K/Toss dress and a K/R EF dress

I am trying to edit my summer stuff and am undecided about this shirtwaist dress (1). What do you think? Keep or donate? I like that it gives me some curves and the fit and length are good, I think. It looks good with a white or blue jean jacket. I'm wondering if it looks dated. It needs ironing and is a lint/ dog hair magnet. I bought it at a thrift store a few years ago. I am leaning toward donating it unless you think I should keep it. I wear lots of dresses in the summer.
2/3 are the EF 100% linen shirt dress that I found yesterday on clearance at the Rack. The second photo shows the color best. The tag says "firefly". It is a nice soft linen with enough length. I am thinking of wearing it for daytime meetings and even around home and errands as it will be cool and nonbinding on sweltering days. I would also wear a nude bra under it. However, it is still pricey enough that it makes me pause. My friend really liked the color that blends to a coral on me. In the photos it looks bigger on me than in r/l, I think. It moves nicely. I don't really need another dress but if it gets good reviews from you I will probably keep and wear it.
Please give me some honest feedback on these.

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9 years ago

Aubergine

Veteran

I do like the first dress on you -- it looks super-flattering. But it sounds like the lint and the ironing make it annoying to deal with and you're not thrilled with it. So you'd probably be right to toss.

The second looks like a great color for you and looks breezy and unstructured enough to be cool and summery but not enough to be overwhelming. So I think it's a keep!

Anonymous

Joy -- I really like the EF dress. It looks beautiful on you, but again, I am budget conscious and if you have any misgivings about the dress, return it.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Joy, think we can have a better picture of the first dress?

Joy

Angie, the light was bad but here are some others I took. I don't think that I wore it much last year so don't have any photos of it on file. I notice that the front is pulling and don't remember that happening before. Maybe a different bra.

shedev

I like the first dress, but I'd toss if you are not feeling it. The EF dress is really pretty on you.

lyn67

The first dress it's a very flatering and classic cut, looks gorgeous on you Joy! I only would probably take in a bit from the skirts width=tapper the flares), but that's only my personal prefference.

Nr 2 it looks also good, but cannot really appreciate if it really worths it's higher price. That is a thing you have to know better:-)

unfrumped

I like # 1 fit and length and can see it lightened up with" brown accents" ( psychiatric patient sees. luggage tan etc) or metallics. Maybe loafers for fun. But if its a lot of upkeep, that's no good . The EF dress is also a good length- hard to get , maybe; but it's rather shapeless, no? Though I guess that does help for " breezy".. What is the upkeep factor there? Is it woven linen or knit, or blend?

I like the first, but sounds like lint etc. is deal breaker! Second is fine, but don't your lantern dresses fill the same niche?

Thanks, Joy. I vote pass on. It looks tight over the bust.

Gigi

The first dress looks good on you, but it seems kind of "meh" to me. I do think that the large belt makes it look dated.

I like the second dress. I wouldn't call it "shapeless," but I do think that it reads very casual. But I assume that is your intent. Does it look OK straight on and from the side? I would just be sure that there are no "tenty" spots where the fabric billows out.

Suz

Angie has sorted you on dress 1. Great silhouette on you, so feminine and pretty, but okay to pass on it.

I like the EF, but will it fill a need that your lantern dresses do not fill?

I will try the second dress again. With my other dresses I don't want to keep it unless it is a 10 or i know that it will get lots of wear.
Thank you for helping me get real.

Firecracker (Sharan)

I do like dress 2 on you. It has that long column look that emphasizes your sveltness--gives you that model look. I like that style and think it looks current (however, I have no idea what is actually current--but it looks very "now" to me). It looks great with the shoes shown, and I can see it with sneakers, flat sandals, ballet flats. I could also see it with a chain-type belt, for a different look, or a scarf and/or jean jacket if you're so inclined sometime. A casual dress with an effortless look.
In comparison the first dress reads a little more "luncheon date" to me--less versatile in terms of just kicking around, doing errands and the like, if that's what you're after. I think it's fine to pass it on at this point.

Debbie

I would purge the first dress. I have one similar that I am going to purge.
The EF dress I would keep. I have seen it and it is a true sumner dress. The upkeep will be minimal so. Think you will get a ton of use out of it. Your shoe choices with this are unlimited. Another reason to keep in my opinion. Love the color on you.
Let us know what you decide.

Joy, another thing that I ask myself with regard to K/R is: On days that I would wear this, is there another dress that I would rather reach for instead? Recently I was doing some shopping and came across something that I really liked. I don't go out much, except to church (my major dressy event of the week, ha ha!), so I thought I could wear it to church, since it was a dressy item. But then I realized that I already have a handful of outfits that I *really like* to wear to church, and I didn't want to boot one of those in favor of the new item I was looking at. So maybe you'd like to ask yourself if you are willing to get less wears out of a similar item already in your closet if you buy the new dress.

Debbie, I'm glad that you have seen the dress. It is more of a summer dress than any others I have. Gigi, you make an excellent point. I will have to think about this. The dress is probably too casual for church, so I would choose a different dress for church, concerts, theatre, etc. Most of the dresses I have fit those categories. This one would be right for a patio or pool party, outdoor theatre in the park type things that I maybe have one other older dress for or I would wear linen or silky pants or shorts.

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