Pearl by Georgina Chapman at J.C. Penney: Beautiful Dress!!!

Who are you wearing? If you watch any red carpet interviews, you've probably heard of Georgina Chapman, co-founder of Marchesa. Georgina was also a judge on Project Runway All Stars and she was fabulous. Marchesa gowns are known for beautiful, feminine details and have been worn by Blake Lively, Cate Blanchett and even Katy Perry, to name just a few. Always a fan of the celebrity clothing line, I was super-excited when J.C. Penney announced they would be carrying a line called Pearl by Georgina Chapman. I know for sure that this would be the closest I would ever come to Marchesa. 

Typically, I am not a J.C. Penney shopper. It's not convenient to me and I was a little confused when they changed up the whole sale policy about a year ago. My curiosity about the Pearl line drove me to JCP to check it out. I had one more formal event to attend this season and could possibly use another dress. It's prom season in department stores so the dresses are prominently displayed. The first thing I noticed was that the details and quality of the Pearl dresses are much better than most of the dresses at JCP. The second thing was that most of the styles were too young for me. Then I noticed this dress:

First off, this picture doesn't do this dress justice. I tried it on and it was fabulous! All black sequins, it was subtle yet glamorous. The neckline is beautiful. My size fit true and like a glove. The best part, and what doesn't show well in the photo, is the bottom. The high-low area is a ruffle that has the most beautiful, flow-y, salsa feel. When you walk, it moves in a sexy way without being revealing. I loved this dress!

Another incredible gown was this one:

Not for me, but a real fantasy dress that would suit a wide age range. ($250)

So, did I get the black sequin dress? No. At $140, the price was good, and as I said, the quality and fit were great. The reason I decided not to buy it was that I have learned to buy things with some versatility. I may be wearing it again with the same crowd and, frankly, that dress is too memorable for my needs. I can not even believe I just wrote that. The pre-Bye Buy me would have scooped that dress up in a second. But the new me has better uses for $140 when I have dresses at home.

If you are in the market for a formal or cocktail dress, check out the Pearl line at JCP. In fact, if you haven't been to JCP in a while, I suggest you check that out, too. They've really cleaned the place up. It's neat and organized with many good brands and designers and rather nice to not have to worry if there is a sale.