There was keen interest in my recent footwear edit, so I’m sharing my dress edit too. I edit my closet contents regularly because it helps me keep a clear picture of my wardrobe in mind, with up-to-date opinions of all the items and how I feel wearing them. This sharpens my outfit creation process, and helps me to make better shopping decisions as I refresh my wardrobe over time.
I LOVE dresses — shirt dresses especially — and wear them as often as I can. If I lived in a warmer climate, I would wear dresses more frequently. In the last three years, I’ve become increasingly fussy about wearing items that move in just the right way as I walk, and that cover and showcase parts of my body in ways that make me feel my best. Dresses that no longer perfectly tick these boxes, and ones with quality issues, are destined to be passed on.
I re-fit the dresses before I make any decisions. Here are the four dresses that I decided to pass on.
1. Poppy Balloon Sleeve Sheath Dress
I bought this dress two and half years ago to wear to a wedding and some holiday events. I’ve worn it three times. It’s in mint condition, fits well, looks good, and I love the pattern. But I’m very uncomfortable in the sheath silhouette these days because the skirt component is fitted and straight. I MUCH prefer wearing dresses that move on the bottom like A-lines, shifts, sack silhouettes, fit-and-flares, and bias cuts. Life is too short to feel unhappy in this dress. I know it will make someone else a lot happier!
2. Navy Sweater Sheath Dress
I’ve had this dress for three years, and passing it on for the same reasons as the first one. I don’t enjoy wearing fitted sheath styles because the skirt component is too constricting. It looks good, but doesn’t feel good. Another dress in mint condition that will enjoy a new home.
3. Floral Handkerchief Hem Dress
I adore everything about this dress, and it was new last year. Unfortunately, the knitted jersey hasn’t held up as well as I’d hoped it would. It’s fading, wearing, and pilling in prominent areas. It doesn’t look polished anymore. This is my first Boden quality complaint. Wovens generally last longer and look more polished over time than knits.
4. Lace A-line Dress
This is my favourite formal dress of all time, and I’ve had it for five years. It’s absolutely perfect apart from the fact that it hits me above my knee. I am done wearing dresses that showcase my kneecaps unless I wear them as tunics over pants and jeans. A longer length of dress and skirt looks more elegant and flattering on this leg of my style journey, so that’s that. I can’t part with the gorgeously pretty dress though. So I’m keeping it to sentimentally decorate my dress capsule.
The first three items will be passed onto Dress for Success Seattle as soon as our city has reopened, and DFS resumes accepting donations. The rest of my dresses are in good nick, and tick off my physical and emotional comfort levels beautifully. And I’ve been able to wear some of them in our suddenly gorgeous warm Spring weather.
