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Original poster

Is an Ivory communion dress ok?

34 replies

PotPourri · 29/03/2013 16:14

Got 2 white ones from family, both are massive on DD. Have another ivory dress that fits (bridesmaid one). Will it be ok to use do you think?

OP posts:

LondonInHighHeeledBoots · 29/03/2013 16:38

I wouldn't see a problem with the colour provided its a pale ivory, the only thing I'd be concerned about is if it looks like a bridesmaids dress. If its plain, I'd go for it. If you are concerned, a quiet word to the parish coordinator or you DD's teacher may not go amiss - they will have seen a LOT of these things before so will be better placed to advise on the actual dress.

SecretLindtBunny · 29/03/2013 16:42

When is her communion?

Gingerdodger · 29/03/2013 17:25

Is this Catholic? If so in my experience most girls wear white but maybe just slightly off white would work. Put it next to the white communion dresses and see how different it looks as different materials alter how 'gleaming' white looks if that makes any sense.

LynetteScavo · 29/03/2013 17:30

If you asked the pope, I'm pretty sure he'd say it didn't matter one jot, but personally I wouldn't have the guts, knowing every other girl will be wearing white.

Some ivory ones are so pale, they look white unless you know they're not. Some vintage communion dresses have turned ivory with age. It depends on what you want your DD to look like on the day. I have a very set image of how I want DD to look (she will be wearing socks, although I'm pretty sure all the other girls will be wearing tights, for example) but I also want her in white not ivory. But that's my personal choice.

Original poster

PotPourri · 29/03/2013 19:31

LOL Lynette on pope comment (great name btw!) The ivory one is no where near white, but thinking about it, her christening gown was a family heirloom and was about the same colour. She has red hair, so ivory would suit her colouring better. And she can wear the pretty (very plain) hairband that I wore on my wedding day (and the veil if she wants). The priest said they can wear what they want at the breifing meeting - school uniform, or traditional dress or robes that the church have.She seems happy when we tried it on this morning though and is not generally too affected by peer pressure.

I have a niggling worry due to memories from my own Communion and who wore what that I don't want her to be the one that looks big fat greek/gypsy wedding

Good suggestion about running past the teacher - think I will do that.

Thanks all!

OP posts:

wigglesrock · 29/03/2013 19:32

I've just bought my dd1s communion dress, there were lots of off white ones as well as white ones.

PedroPonyLikesCrisps · 29/03/2013 22:21

Wow, never realised things like this were important. Doesn't good love everyone the same anyway, regardless of their clothes?

IThinkOfHappyWhenIThinkOfYou · 29/03/2013 22:26

It's not about God loving you Pedro, it's about a little girl not feeling out of place at an event that she will remember for the rest of her life. Just because something is religious it doesn't mean that no other aspect of it should matter at all. Look at the fuss over wedding dresses.

UnnamedFemaleProtagonist · 29/03/2013 22:30

My friends DD is the biggest tomboy ever and hasn't worn a dress since she was about 1. Her dress was ivory and she wore cream leggings underneath. It was the plainest thing ever. She ruined it on the climbing frame straight after the church thing.

PedroPonyLikesCrisps · 29/03/2013 22:31

Fair enough.

woodchuck · 29/03/2013 22:40

I am going through this too. My MIL kindly offered to but DD's dress. We couldn't get it instore so ordered online. It looked very much white on the web pics uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_3,mon_3.3,mon_3.3.3/3583222623, but is definitely ivory when i received the order. There are big changes afoot at DD's school this year after the gypsy wedding affair that went down last year (think kids with hairdressers, full make up, limos, hiring restaurants for 'after-party'). Our priest has insisted that all communium children need to attend a structured chatechism programme, families need to attend church regularly (fine by me) and parish will take a staggered approach to this year's communion with only 6 children making first holy communion each week over an 8 week period.

From my DD's point of bview, she likes the dress and wants to wear it. TBH, I was tempted to send her in white jeans, new white converse and a white denim jacket but MIL nearly had an aneurysm. MIL is worried that the dres isn't white, and that people will talk, but I don't really care. My dd is the only girl making communion that day, so there will be nobody to compare her to IYSWIM.

I would take your cur from your daughter. My DD had a very clear idea about what her dress shoul/should not mbe. She had a say in choosing the dress and she will be happy in it on the day, and that is all that matters to me.

MrsSham · 29/03/2013 22:56

Lots of untraditional type communion dresses at my nieces communion last year. I'm pretty sure it will be OK. As in traditional I mean either lace or satin, white, gloves, ankle socks, head dress, etc. Many very modern type cotton creams, off whites, earthy fairy type looks.

I think anything works, TBH.

MrsSham · 29/03/2013 23:00

I love that dress woodchuck. I think that is very old fashioned traditional, IYSWIM. As in simple maybe 50s look. I found a picture of my mum in her communion dress, very stylish knee length 40s look and I so want to replicate that for dd.

LynetteScavo · 30/03/2013 20:18

I too want DD to look like she has stepped out of the 40s/50's (hence the socks).

I think I will be going for a veil, rather than the daisy circlet which seems popular.

I also think the type of dress if very dependent on your parish. Small villages will see floaty Monsoon type dresses, and towns with a large proportion of Eastern Europeans will have more floor length satin dresses.

Obviously I haven't given this much thought. Oh no!
DD's first communion is in 8 weeks, and after looking at dresses for the past 6 years, I still haven't ordered one!

chipmonkey · 30/03/2013 21:09

A lot of little girls around here seem to wear ivory dresses and this is catholic Ireland! I think ivory is much nicer than white.

MrsSham · 30/03/2013 21:24

Check if she can have a veil I know my dd can't :(

MrsSham · 30/03/2013 21:30

I know what you mean lynette I have been looking at communion dresses since baptism gowns. Dd makes her communion next year and I just know ill spend so much time looking ill actually never get one ordered.

1944girl · 31/03/2013 00:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LynetteScavo · 31/03/2013 15:42

MrsSham, DD can have a veil, but can't have gloves.

Why have you been told no veil?

MrsSham · 31/03/2013 15:54

I think because of risk from candles that's my dsis told me. My nephew made his 2 years ago and my niece last year and both years were told no veils.

LynetteScavo · 31/03/2013 15:56

Risk from candles? Seriously?

I will make sure DD stays away from the candles.

sweetkitty · 31/03/2013 16:02

My DD1 makes hers in May and as I am not RC this is all new to me. Her dress is white, adorned with pearls and sparkles but not gypsy wedding like, she has a matching tiara and a veil, her hair will be a bun with the veil behind. She's wearing socks too.

Now DD2 will make hers next year probably in the plainest white dress with white converse, no veil or tiara or sparkles.

Can you not get a white dress taken in? I personally wouldn't want DD1 to be the only one in ivory.

armagh · 31/03/2013 16:04

I've seen a pale pink Communion dress. Talk about looking for notice!!!!

Gingerdodger · 31/03/2013 18:09

Communions seem to go in fashions in our church. A few years ago we had a couple of years of dresses which seemed very bridal which looked too grown up for 8 year olds but the last 3 or 4 years seem to have gone back to little girl dresses with short socks. I suppose it is as the girls and parents compare notes.

Veil wise is usually about half with veils and half with some kind of tiara or hairpiece. Girls told not to wear gloves for the service itself as they get too fiddley but very few bother with gloves.

Much easier with boys!

I tried on a very pale pink wedding dress which was gorgeous.

LynetteScavo · 06/04/2013 13:50

Ok dd's dress arrived and although it was sold as white it's defiantly off- white in the way silk is ( although its not silk). The style and matching cardigan and veil are all really lovely and I don't want to start trawling the shops again so will probably be sticking with it........so what do people do about shoes for such dresses? White shoes won't look quite right, will they?

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