<p>D needs a long black 3/4 sleeve dress or top/skirt for a community orchestra. Do any of you know of a good online source for this kind of attire? It seems like you just can't find these things in local department stores and malls.</p>
<p>Try this
[A</a> formal concert wear site - band-mart accessories](<a href=“http://www.band-martaccessories.com/formal_concert_wear.html#skirts]A”>http://www.band-martaccessories.com/formal_concert_wear.html#skirts)</p>
<p>Here is another site, haven’t personally used them yet:</p>
<p>[Opening</a> Night concertdress orchestra dresses, choir dresses, black skirt -](<a href=“http://www.concertdress.com/]Opening”>http://www.concertdress.com/)</p>
<p>Also - do a search on Liturgical skirts (for dance). They are very inexpensive, washable and look great walking on and off stage. </p>
<p>I’ve also had great success at places like Macy’s (got a full length taffeta skirt for my daughter for about 40.00 after discounts), Burlington Coat Factory and Dress Barn. This is a tougher time of year, but if you dig through the stores, concert black and white is usually pretty available, but you have to look in the back of the stores.</p>
<p>I just checked Southeastern Design (our show choir gets their dresses from them). They have a site for individuals, and they have reasonable performance wear. Here’s a knit dress with long sleeves that can be pushed up:
[Long</a> Sleeve Knit Cummerbund Dress - Formalwear-Outlet.com](<a href=“http://www.formalwear-outlet.com/d214.html]Long”>http://www.formalwear-outlet.com/d214.html)</p>
<p>They also have separates.</p>
<p>Too bad your daughter isn’t the same size as ours. We have a bunch of 3/4 length sleeve tops…most purchased at Kohls or TJMaxx or Marshalls. Also, check Coldwater Creek and Chicos(most HS kids won’t go in there, but they have black tops).</p>
<p>I like the idea of ordering something online and not finding various tops at the local stores because I am OCD about having the blacks all match when someone is sitting under stage lights and color differences in different black fabrics really show!</p>
<p>My D almost always sticks to black pants and shirts. That avoids lots of issues like bare shoulders and skirt length.</p>
<p>[Elegant</a> Concert Wear by Concert Black](<a href=“http://www.concertblack.com/]Elegant”>http://www.concertblack.com/)</p>
<p>I was in Sacramento Youth Symphony and we used this website</p>
<p>imamiger…the “black” that your daughter buys and the “black” that others buy will likely not be a perfect match anyway. To be honest, under the bright lights, and in a large group, the blacks match just fine even when they don’t.</p>
<p>My experience with the folks who sell those performance dresses is that the quality is not terrific…but that is my experience (from ordering for our high school chorus).</p>
<p>The nice thing about going to a store is that your daughter can try the clothes on. Also, she can get one skirt and multiple different black tops for a variety of looks. My performing daughter has a bunch of black skirts, slacks and tops in varying fabrics and weights of fabrics. </p>
<p>But this is your decision and if you prefer online ordering, that’s fine. Just be prepared for size issues and the need to perhaps buy more than one outfit so that you can have multiple sizes to try on.</p>
<p>I just got the Coldwater Creek catalog in the mail. There are a number of 3/4 length shirts and tops. I showed them to my orchestra playing daughter (she has played in a number of civic and professional orchestras, a youth orchestra and her college orchestra…all require all black clothes). She says ANY of those tops would be fine. She says NOT to buy out of a catalog. Most of the other community orchestra players will be wearing “regular” black clothes. She suggests talking to someone in the community orchestra if your daughter has a question. BUT my kid adds…any black will be fine. AND your DD will see a huge variety of clothing types.</p>
<p>Check Monterey Bay Company as well. They are having a big sale right now, lots of 3/4 length sleeves on tops and dresses.</p>
<p>Land’s End use to have a small selection of concert clothing, but this is what has survived (dresses and skirts; they have pants and blouses too, of course). Their sizes are pretty standard (the measuring charts are handy too) and the quality of the material and workmanship are great. Shipping is fast and customer service is excellent!
[Women’s</a> Solid 3/4-sleeve Necessary Knit Balletneck Dress from Lands’ End](<a href=“http://www.landsend.com/pp/Solid34sleeveNecessaryKnitBalletneckDress~200367_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::MXZ&CM_MERCH=SRCH_00001&origin=search]Women’s”>http://www.landsend.com/pp/Solid34sleeveNecessaryKnitBalletneckDress~200367_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::MXZ&CM_MERCH=SRCH_00001&origin=search)</p>
<p>[Women’s</a> Solid Necessary Knits Long Skirt from Lands’ End](<a href=“http://www.landsend.com/pp/SolidNecessaryKnitsLongSkirt~186581_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::BLA&CM_MERCH=SRCH_00001&origin=search]Women’s”>http://www.landsend.com/pp/SolidNecessaryKnitsLongSkirt~186581_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::BLA&CM_MERCH=SRCH_00001&origin=search)</p>
<p>D always liked knits for her long black concert skirts,easy to move around in,didnt wrinkle if they were packed.Lands End is a good idea.</p>
<p>We just purchased from formal wear outlet. The fit was fine. I’ll have to see about the quality after a few months. I wanted to purchase from a regular store, however, I had no luck finding a long black dress or skirt (floor length) in a small junior size. No slits or sequins allowed. I tried Kohls, all the mall stores, etc, but couldn’t find anything that met the requirements so I ordered online.</p>
<p>Other sources might be talbotts (if they are still around) or Dress barn, especially if you are looking for the kinds of simply/no spangle/plain outfits.</p>