Miss Maya sent in this photo from Seattle. Holy butterflies, Batman! I have been thinking about this dress for a couple of days, trying to figure out if there would ever be a situation where I was called upon to represent a marabou-topped butterfly, and sadly, I can't think of any.
The only thing I came up with that was even close was checking if there was ever a butterfly-themed superhero who needed to attend a ball at Wayne Manor, but the DC Comics Encyclopedia let me down. No butterfly-themed superheroes (or villains). There's a Bumblebee, and a Blue Beetle, but no Butterfly. Okay, I admit it, butterflies aren't very tough, and I'm sure a butterfly hero's secret weakness would be GIANT LIGHT BULBS, or possibly small boys with nets, and if you brushed her wings she'd fall out of the sky, but still. You'd think that if there was this character, there'd be some kind of butterfly being.
This idea somehow really appeals to me, except I think that the monarch detailing and the marabou take it so far over the top that you'd need directions and a bus pass to get back. Now, if it lost the marabou (maybe a matte satin ruffle, instead, if you needed something at the top of the bust?) and was made in a heavy greeny-gray with tone-on-tone flocking and beading to look like a moth's wings, and not a butterfly's? That would be something. Maybe something Gypsy Moth would wear. Or Arthur.
NOTE: enough folks have emailed me about this dress that I have to make these disclaimers. I DID NOT MAKE THIS DRESS. More to the point, I CANNOT SELL YOU THIS DRESS. Try this site: lulyyang.com. Good luck!
A Dress A Day 
It’s absolutely gorgeous as is. I wouldn’t change a thing!
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This goes into my inspiration file…I can see a hat shape there, not so much a dress. But this dress could be improved with black silk and marabou feather cocktail hat. Or made much,much worse by adding a black cocktail hats with two long black stick ups.
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They got it backwards. FIRST you write a butterfly-themed Broadway musical, THEN you design this dress for the leading lady!
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Well, there is…The Monarch.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monarch
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Ohhh, did anybody else read A Girl of the Limberlost growing up? Which somehow took a strange turn halfway through and gained elaborate descriptions of ball gowns based on butterflies and moths? There’s one here, I think.
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I agree with sbanks, I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, those pointy shoes shown with it would have to go.Love your blog.
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As a costumer, I could eventually use it for something, I’m sure…
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I want a little background on this dress. Who made it? Why? Is it one-of-a-kind? I just need to know then I’ll sleep well tonight. Otherwise, I’m going to toss and turn, darn it!
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I love this dress. If only it was in Chicago and in my size. I’d wear it! It is a showstopper!!!!!!!
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Thanks, Jocelyn – this dress kept reminding me of something elusive and you hit it exactly – it’s SO the Girl of the Limberlost!!!
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That is so over the top gorgeous. I love it.
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Okay, I admit it, butterflies aren’t very tough, and I’m sure a butterfly hero’s secret weakness would be GIANT LIGHT BULBS, or possibly small boys with nets, and if you brushed her wings she’d fall out of the sky, but still.Yes, but nobody ever suspects…the butterfly.(Shawn already beat me to mentioning the Monarch, so.)
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There’s an article about Luly Yang, the designer, and a picture of a model in this dress here: http://blog.nwsource.com/stylefile/archives/lulyyang_011906.htmlThe dress is described as “Monarch Butterfly silk taffeta corset and ball skirt, trimmed with ostrich feathers and Swarovski crystals; $25,000.”
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There is a comic book artist in the novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay who creates a character called Luna Moth, whose non-super hero alter ego is a librarian named Judy Dark. Perhaps Judy would wear this dress to a fancy ball at Wayne Manor.Here is one reader’s (David Hahn) conception of the Luna Moth character and costume.
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This is absolutely beautiful, but sadly, the only place I could see it is in a movie. Not sure it would quite fit in at the PTA Annual D+D.
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I would have to organize a Butterfly Ball! All proceeds going to the local butterfly house/zoo. 😉
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Okay it is a totally unwearable dress but can you imagine the work that went into making that!
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Boy, a person could stop the whole Burning Man festival in its tracks if s/he showed up wearing that! I love it!
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Yes, I read the Girl of the Limberlost (and perhaps the sequel). I think I saw the movie, too, and (as is typical) didn’t like it nearly as well as I did the book. I went to check out the book again, and our local library lost the book 😦 .
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WOW.
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I’m madly in love with this dress – I think that I’d wear it for a tea party with my daughter if I couldn’t find a more high-wattage occasion (my invitation to the Metropolitian Ball keeps getting lost in the mail!) Incidentally, the Girl of the Limberlost is in print – Amazon is selling it for $10.
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That dress is beautiful in the display, but I can’t imagine someone actually wearing it. It’s the sort of dress that wears you…not the other way around.
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It is beautiful, but why? Maybe someone could wear it to the Oscars but other than that I am at a loss.
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Sometimes people just make beautiful things to look at, people! I passed up Luly Yang everyday on my way to work, and her dresses are gorgeous! This was a fun dress to see in her front window- instead of her usual wedding dresses.
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I’ve been lurking for a while, and I love the site and all the dresses. This seems like a dress which you would have to wear just for the sake of wearing it. A kind of “come what may” dress. Comic book artist Dean Trippe does an online comic strip about a superhero named Butterfly. http://www.tencentticker.com/butterflycomics/Though the character wouldn’t wear this dress, he does earn points for parodying Batman.
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wouldn’t it be beautiful to have your bride’s maids wear these, to an outdoor wedding, and release butterflies during the ceremony?
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All I can think of is Bjork in the swan dress….
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I LOVE Bjork in the swan dress, and I love this dress. Very few people could pull it off, but the woman who wore this dress, like Bjork, would not give a hoot about what anyone thought. If only we saw more of this at the Academy awards, and not the fear-driven, fashion-panel-approved tasteful things, life would be a hell of a lot more interesting! “Good taste is the enemy of creativity.” -Picasso
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I adore the dress..and the answer to Why? is Why not! One would need supreme confidence and a sense of whimsy to get away with it though
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I Love this dress. I would find a reason to wear it, just because.I bet it would win a Project Runway episode!
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This dress would be perfect for the Ball that Hartford Stage throws every year. NO ONE would forget the girl who wore this dress. Now, where’d I put that extra $25K that was lying around….
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That dress is gorgeous. I’d wear that sucker somewhere, I would. Gorgeous.
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This dress is perfect for any ball for the Arts…stay tuned…it will be worn.
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my sister is going to get married in it.
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it would be great if you had ripped it off and done a better job but the origional is clearly much nicer.look up Johanna Carr’s dress
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Edgar me gustas… te quiero mucho..pero no soy lo que esperas.quisiera hacerte feliz, y ser felices los dos…que porqueria… todo fue mi culpa, disculpame…Carolina Fierros
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i like your blog! =)
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Where can I get this dress?
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as a blue/purple/green person (plus an Australian) i would say a ulysseys (iridencent blue with black rims) would take fab-u-lous to fan-tab-u-los. i agree that the shoes dont work
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Excellent website. Good work. Very useful. I will bookmark!
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The dress has been there that long? I saw it last week in Seattle and fell in love with it. I think it is just gorgeous!!
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omg it’s perfect (=
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tHE mONARCH FROM THE VENTURE BROS.
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It’s splendid, it’s campy, it’s delightfully over the top. I would definitely wear it.
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Gypsy Moth can’t rock that dress, she is very busy trying to hold up her pleather straps or strands? Her figure is definitely made for more than couture, dah’ling!
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Ive seen this drsee as a framed photo that Target was selling. The sitting donw pose does it little justice. However, the woman in the photo, standing up dress straightened out, has hunted my mind untill I could see the dress again.
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Truly stunning.
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Various people have mentioned The Monarch from The Venture Brothers, and Ive got to say, this would far more fantastic on his new-ish wife Dr. Mrs. The Monarch then her current outfit – far more stylish and in line with her previous Jackie O she going on then what she wears now!
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Beautiful example of what haute couture should look like. I absolutely adore this dress. Is it practical though? Not at all.
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Actually I need 4 of these dresses for my bridesmaids. Im having a butterfly release of monarchs and this dress is perfect. I have searched the internet but cant find a site to purchase it… anyone know where I can get them???
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