I think the dress is really pretty. The cut and fit are of course flattering.
However, the print isn't working for you. I think it's too ladylike. It could be made to work but I am coming around to the view point that a piece should stand on its own and you should not have to work that hard to make it you. I hate to be the nay sayer but I think this is the primary reason it's still sitting in the closet with tags on.

Thanks, all. It is going back, and thank heaven for Nordie's return policies! I will be able to buy something different. Unfortunately, they don't have the Lanai jacket in black in the urban stretch.

Hmmm. Off to peruse. Kind of neat to think I now have this money in my pocket...

Omigosh, I have loved this dress ever since I saw it on you. But, I found it in store and didn't even try it on because I knew I would never wear it, as beautiful as it is.

Good that you made the right decision for you. And, I'd look at this as a defining moment in your style journey, Suz. Your level of awareness about what works for your style and your wardrobe is what so many of us are working towards on this forum. I'd say you just graduated into the senior ranks

I'm sad to see the dress go back, because I think it is stunning on you. But Sveta has laid out some wise reasoning, IMO.

I see you are returning the dress & I think you made the right decision Suz. If the dress can only be worn for a short period of the year & it doesn't go with your toppers &/or footwear then it is all too hard imo - no matter how lovely it looks on you. Your $$ are better spent on a workhorse

I think you made the right call sending it back - it looks great on you, but it is definitely demure and pretty rather than subtly alluring or quirky and cool. I am sure you will find something awesome to spend those fashion dollars on!

I admire your discipline. It is beautiful, but not practical, for you. Well done.

This dress falls into that category of items that look gorgeous on but still gets returned because it simply doesn't work for your lifestyle.

I love this dress on you Suz but you shouldn't have to work so hard to make it work for you.

I agree with Day Vies about the print. However whatever the reason it didn't steal your heart, it's good you're returning it. I'm trying to return things I don't love, too

I have enjoyed reading this thread Suz!
It is helping me to understand why I too have a dress that looks great but remains unworn, for different reasons.
We have an Aussie version of Nordstroms, but they recently changed their return period to 30days only. I am glad you will be able to return yours and spend the money on something more suitable.

This dress is like the boyfriend my mother wanted me to marry...lots of wonderful qualities but I wasn't in love. There's something better waiting for you.

Return it. Any clothing item that causes you this much doubt and questions about how/where/when to wear it - to me, means it's not going to work in your wardrobe. I'm of the belief that when you buy an item it should seamlessly fit into your wardrobe and lifestyle (without having to think too hard about it) - and this dress is not doing that for you.

ETA: Oh, I see that you are returning it. Good call!

I guess I'm too late, but I thought navy suede boots would have looked great with the dress.

BTW, I was able to return some sandals to Nordstroms that I'd had for four months but had never worn. They are wonderful.

I think this post is a perfect example of why we take care to build wardrobes,
instead of buying beautiful pieces of clothing! We are clothing our
bodies to live our lives as they really are!

This dress needs to earn its place in the closet and do what a dress does best -- stand on its own when necessary, and adapt to changing conditions! Sounds like this dress doesn't quite fit the bill!

I adore the dress, of course, and even in Chicago, this dress would work for me on all but the coldest days in winter. I run warm, and my work environment is quite warm -- even the church is. Both DH and I were fanning ourselves while singing the Gloria Patri this morning! Of course, being an Opera Diva, I'm an expert at fanning while singing, having perfected my one handed fan-slap in Traviata!

Suz, sadly I have missed this whole discussion...where was I? And I see you are returning so for what it's worth I thought I would share my thoughts. I see you are returning and I think that's the wise decision here. The dress is lovely on you, no question. However I find it kind of bland. I know that's odd to say about a patterned dress with colour but I just feel 'something' about it is not quite 'you'. It reminds me of a similar dress I bought (more neutral tones) to wear to a day time wedding. I wore it to the wedding and have not worn it since. My dress is about to be listed on Ebay:) I realised that the dress was just 'too conservative' for me and I feel this actually fits in the same category for you. I am finding it difficult to really articulate what I see but it's the conservative aspect of the dress I think. You deserve to spend your money on something you love so much you want to sleep in it lol xxx

Okay, off the tippy-top of my head (and not having read the other replies) let me say that,

1. Yes, it is theoretically a dress that you could wear anywhere, like your Mum said, but

2. It reminds me an awful lot of another wintery, sleeved floral dress that you had and never wore.

The colors and the print tend to make it less versatile IMO. I had that dark printed BCBG wrap dress which I could never wear much either. The dark colors said Winter to me, the fact that it was a dress meant I was more apt to wear it in Summer, but it was polyester/nylon, with 3/4 sleeves, so that meant Spring or Fall, but the colors weren't too Springy, so that meant Fall, but I was always either hot and sweating in it, or cold, and it didn't receive jackets very well. Yeah, I know what you mean!

I think you made the right choice, Suz.

Aw, Claire, I DID wear that dress. Did too!!

Admittedly, not as much as I expected. Probably about 5 times a year.

You are so right. Back it goes.

Suz, I don't even need to look at the dress to know that just from your post you are trying to talk yourself out of this purchase. If you don't love it now, you probably won't, and that "miracle" occasion that you are saving it for might not happen before you are sick of this dress.

Find a way to send it back and buy something you adore and know you can use in several ways for sure.

Let us know what you do!