I vote keep! You look cute and comfortable. And I think you could doll this up with a pretty necklace or earrings, and go to lunch somewhere nice in this dress.

I tried layering underneath but it looked a bit weird to my eye, probably because I felt like there was too much going on. Heck, I already feel like there is too much going on! LOL. Thanks for all your thoughts. Will keep to wear on those super hot days and probably donate next year.

Love the edgy aspect & the fit of the dress keep imo.

I know what you mean about the neckline - you need the back neckline in the front!

Another vote to keep! Sweet on you, Suz. An easy throw on and go in hot weather sans a/c

Easy peasy, looks great, it's got a bit of an edge, looks nice. Give it the season.

I love it, and don't even know what you are talking about with the neckline.

I think we fixate on details no one else would even notice...like me and my shoulders. If you were buying one dress and wanted it to be "the one" maybe you would wait for the neckline you like the best, but if you are turning down an adorable free comfortable free cute free dress because of some perceived body issue...that's just nuts!

Pros: looks great on you neckline and all. I love how it sort of drapes on your body without being overly tight. Great color!

Cons: not exactly your style with the extra details and such (actually reminds me of typical Israeli design that often goes overboard with this sort of stuff).

Conclusion: if it is cool to wear I would totally keep it for a work at home/errands sort of day. Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

Suz, I haven't had a chance to read all the comments yet but I am going to say keep. It has a bit of an arty vibe and I think with an edgy shoe this outfit could take you out and about. I like.

I really like this too, Suz! While it isn't something you would seek out, the fit is really nice and it sounds perfect for what you anticipate using it for. Give it a whirl!

I like it a lot, it is a fun dress and neckline does not bother me much.
Have you tried to wear it backwards a la Angie?

Not a bad idea, Sveta. I doubt it would work because it has a zipper there and the way the detailing is...would be odd.

Peri, you raise an interesting point, one worth a whole thread on its own.

In the past, I might have agreed with you. But increasingly, I find I am fussy about these things. Maybe it is advancing age. I am becoming a crotchety lady, LOL!

The thing is, it's not based on dislike of a body part or figure "flaw." It feels much more dispassionate and compassionate than that. It's about what looks best and holding out for 10s.

Now, you're right -- when the item is free, and intended mostly for casual at-home wear (essentially loungewear that might get a public airing very rarely) then it might not be too important, and an 8 might do. That's probably what we're talking about here. But on the whole, I want a closet of 10s. Clothes that don't make me feel that I have compromised. Clothes that don't just look "okay." Clothes that look like a million bucks!

I think when you find your own personal style and find the cuts that truly flatter and see the difference, you start to become more picky. Especially if your goal is a small efficient wardrobe.

Having said that, I'm keeping this anyhow. So much for my principles!

I'm so glad you're keeping it. I've just seen it and I like it very much. It will be interesting to see if your opinion of it changes after wearing it for a bit.

Haha Suz, I am so far from there it is a distant oasis! I have a few 10s but a long way from a closet full. I'm trying, but you have read my shopping woes...at this point 7s and 8s are better than going butt nekkid as we say down here! Maybe someday I will get there.

But I would never in 100 years look at you and think "wow, she should only wear high necklines". It just wouldn't register.

I do understand where you are coming from though. Like I was shopping with my friend and didn't like the way something looked and she was laughing her head off. Her comment: " I cannot believe you are complaining about having a little butt and big boobs". But I just feel uncomfortable in things that spotlight my "assets".

That's it, exactly, Peri. Your friend is probably thinking, WOW, she looks bombshell, and you are thinking, YUCK, I look bombshell!!!

That's a style persona thing and those ones are really important to honour, especially at first. Later on we might try to stretch our comfort zones if we decide that it could be fun to do so.

And I'm glad my ...er....clavicles wouldn't register as hideous! In all honesty, I think I'm just at the borderline there. If I felt it was truly un-viewable, I wouldn't wear something like this, full stop. I have just enough meat on the bones to make it passable. Hopefully people will be drawn to my face and not the other areas.

Funny, as this was never a concern of mine in the past and I have always been small up top. But the skin and weight distribution changes.

And wow, that's why you are winning writing awards. You summed up my style anti-goal in four words! Yuck, I look bombshell. Anything that brings up that response does not come home with me!

Love the color and the richness of the fabric. It reads arty to me, and while it's detailed, I don't think "cute." A woman has to have a certain "presence" to wear a dress like this, and you have it in spades.

As for the 10's. I'm struggling to get out of 8 territory with my wardrobe, but I do think we can become enslaved to perfection. When I teach singers, I caution them against "Gollum" singing. This is treating the voice as "the precioussssss" and trying to make one perfect sound and keep it. Vocal beauty is a moving target, and little imperfections are part of the vibrance of the sound. I think style is much the same ---- always moving and changing. Good style is dynamic, not static.

Now, I wouldn't go out and purchase items to "go with" this dress, but perhaps something a little out of your groove might open you up to new possibilities!

Beth Ann, you are so wise. And what you say is absolutely true. Perfection si the enemy of excellence. Strange, but true. And style is a moving target, and it's good to experiment a bit. And when you can do it for free...well...what's the cost?

Exactly what Beth Ann said. Knowing your style and sticking with it is a good thing, but not if it stops you dead in your stylish tracks.