K/R: Coral dress and three stretchy skirts - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R: Coral dress and three stretchy skirts

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

I ordered a bunch of stuff from Nordstrom to try out. Sorry for the deluge and thanks for your help sorting these out! Any of these worth keeping?

1-2. Tahari coral dress, made famous by Kari and also rocked by Rita and Vicki. Size 6. I didn't have a size 4 available to try (normally I'd order both sizes).
3-6. Polka dot Vince Camuto peasant top size S (I'm planning to order a size XS since the other VC top I tried on I was advised to size down) and VC midi tube skirt size S. It looks OK under the blousy top, but it's too body con with my apple tummy so I'm wondering if I should size up to a M.
7-9. Ella Moss high-low midi skirts in turquoise and orange (don't mind the tops, they're not styled). Comfy but wrinkly (I guess I would need to steam/iron them).
10. Caslon orange and white tee size S. Is this too baggy?

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Shopping

22 replies

Latest reply was from harmonica

KateR

The coral dress is lovely on you! I quite like you in the polka dot top, too. (I feel like an imposter because I have no style cred, just what my eye likes!)

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I agree with the coral dress being lovely on you! I find the hi low skirts too casual or boho unless that's a style direction you are looking to take.

Irene

Veteran

The dress is nice but I think you have way better dresses!

The polka dot top is definitely too big on you, size down!!

The other two pieces -skirt and orange top-, I don't think they are YOU. Ok, so I don't know you, but somehow you appear to me as a very ladylike dresser, or maybe casual and cute, like funky or fun, depending on your activities, but not boho or hippie or, well, anything tie dye. Those look too casual and beachy even for me, and I'm a very casual dresser.

ManidipaM

Veteran

I love the dress on you! I don't think sizing down will be any good in that as it will then behave like the VC skirt and pull over the waist and bust. This one is the right size I think.

And yeah, definitely size up in the VC.

I'm not convinced by the high-low skirts either, though the turquoise colour is so lovely on you. The fabric looks awfully flimsy and clingy, and lacks drape, though.

Not sure about the sizing of the blouses, especially the polka dot though I think the ikat is good, and is very flattering for colour and print.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Dress is great, the other stuff is not worth keeping.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

The coral dress has found another winner - I'm afraid I'm not feeling the other stuff for you though Natalie...sorry

Anonymous

I'm not feeling any of it. I think that dress isn't very kind to the apple. I'm sorry!!!

rae

(website)

Veteran

I'm with Anne. The stuff from your other threads is way better, and I don't really like any of these. The dress seems to cling alot along the belly area.

qpswan

I do like the coral dress; it the most flattering of all the pieces but is it the best you could do? How does it fit in the back?

Shopping can be so frustrating...

bookwormmoran

I am new to the forum, but I love fashion. You are way too cute and young for all those clothes and could find things that flatter you more. The dress is the best of the bunch though and a pretty color on you.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Thanks everyone! I have been looking for stretchier dresses and skirts for more comfort as I've gained a few lb lately and sometimes my jeans and pencil skirts feel too constrictive. It's tough to be a bombshell when you're an apple and I want some options for bloated/fat days, hehe. I think I'll keep the coral dress for now and try sizing up on the green skirt and down on the polka dot top to see if that works better, but I have a couple other dresses coming (the cobalt Suzi Chin that Kari wore and the Maggy London leaf print) so I'll make a final decision on K/R on the coral dress when I get those to compare. I agree the other tops and midi skirts are too casual/sloppy looking on me.

Anonymous

I like the printed dress a lot and I think I'd like the black and white dotted top tucked into a regular pencil skirt that had some structure. I hear you on having *bloated* days. I really like woven fabrics in skimming cuts that don't add a lot of volume. Knits feel good, but aren't very forgiving.

Kari

Veteran

Oh my gosh, thanks so much for pointing out this thread to me. I was looking for it on your blog, which is why I wasn't successful.

RE: the Tahari wrap dress, I personally think that while the color and shape are beautiful on you, the way that it's belted is awkward and is bisecting you in the middle. Now, my waist is higher than yours just because that's how I'm built, but I actually belt this dress a lot higher and I'm wondering if that might eliminate some of the pulling we're seeing here. If I belted much lower than this, my puffy midsection would be much more exposed.

LOVE the polka dotted blouse, but I think trying it in a smaller size too would be a good idea.

While I like the color of the skirts, I share your concern about the clingy fabric. It is NOT you! I sized up on the emerald skirt too as the smaller size was very clingy; however, I think that the Vince Camuto tops are the shortest that I'd wear with it. Since the skirt is a knit I don't feel comfortable tucking shirts into it the way I do with my more structured, heavier pencil skirts.

Scarlet

Veteran

I actually really like the top in 10. Looks great for summer and I love the color.

Kari

Veteran

Natalie, I also found some photos of blogger S, formerly of Academichic and a self-identified apple (and one who is slender/narrow like you), sporting wrap dresses in some different ways:

http://www.academichic.com/201.....he-gold-2/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/a.....263618541/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/a.....350861577/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/a.....464813054/
Again, I'm noticing that S. belts a bit higher on her torso than what I'm seeing in the photos on this thread. This is actually making me wonder if the Tahari dress is indeed a size too large based on the way it is wrapped?

There's this example too from 1 More Shopping Blog: She may be a rectangle and not an apple, but there's not a lot of waist definition in her frame: http://1moreshoppingblog.blogs.....ekend.html

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

KARI--you are a genius!!! I've been struggling and struggling with wrap dresses, I love them so much but could never figure out why they don't seem to work on me and thought it's just because I'm an apple, bust is too small, tummy's too big, etc. and was about to throw in the towel on this style altogether but you've provided me with a revelation--I just need ones that are tied higher at the waist, like empire style, so it skims over my apple belly! Thank you thank you thank you!!! You are right that the coral dress has a tie that cuts across my belly (1), and the same with this DVF wrap dress that I tried last fall (2). Ugh! In contrast, look at the red faux wrap dress that looks much better on me (3) and this old Banana Republic wrap dress (4-5)--both seem to have the gathers or ties higher up under my bust. Thanks so much for helping me figure out why some wraps work for me and some don't! I will try to see if I can tie it higher up on my waist, otherwise I may need to return the coral dress. Hugs and kisses!!! Thanks again!

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CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I think the top from #10 is a keeper! Great oversized slouchy fit, if you are ok with that. I wouldn't size down. I am not a fan of the other garments, sorry. Although I love the orange and blue green color of the swingy hi low skirts on you!

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Scarlet and Cocolion, thanks...but I ended up returning everything in 7-10. I am waiting on an XS polka dot top though. I think my eyes have not totally adjusted to the baggy look yet which is why I'm going for voluminous blouses first over the tees...there's still a bit of structure.

Kari

Veteran

Natalie, that faux wrap dress in red is Adrianna Pappel, right? Funny thing is I tried that one too and it made me look pregnant! So funny the way different shapes work better on our different bodies sometimes.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Yes Kari, that red faux wrap is Adrianna Papell. Yes that is strange how a dress can fit so differently. I tried on the coral dress again and there is no way it could tie under the bust. You are right that the belt goes right across my apple so I ended up returning it. Oh well, not like I have any shortage of dresses to choose from! I'll be waiting to see which dress you buy next so I can copy you again Kari!

Kari

Veteran

Natalie, this Karen Kane dress has a very similar waist-the skirt is more of an A line shape: http://m.nordstrom.com/s/3338503/

harmonica

Veteran

wow - the difference is huge! I love wrap dresses (and faux wrap), but find it hard to find one that is flattering. The added pics are so enlightening! Thanks for the visuals Natalie, and thanks Kari for all the great info. Now I now what to look for (#3-4-5 it is!)

For the pieces (though a bit late): I like the white dotted top, but size down. I actually also like the orange/white top, but in a smaller size (but you'd alerady returned that, right? The rest I'd return, even the wrap dress because you are too fab to have just ok items. You need 10's all the way