How would you style this black wrap dress?ETA: Now with pics

A black, simple dress is a blank canvas to me. Sometimes it is difficult to knw where to start. I need some inspiration, a hook to get me started.

So - if you should wear a black wrap dress tomorrow, with long sleeves and knee length, how would you style it? I'm sure you have lots of ideas, and images would be awesome!

This is the kind of dress I have in mind: http://bananarepublic.gap.com/.....=326715012

ETA: Updated with Polyvore collages
I've played around in Polyvore today and created a few suggestions. I can probably duplicate these outfits with my existing wardrobe. Do you find the suggestions different enough to read as independent outfits?

I wore the Monday outfit today as a response to the dress challenge - will post real photos later this week.

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11 years ago

rute

Veteran

White coat - dress - black booties
Red leather jacket + dress + black boots
Denin jacket + dress+ red flats

Spiffy

Active Member

I used to have this wrap dress or something nearly identical for BR years past. Here are some of my favorite ways I wore it

+ cropped cardigan w 3/4 lenght sleeves and the dress sleved pushed up to the cardigan's cuffs

+ bright shell/cami under

+ great way to make any 'crazy' shoes you have look down to earth. something about a demure wrap dress just balances them IMO

+ thin turtleneck for colder weather

+ with a fun brooch at the knot on dressier occassions. I like bringing attention to how good it made my waist look.

Ariadne

I had a couple of solid wrap dresses like this and just passed them on because I find the tie makes them difficult to style. You can't really layer over them or belt them or anything like that. I was basically limited to a blazer, open cardigan, or cropped jacket of some sort. If I were to buy one again, I'd buy a faux wrap dress without a waist tie.

Suz

(website)

Mmm. Ariadne is onto something smart, I think. I passed along my wrap dresses with ties as well, for the same reason.

Anonymous

I have worn that dress in so many ways. I sadly have zero pictures with it. Of the top of my head:

With turquoise accessories and nude pumps.
I belted it over the wrap portion with a wide studded belt, and added a Moto tweed jacket and suede boots.
With cognac boots and a leather jacket.

qfbrenda

I agree about the tie, but ideas....

**denim jacket with boots

**leopard scarf and brown boots

**leather jacket

Ingunn, instead of the wrap, I'd have a sheath since it works better for me...(and BR has that great sheath with leather piping that Shannon bought on the site as well....)

I would: top it with a denim jacket, my taupe leather jacket, a fuchsia knit jacket, my ink blue jacket, my houndstooth jacket, my white denim jacket.

I would wear it with any number of a multitude of scarves.

With tall boots, booties, flats, pumps, oxfords, loafers.

I'd layer it (sleeveless) over a white button down, a patterned button down, a t-neck, a coloured button down, a t-shirt.

I'd layer it UNDER a sweater (so many colour options) with a scarf and/or topper or without.

It is the PERFECT dress, whichever way you slice and dice it, except for me it would be even more perfect in ink blue.

Sarah A

Another rec. That sheathes are so much more versatile. I have one wrap dress left in my closet and was hoping to get ideas here. Perhaps i should try sewing it so it doesnt require tying. I wouldnt buy new in this style if buying today id get a sheath.

Transcona Shannon

Ingunn - I have both two wrap dress (the Maggy London black and white graphic print one) and the black sheath with leather trim from BR that Suz mentioned. As much as I love the wrap dress and what it does for my figure, if I had to pick only one, I much prefer my sheath dress. It is so much more versatile - I've just begun to explore how many ways I can wear it. I'm already thinking it would be a smart move to add another one in grey.

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

In a way, Ingunn's grey and red fit-and-flare dresses (sleeveless) fill the sheath dress spot in her wardrobe (in they way they can be layered). But I think a sheath dress has a different sort of vibe to it. In fact, given your collection of fit-and-flares, I myself would be more tempted by the straighter sheath just from the point of view of variety. On the other hand, you may feel your pencil skirts fill the straight skirt niche.

Ingunn

Thank you, ladies! I knew you would have wise thoughts on this. You might have been mislead a little, because I'm not into buying that dress. I already did that last summer. If I'm buying any black dresses at all this year, it will be a sheath, for excactly the reasons stated by you.

I do find the tie a challenge, too. I like this dress best as it is, but that means less wear.
My idea is to change that by wearing my wrap dress as many ways as possible this week, within the limits of my climate, activities and wardrobe. This will be my response to Sona's dress challenge. Now I have a few more ideas to chew on - thank you everybody!

carolbee

Oh "bugger", I've wanted a black wrap dress for forever and now you've put me off. A sheath just wouldn't do anything for my figure.

Jules

I have a similar dress from last spring but it's not warm enough for winter. I like to put different camis under it such as yellow. Maybe a cobalt cami (or turtleneck) would work for this winter's colour trends? I've worn it with a copper cami, studded wide brown belt and brown boots (I think this brown and black outfit was inspired by Shannon actually), but I did have to adjust the belt frequently.
It's funny, I thought it was fairly versatile but now that I'm not actively wearing it I can't remember what I did with it last year...
Oh I bought another faux wrap dress last spring from H&M and in their catalogue they styled it with a crisp white shirt underneath, collar up.

I also like sheaths but I think they're way harder to fit. Wrap dresses are great for fluctuating weight or weight loss too. I hope they don't go totally out of style! I do prefer patterned ones to solids though.

Carolbee: The wrap dress doesn't look good with most of my blazers, but cropped ones could work. I can wear a moto or a denim jacket with it, cropped cardigans of course, and the bomber style would work, too. I find layering over it with sweaters very difficult, but a lot of shirts, camis, t-shirts and blouses layer very well under. That said, I still love the way it looks on me, and I'm very happy to have it in my closet. It works across all seasons in my climate, it can be dressed down or up as it pleases me. I'm sure you will find it very useful!

Jules, I agree that on curvier figures, wrap dresses often are easier to fit properly. I find sheaths hard to fit too, and my wrap dresses are very comfortable. I have a printed version which I love even more than the black one.

Elizabeth P

I tried that wrap dress on today! Loved it... didn't buy it, but will consider it next time they have a sale. Which seems to be every second day... The ponte sheath dress appears to be gone, I'd love to try that too :(.

Ingunn, how did you get that exact dress on Polyvore? When I try, I just end up at the BR website, to purchase things. I"m pretty uneducated when it comes to Polyvore, I will admit... TIA.

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