I purchased this dress at the Vera Wang Salon on Madison Avenue in New York City in March 2014. It was altered by Vera Wang Bridal Services at their Manhattan headquarters in June 2014. I wore the dress on Saturday, August 30, 2014, for my wedding. We had an indoor church ceremony and an indoor reception. Our venue overlooked a golf course, which is where we took our photos. We also took photos outside the church. The dress was worn for 9 hours and does have normal dust/dirt on the underneath bottom layers from use, which CANNOT be seen unless the bottom part of the dress is lifted and looked at underneath. There are NO stains! The dress is in perfect condition. My regular bra size is 34B. I am 5' 5" tall and 5' 8" with heels, if you are shorter than me, a hem would remove any soiling from the bottom layers of the dress. My husband absolutely LOVED the dress. Throughout the day, people were raving about the dress from our limo driver to our maître d' to our guests who at one point were shouting "Say Yes To The Dress!" The dress was a hit! Anyone who gets to wear this dress is a very lucky girl. I know you will love it as much as I do!
Below is the description of this dress from the Vera Wang website:
"I am captivated by fabric manipulation and how layers of folded fabric, arranged skillfully, can create depth and character in a dress. Ethel flirts more with couture than other dresses in the collection by showcasing a mastery of cutting and folding. Each swirling tissue organza flange of the skirt is hand-cut. The look: incredibly romantic despite the lack of beading, lace or petticoats. Additionally Ethel is made of a new fabric of stretch Mikado, allowing innovation in form.
The bodice of Ethel is a contrast – clean and structured – accentuated by a simple grosgrain sash. I chose grosgrain, rather than horsehair, because its classic elegance and subtly felt more appropriate for this wedding dress. The tightly woven, ribbed texture adds depth while remaining versatile to mood and occasion."