Dress Me, Vol. 3? Or 4? I can't remember.

We are headed to a couples wedding shower on Saturday. I actually really enjoy showers; especially wedding showers. I mean, I like baby showers and all, but I have a really hard time watching someone open baby presents without thinking, “Oh, they are going to be SO disappointed with that piece of crap stroller,” or “Cordoroy pants? For a NEWBORN? For reals?” (I have really strong feelings about the kind of pants newborn babies should be wearing, which is NO PANTS AT ALL. You only get to spend three entire months in your pajamas ONCE in your life. LIVE IT UP, NEWBORNS, save the denim and cordoroy for when you can hold your own heads up.) I would never say any of that out loud, you understand. I can ooh and ahh over tiny, crotch-snapping t-shirts with the best of them.

But WEDDING SHOWERS! I can't help it, I love seeing the shiny appliances and the wine glasses and the fluffy towels and the crystal vases. Come to think of it, though, I've never actually been to a couples wedding shower. Unless you count my own couples shower, which was actually a tool shower for Dave. You can't really throw a shower for a dude without including women, you know? I can't imagine Dave's horror if the tool shower had just been him and a bunch of his friends opening up elaborately-wrapped wrench sets and drill bits. So the women came, too, and a couples shower was born, even though all the presents were for Dave. Having women there was also a way of ensuring that there would be things to eat and drink, as well as a big cake with a hammer made out of gray and brown frosting on it.

(You know, one of the things Dave got at that shower was a really nice yellow shovel. About six months after we got married, we landscaped our postage stamp-sized front yard, and that included digging up this hideous bush that had been there since 1978. But while Dave was digging up the roots, the shovel handle snapped in half. So we took it back to Sears, because right there on the handle was a little blurb that said something about how the shovel had a lifetime guarantee, but then? When we told the guy at Sears what happened? He got all huffy and said, “Well, you're not supposed to dig up STUMPS with it. I'm not sure I can replace it if you broke it digging up STUMPS.” And Dave was all like, are you kidding me? A shovel is a shovel is a shovel and you should be able to use a fricking shovel for whatever it is you NEED TO SHOVEL. So the guy gave us a new one, but I went home and checked, and there is no such thing as a shovel made just for stump removal, which leads me to believe that the job calls for a REGULAR shovel, which is exactly the kind of shovel we had in the first place.)

ANYWAY.

So! I'm going to a couples' shower. On Saturday evening. What (out of my relatively plain and simple wardrobe) should I wear?

   

My options include the turquoise dress from the Gap ($22 on sale at the end of summer! and it has POCKETS!), dark jeans with a ruffled cami and a cropped sweater (pay no attention that it's a MATERNITY sweater; it isn't any larger than any other cropped sweater, since the hem falls way above where my stomach would have begun protruding) or a simple black sundress from Ann Taylor LOFT (it's cotton and has a ruffle at the bottom, and is probably a little bit boring, I guess).

Which would you choose? (Please don't say NONE OF THE ABOVE, unless you know my wardrobe in an intimate fashion and can make a VERY SPECIFIC SUGGESTION, because we're kind of out of clothes money at the moment, what with the kids growing by leaps and bounds and all.) Also, I would LOVE it if when you vote for number one, two, or three, if you would add exactly how you would accessorize it. Accessorizing remains my kryptonite. Anything more than a pair of earrings or a necklace (NEVER BOTH) and I feel like I'm really overdoing it; like if I walk out of the house, people might point and stare. Would you add a cardigan to either dress? Would you wear a long necklace with the cami/sweater or a short one? Would heels be too dressy? Would flats do the opposite? HERE I AM, YOUR FASHION SPONGE.

Although, I'm not sure I can hold myself back from wearing these shoes should we decide on Option 3:

(TARGET. ON CLEARANCE. I know!)

Comments

[Jessica]

My vote is for #2 (jeans and a cami). It's casual, yet dressy! If the jeans aren't too long, then wear the cute flower flips with it!

<---terrible accessorizer, no help here.

[Frema]

I love option two (jeans, cami, and sweater). I'm not much of an accessories girl, so I think it looks fine without, but this seems like a classic going-out outfit to me.

[Megan]

I vote for #2. Do you have any simple sliver jewelry you can wear? I think that would look nice, but without overdoing it.

And yeah, I hear you about the clothes budget. Don't you hate when you ask someone what you should wear, and they're like "nothing you've got....but can you buy a new dress and some new shoes?" HATE. THAT.

Oh, and I love bridal showers, too. Even though I know most of that stuff will just collect dust - it's still fun to see!

[Bre]

I vote for jeans/cami/sweater as option 1, turquoise dress as option two, and black dress as option three.

[Michelle]

#2, with heels, short necklace and stud earrings. Or the adorable flip flops. :)

[Beth B.]

I like #2; love it with the flower flip flops, and how about a long necklace. and small/stud earrings. PERFECT!! enjoy had have fun!

[Brittani]

I vote for the jeans/cami/sweater outfit. It looks so put together AND comfy! Wear it with a short necklace and simple earrings.

[RA]

If it were me, I would wear outfit #2, but I naturally gravitate toward anything green. I'd probably go with a silver necklace and heels (since it's in the evening), but a more casual, shorter necklace and those flip flops would be cute, too. Can you ask anyone else what they're wearing?

When it comes to accessories in general, I wear the same silver hoops every day (never rings or bracelets), and I cheat the rest by having maybe 5-ish bold necklaces and pairs of flats that I rotate around my neutral wardrobe. So, it's not as easily apparent that I'm wearing the same old jeans and black top because of the chunky red necklace! Or the silver flats! Plus, buying jewelry is usually much cheaper than new clothes.

[Margaret]

I vote for #2 as well. The flip flops or a pair of cute flats would work well with the jeans.

[Mimi]

#2... because it looks cute and stylish. Love the flip flops, wear them too!

[She Likes Purple]

I love one! I would pair it with a chunky black necklace, if you have one.

Also, god, I was that woman who put her just-barely-born infant in corduroy pants and jeans and other such things and took many pictures and then sent them to all my friends. OH MY GOD, WHY DID I DO THAT?

Now? My kid is usually clad only in a diaper or pjs at home.

[alisha]

These three months of living in your pajamas -- do they have to be your first three months of life? I'm not saying that I currently live in my pajamas, but they do get a lot of wear these days.

I'd go for the second outfit. (Are you still listening after I said I wear my pajamas most of the time?) I can really decided between the two dresses for second and third.

[Jessica]

#2. Until I saw those shoes. I LOVE those shoes.

[RA]

Sorry, me again. At the risk of complicating things, I also like the idea of the black dress with the green cardigan and your cute flip flops.

I hope I didn't break any rules here.

[KM]

Love #2 although I do also like the idea of the black sundress with the green cardigan. Then you can wear the cute shoes!

[Beret]

#2 is my favorite

then #1

[Heather]

#2!

[Blythe]

I hate to go against the grain but I like dress #3 with fun shoes and cute jewelry.

[Elsha]

I vote option #2, and if it were me, I'd accessorize with a headband and earrings and wear some cute wedge heels.

We must be shower opposites, I LOVE baby showers but wedding showers are always sort of "meh" in my book. Also, I'm totally the girl who gives infant sized pants. Although, in my defense it's usually to babies who will be born into cold weather.

[Hope]

I vote for the dress from #3 with the cami from #2. With a chunky bracelet.

[Valerie Harvey]

If it were one month from now I would say #2...but we live in Texas and its going to be hot and humid on Saturday!! No. 1 is my fave - pair it with a big black necklace. Have you been to Charming Charlie's? Cheap, yet CUTE jewelry! My next choice would be No. 3 with turquoise or red jewelry...seriously, go to Charming Charlie’s...I got an awesome necklace there (that was complimented no less than 15 times the other night) for $10!!

[Andrea]

My vote is #2 with gold accessories! I love green and gold together...

[PomJob]

I say go with a dress, especially if it's going to be warm on Saturday. How many more opportunities for bare legs are left in 2009? With the black dress I would wear a long silver or brightly colored necklace. With the turquoise dress, silver or white necklace and a funky bracelet.

[Jenn]

#2!

[A]

#2. I think you can wear it with the shoes you posted here, too! I would accessorize it with a big, chunky necklace in a bright color (if you have something like that) and really, really simple earrings.

If I were going to change anything, I might switch out the jeans for a dark skirt (denim or black) that is about knee-length, if you already have something like that, because that's what I thought I was looking at before I read the description and it was pretty darn cute. ;) Otherwise the jeans are just great. Couples showers, I'm sure, are more casual than just a bridal shower, right?