Well, The Dress has been found. It's not red, or gold, or white; it's unique, me, meets all of my requirements, and may require us to rethink flowers - but it's found, and it's all good.

A huge amount of thanks goes out to Lari and Heather for helping me out with this one. We found the dress at Ami Fer on St. Hubert in Montreal on a daytrip to look at dresses in the area. It was rainy and cold, but good times with good company and obviously it worked out for the best!

There is no dress just yet - there is time, and you have to pick the right one, yes?

So far, my requirements for my dress are few:

1. I want to wear a crinoline;

2. I want a short train; and

3. It must have a portrait neckline.

I have so far been entranced by this lovely (although more for inspiration than for actually buying):

This is the red dress that I adore so much, designed by a local couturier called Laysieng Couturier on Wellington Street in Ottawa. The dress is silk and completely out of my budget, but since I don't really think I want a red dress any more, that's okay. It serves now as inspiration.

There is another dress which I am in love with, and not entirely out of my league, which is this dress from Mary's Bridal in the Couture d'Amour collection. It's very princess-like and although it is ivory, I don't find it to be overwhelming.

The train on this one is too long, but the embroidery is incredible. I would likely have to go to Toronto to get this dress.

If I were to go the way of making my dress (or having it made), I think I would use this McCalls pattern. The pattern itself, as you can see, also agrees with sleeveless use and my neckline, as you see if you click the link. I think I would do something sort of like the large dress pictured, in my own fabrics, with a button-on train and no sleeves as in the red dress pictured, were I to go this route.