Okay, I have a very posh event coming up, almost red-carpet. The trouble is that I don't really know what kind/style/shape of evening gown would suit me. I'm probably going to have my dress made for me, but I don't want to waste $$$ worth of fabric on a dress that might not suit me. There are no stores nearby that sell anything other than the standard boring evening gown (I don't exactly live in a fancy part of the country). Would it be a complete sin to go to a bridal store and try on wedding dresses to figure out what would suit me? I feel a bit embarrassed to waste the time of these shops, but at the same time I need to be sure, I cannot afford to be mistaken.

I hope this is the right board to post this, if not, feel free to move it.

Could you try on bridesmaids dresses instead if trying on wedding dresses would make you feel funny?

^That was my first thought as well.

Also, I know that there are shops around that cater to fancy events; there was one close to where I used to live that sold all sorts of dresses and tuxedos. Maybe see if there are any places like that where you could try stuff on? There might be a bigger range, depending on the type of bridal stores you have around.

Sometimes bridal shops have an evening line, as well. Especially as we approach the holidays.

I think you're approaching this backward. I would talk to your seamstress first to figure out what would likely look good on you (if she can sketch, that'd be even better). And THEN go try on gowns that fit the guidelines she gives you. I don't think randomly trying on gowns is going to help if you don't already know the basic rules about which patterns look good on which body types.

There are no stores nearby that sell anything other than the standard boring evening gown

So you can bet that your competitors won't be wearing anything spectacular. This should put your mind at ease a bit.

At the David's where I got my wedding dress, half the store was dedicated to bridesmaid/evening dresses. Jessica Simpson has a collection of dresses that are pretty sharp, actually. I stood in line wishing I had occasion to go wear one of them, it was so cute.