14897N

I looked at hundreds (no exaggeration) of dresses online and tried on 6 or 7. This gown was an instant coup de coeur. It's sexy yet elegant, a princess gown yet grown up: perfect for my own fairy tale wedding at a chateau in France. I'm certain it will bring the same sophistication and romanticism to your own wedding! I loved the illusion top and plunging neckline. The slightly puffed shoulders mirror the structured shoulders I tend to prefer in my blazers and felt very personal. I also loved that the lace was vines instead of flowers and I did not want any faux pearls or rhinestones or flashy sequins on my dress. This gown has tiny clear sequins studded throughout which are not noticeable but add a slight sheen to the gown - perfect! This is style 14897N from Pnina Tornai, originally purchased at Kleinfeld. The original gown is a designer size 8. The gown has a lace illusion overlay with nude cups for the bodice. The underskirt is horsehair which creates the structured A-line effect. My measurements: bust 33", waist 26", low hip 37" I am a 0 or a 2 in most retail tops and a 2 or 4 in most retail dresses. The gown has been slightly altered (by Cheryl Lofton & Assoc., Michelle Obama's tailor in Washington, DC! As I was told by the woman who recommended Cheryl and her team - if she's good enough for Michelle, she's good enough for you!). I am 5'6" and wore 3.5" heels; the gown was hemmed to trim the floor and the waist was taken in slightly for a closer fit. We added one single button for an over bustle in the back which maintained the gorgeous clean lines of A-line skirt but pulled up the medium length train for walking. Originally, the neckline was a mock neck that extended halfway up the neck. While wearing the gown during alterations, I realized that the mesh netting was irritating my neck. My tailor therefore trimmed the netting to a scoop neck and even had the excellent foresight to trim around the outline of the lace leaves so as not to destroy the pattern, which you can see in the photos. It was much more comfortable after this alteration. My tailor also cut the sleeves down to a length that extended halfway down my palm (they had originally been longer than my hands). Finally, my tailor resewed the underarms by adding a diamond shaped length of fabric (using some of the excess lace from the other alterations) which allowed for more movement and flexibility around the arms, which had previously been rather restricted by straight seams in the original cut of the gown. It looks exactly the same as before but allows for better movement. The gown was cleaned and closely checked for any wear or tear, of which there is none. Comes with Kleinfeld garment bag. Please note that in some of the photos the gown is still covered in the plastic from the dry cleaner to keep it dust free and protected. Photo 1: Wedding day front of gown Photo 2: Wedding day back of gown Photo 3: Cleaned gown Photo 4: Closeup up bodice Photo 5: Closeup of neckline Photo 6: Closeup of sleeves Photo 7: Lace detail Photo 8: Garment bag Original retail $5,800 + $950 on alterations.