My mother, who is not a dress person, ordered this dress for a summer wedding in the black hills. we'd spend 20+ hours searching for the perfect dress, and she'd returned three other options (different stores). after admiring this dress for awhile, she decided to try it, and is so happy she did! the color is just a slightly darker shade of purple than what is pictured in most of the images, but that's what she was hoping for. it fits wonderfully, and looks extremely elegant.