Best dressed and bleeding Giant blue

Did you catch the red carpet coverage of last night’s SAG Awards? As usual, lots of the women looked gorgeous but when we thought about who we thought won the honor of “Best Dressed” we realized these beauties were all wearing the colors of our hometown team for Sunday’s big game.  Tell us what you think… did we miss a gown you’re dying for?

Jane Lynch in David Meister
Check out our selection of his dresses at: www.shoppetra.com/davidmeister

Jessica Chastain in Calvin Klein

Kyra Sedgwick in Pucci

Michelle Williams in Valentino

What are you wearing?

No matter what the occasion is, we always want advance notice of what our friends will be wearing so we can dress ourselves in accordance. Let's face it, no one wants to be under or over dressed anywhere. So when you're going to a party, wedding, black tie event, etc... What is too much bling and what is the right amount? 

Dress by Mandalay http://www.shoppetra.com/Mandalay

My theory is that whatever you're comfortable in is appropriate. Some people can rock over embellished frocks more naturally than others (myself not included in those lucky few unfortunately.) The general rule of thumb should be if the event calls for evening attire than where as many beads and sequins as it takes to make you feel pretty. 

If understated is more your style that's fine too. Something simple can still be fancy enough for even the most over the top occasions. 

Dress by Carmen Marc Valvo http://www.shoppetra.com/CarmenMarcValvo

Don't spend too much time trying to figure out where you land in this spectrum of embellishment though. When you get in the fitting room, you'll just know when you find the one that's right for you. Happy Shopping!

Can I get away with something short?

For most of us two words come to mind when someone asks how your day was: hectic and complicated. Anything we can do to simplify our lives is usually welcomed with open, embracing arms. So when we have a need to get dressed up and celebrate, we tend to become minimalists. Whether you feel shy about the head turning you would likely evoke by wearing a red carpet worthy gown or your just not looking to fuss over a dress all night, you try to get away with wearing the same non-descrip black cocktail dress in your closet that you've worn to your last 5 events. We've all done it and we convince ourselves we're being practical and frugal. Style it with some extra sparkly jewels and all of a sudden you're decked out... or are you? 

Let's take a step out of the daily chaos and mull it over though. You're invited to an event that the organizer has deemed to be a very special occasion and worthy of being classified as a ball. They are letting you know that this is as fancy as it gets. And they've invited you because they want you to help them celebrate something that is extra special to them and they are preparing to make a big deal out of it. They don't exactly care what you wear that night but they want you to join them in the festivities and feel their passion for just one night. Now how do you feel about wearing your little black dress for the 6th straight time? Have fun. Go all out. Dress up and be noticed. 

Gown by ML Monique Lhullier available at www.shoppetra.com

Celebrities wear floor sweeping gowns, why shouldn't we? Just because it's not practical and it might never be worn a second time? Buy it, wear it and resell it! Take it to a local consignment shop or put it on eBay. For one night of glamour, the gown will be worth it. Just don't forget to take pictures and remember how great it made you feel.

Gown by ML Monique Lhullier available at www.shoppetra.com

So can you get away with wearing something short? Yes. Should you? No way. 

PETRA = ROCK

According to Wikipedia… “Petra is a feminine given name. It is a feminine form of Peter, which is derived from the Greek word "petros" meaning "stone, rock".”

I’m Casandra Rock, the owner and founder of Petra. Petra is a special occasion dress boutique in Port Washington, Long Island, NY. I was born and raised on Long Island and have come back to my roots to build a business and a future.

As a Georgetown University graduate, I began my professional journey in NYC in 2006. I worked for a small (2 full time employees) software start-up that produced computer based learning for major clothing retailers. After just a few months on the job I realized I’d rather be working for one of those big retailers and moved on to Lord & Taylor. I went through their executive training program and started working my way up the executive pyramid in their buying office. I loved every minute.

My life is on Long Island though and as much as I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of life in the Big Apple, I wanted to come back home. That’s what led me to Petra. One of my many roles at L&T was in the evening dress office and my experience there left a lasting impression, not to mention passion. So with all my training and my vendor contacts in my back pocket, I decided to build my own business and to devote my career to doing what I love.

Just a short 5 months after leaving the city, here I am in Port Washington. I’ve got the storefront, the merchandise, and the support of family and friends. Now it’s time to start connecting with the community, reaching out to people who want to partner and most of all, welcoming new friends as customers.

My hopes for Petra are simple. I want to provide women with clothes that they love at prices that they can afford.  When you have a special occasion and you want to look and feel fabulous, you don’t want to spend your savings on something you might only wear once. And you shouldn’t have to. I want to be able to help women find the dress that will make them feel like they’re red carpet ready without buyers remorse when they see that dress hanging in the closet a year later.

I invite everyone and anyone to share on this blog or to contact us directly. Let us know what you look for in a dress, how it makes you feel to dress up, what you wish for and can never find… any thing that’s important to you is important to us so let’s start to share!