize etc. What about a corsage? A big Diamonte Brooch? Something that will draw the attention away. I would be easier of course if the dress wasnt so brightly coloured!

I think because the dress is plain (I mean plain as in not patterned) I don't think anyone will notice. But if she's going strapless you could always trim your straps and even the neck line with diamante braiding just to emphasis the difference. (you can buy diamante in strips - you just tack it on - it's dead easy). As you didn't know she'd bought the same dress I can't see why her buying it first is an issue. Have fun.

It's gorgeous! But how about asking a proper sewing whizz to put some beads around the top to decorate!

But if this girl has a serious problem - don't go near her on the night as she may well spill a drink on you...

What an awful thought - surely people only do things like that in soap operas

Surely proms only happen in America ?

Aren't proms in the UK a series of concerts held in the Albert Hall?

Nope, theres also the end-of-ear-11 Prom that tends to give rather a lotof people headaches.....

We never called ours a prom. It was just the '5th and 6th year dance' and we had it just before christmas which is a good time to buy nice dresses

The answer is to accessorise. It is her who has the problem, but given its a £100.00 dress, I would be very wary adapting it as you've already shelled out a lot of money. A different necklace a nice broach, corsage etc will make it subtly different. But I'd stop worrying if I were you.

Yeah, that's what we have here. Shame I have to wait two years for it! Back to the dress... Just accessorise differently, and if you're really brave you could add beads in a swirly design somewhere!

No in the soap operas PD would break into the other girls house in the middle of the night and take a pair of scizzors to it!

Or PD could go running up to her at the beginning and shout at the top of her voice 'You Cow, you knew I'd bought this dress and you still went and copied me!'

Seriously though, I think Jod's idea of a corsage is a really good one, plus these things tend to be fairly dimly lit so the chance of anyone noticing are slim, and as you said you don't have a problem with it, so have a great time and you will look fantastic cos its beautiful

Actually Malone suggested it earlier.

I think the dimly lit point is a good one though.

Dimly lit? If I'd just shelled out a hundred squiders for a frock I would demand kleig lights

you're right - take the frock back and go in a sack !

Why woulkd anyone pay £100 for a dress?

Sorry Malone, didn't read properly!

We may never understand, but we must believe it is so.

I'm starting to take that attitude to him as well

Because they want to look good, and the kind of dress required for a prom tends to have a lot of workmanship/material in it anyway, and one would hope its good quality material/workmanship.

but when you can buy a dress that looks just as good for definitely less than £20 although I don't know that much about the dress market so I couldn't say exactly how cheap you can get a high quality dress.

Mate, if you want a girlfriend you're going to have to accept this one

Unless you're gay, in which case you already understand

OK:

Good looking dress > £20.

Definitely.

Well, "fancy" dresses anyway for Proms and suchlike. I remember after my driving theory test, I went to Debenhams and bought 2 dresses for special occasions. One was £120 and the other was £100 but reduced to £30. When I wear them I feel so fantastic, and if you're going to a special occasion you want to feel amazing.

I wouldn't have chosen to spend quite that much, but the dresses I liked were that much!

Have to say, all you men on here better not have daughters or you will have a huge shock when it comes to wedding dresses, even a decent christening gown for a baby is £50.

Prom type dress that looks okay could be £20. One that lasts the evening might cost a bit more! (Unless it was in a sale, which is unlikely)

Obviously you've never met him...

Girlfriend?!!!!!!!!! Seriously?!!

Why would I want a girlfriend???

especially one who wou;d pay £100 for a dress; I'm not sure what punctuation mark should go there so I will just use a smiley


Have you ever seen a good looking dress for under £20?



Why do you need an expensive christening gown for a baby? What's wrong with his pyjamas? I doubt that the christians believe that they will go to ###### for wearing them.

You could always glue some stones on to the top and around the strap. they are quite inexpensive and you wouldn't need to use that many. You could also match jewellery and shoes and they don't have to be fake diamonds to shine, you could go for a different shade of pink or black.

I'm sure you didn't go out to pick the same dresses so alternatively just ;let it happen, everyone will be so busy enjoying themselves on the night they won't notice anyway.

Fine, fine, all the more for the rest of us.