Some of my friends, family members, and clients wear dresses sparingly or not at all. Generally, they find dresses fussy, uncomfortable, impractical, hard to style, and too dressed up for daily life despite the fact that dresses can be roomy, comfy, easy to wear, easy to launder, and very casual.
Some reserve dresses for special occasions. Some feel that their mobility is restricted in a dress, and wear them infrequently. Some feel self-conscious or exposed in dresses. Some prefer the leg coverage of long pants and jeans. Some prefer shorts to dresses in high heat. Some find dresses hard to fit, opting for skirts and tops instead. Some don’t like to wear hosiery, leggings, or tall boots with dresses when it’s cold, making them a non-starter. Some feel they don’t have the right footwear to wear with dresses. Some prefer their body type in pants, jeans, and shorts. Some feel that their personality is more effectively expressed through pants, jeans, and shorts. And dresses can be wind-unfriendly.
Personally, I bat for Team Dress and LOVE wearing pretty dresses in warm and hot weather. With time and patience (because I’m very particular about the length, fit, silhouette, fabric, and colour of the dresses I wear) I’ve created a fab-for-me frock capsule that gives me joy. I feel attractive, carefree, relaxed, comfortable, pulled together, confident, and summery when I wear a dress that provides the right coverage and allows me to move freely. I find dresses an easy pull-on-and-go outfit option, and wear them with flat footwear. Here’s my current dress capsule. Apart from the formal and funeral frocks, these are “everyday dresses” for my lifestyle.
All of that said, I relate to some of the reasons to not wear a dress. I tend to wear casual and smart casual dresses in Summer because they are a glorious hot weather option for my style. I have a few Winter weight dresses, but do not gravitate to them because I run cold. Although I happily wear sheer hosiery and tall boots for insulation, the combination isn’t as warm as wearing pants, jeans, or a skirt with knitwear. And when I’m having a very active day with my clients — where I’m bending up and down a lot, walking up and down flights of stairs, and running around — pants are more practical.
Over to you. How frequently do you wear dresses?
