Corin, did you go get the dress? I hear ya on the non-white dresses... totally kicking myself on this all white thing. I have 5 perfectly beautiful ballgowns / evening dresses in my closet I could wear if this wasn't a white ball.

I found mine yesterday. I decided to look in the local paper and found one that had never been worn (she decided to elope instead). It's a halter top style on top with sequins, tulle at the bottom... kind of a ballerina look to it. Will probably get some ballet shoes to wear with it rather than uncomfortable heals. Detachable train that won't be attached at the Angel Ball. I got it for a steal (tag on it is $1500, I paid $50). She didn't want it to go to waste sitting a closet and was excited when I told her it was going to be worn to a charity ball (I snagged it before she decided to come to the ball and wear it herself! lol). I really love it, am very happy with it, need to lose 5 or 10 lbs though for it to fit better.

Some of you know I've been putting off shopping because I'm neither married or engaged but have been dating Craig for over a year now and there's an old wives tale that trying on wedding dresses when you're not married or engaged is bad luck. So I've decided... this is *not* a wedding dress but a ballgown! lol. If Craig and I get married, I'll get a different dress and just pass this one to someone next year. Sounds like a good anti-wives tale plan, right? Besides, when I was married before I followed all the wives tales and look where that got me! lol

Some ideas on finding cheap white dresses....

- Local newspaper ads (lots of women sell their dresses now rather than keep them)
- Thrift stores (Salvation Army, Goodwill, local thrift stores)
- Yard sales (they will usually say there is a wedding dress in the newspaper ads)
- Craigslist
- Ebay
- Dry cleaners (sometimes women drop them off and never pick them back up and the dry cleaner sells them for the cost of the cleaning)
- Bridal shops (ask to see the ones from last season that were the display dresses... they might be a bit dirty from being tried on but drycleaning usually fixes that)
- Remember those dresses from the 80's and 90's with big, puffy sleeves and lace and sequins everywhere (I have 2 stored at my parents house... long story but passing those on to 2 of my nieces)? Well, they are *cheap* now because they are out of style but a little seamstress work on removing the sleeves and some of the lace and they can be very pretty!

Now I'm breathing easier about this... no more nightmares about finding a dress at the last minute!