I went dress shopping alone and bought the first dress I tried on. In the salon it felt magical. It fit almost perfectly even without alterations, and as the adjustments would be so minor, the salon owner (who also designed the dress) agreed to do them for free. As it was a sample I spent less than half of what I'd budgeted. I was feeling really pleased with myself for getting such a bargain. It wasn't the sort of dress I ever pictured myself choosing, but none of the other dresses I tried on made me feel the way the first one did.
Then I showed my bridesmaids, who are my oldest friends from childhood. They told me it looked lovely, but their reactions were muted, and I know them well enough to tell when they're not enthusiastic about something. My parents (who didn't realize I'd already bought it when I sent them the photos) were very frank in their dislike - they thought it would be too hot for a summer wedding, they didn't like all the lace, they thought the skirt looked like an underskirt. When I told them that I'd paid for the dress, they back-pedaled and were all, "You look beautiful in anything, sweetheart, you always do! It's your day, wear what you want!"
I'm used to other people not loving my clothes (my usual style is hippie meets Little House on the Prairie, which definitely isn't everyone's thing) but I feel a bit weirded out by the fact that none of the people who know me best think that this dress is a good option for me. Am I missing something? Is it unflattering and I just can't see it, or is this just a question of different tastes?
