Madelene is NOT giving up. Here's another version of the almost-perfect DVF dress, in silk this time, from Nordstrom. $475.
So this one is a bit closer … I'm not sure how I feel about the ruched sleeves — you might need to come from the land of the skinny-armed people for those to work, and the weird collar tab is, well, weird, and of course there's some lace at the bottom of the skirt for no good reason other than it was about to go bad and they had to use it up or let it go to waste. But that's easily fixed. Ten minutes with a seam ripper and you're good to go.
I still wish it were bottle-green.
A Dress A Day 
Hmmm. Gremlins ate my comment, which was:I dont think the sleeves are ruched; I think the model has shoved them up her arms, either because the photographer thought it looked cool, in a Miami Vice kind of way, or because the model comes, as I do, from the Land of the Long-Armed People (sometimes known as the Law), and all long sleeves get shoved up so as not to reveal their tragic shortness.I think the collar tab is supposed to be a convertible collar, in the event you feel the need to be throttled by a black silk taffeta dress. I love the lace, however, and if the skirt were longer (and the dress wasnt $475), it would be mine mine mine.
LikeLike
I agree that those sleeves are pushed up, however, they have a bit of puff at the top, which would prevent them from being The Perfect Sleeve even if allowed to hang naturally. And the collar is indeed bizarre . . .This is why my search for The Perfect Dress is indeed A Quest.Madelene
LikeLike
Oh dear, we disagree. That dress makes the model look like she slept out in a ditch. There’s too much going on there with that fabric.Herself
LikeLike
Ha. The model certainly looks dazed and confused! I think she’s trying too hard to remember how to spell “taffeta.”The sleeves are ruched, according to Nordstrom … not just pushed up. But not that it really matters either way, considering we are all the realm of the theoretical!
LikeLike
I recently bought a dress like this (except rayon/cotton) in black from H&M. They also had them in bottle green.Though you ought to know. =>
LikeLike
What think ye of this Mark Jacob dress? (*please let my html command work*). Inset waist band, check, V-neck, check, fuller skirt, check — but, alas, puff sleeves, rendering the whole thing too jeune fille for me, as so many dresses are. Oh, I ain’t payin’ no $348 for that little swatch of material, either.I continue my search.Madelene
LikeLike
Will attack H&M this Saturday. If I don’t post on Sunday call the police.The Marc dress is a leeetle too sweet. I hate puff sleeves. đŸ˜¦ Cap sleeves are much more flattering.Do you think Carolina Herrera would have anything? She’s usually got a good eye for taffeta. Very spendy though. I don’t know if she has a diffusion line.
LikeLike
I don’t get the lacy “your slip is showing” look going on at the hem. Though if the “your hem is coming down” or “your hem is fastened with safety pins” looks ever get popular, I’m already there.
LikeLike
The neiman marcus one looked way less fussy
LikeLike
I … I like the lace at the hem. In fact, not many skirts or dresses enter into my house without getting trim very like that added to the hem.
LikeLike