A Fancy Dress - Should I Buy One? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

A Fancy Dress - Should I Buy One?

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I have been eyeing this dress in blue, and it has been in and out of stock a few times, which tells me they are replenishing the stock (but will probably stop soon so as to not have leftovers after New Year's).

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/ad.....wn/3363420

It's a decent price, but my concern is the length. I LOVE the length, but feel that, for occasions where I could get away with a velvet, one-shoulder dress, I would likely not get away with a FLOOR LENGTH velvet one-shoulder dress without looking and feeling over-dressed.

Should I get it and have it hemmed? If so, to what length? Or, does the drapy top part need a full-length skirt for balance? Or, is the bottom too clingy and the dress all wrong and I should keep looking altogether for a cold-weather special occasion dress?

Shopping

17 replies

Latest reply was from maria

kellygirl

Veteran

I wonder if it would look unbalanced at a shorter length. I love the drama of it though and it certainly suits your fab style! Where does one wear a floor length gown these days anyway? (Yes, I live under a rock.)

bj1111

Veteran

love the dress. would love you in the dress...the velvet would drape over your curves. shorten to knee length. more versatile and can be worn to a wide range of events.

i think the one shoulder is weird tho for a "cold-weather" dress. but that is just me. my shoulders get chilly!

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

BJ, I hear ya, it's a bit odd for cold weather. I'm counting on the rest of the dress being heavy enough to offset the bare shoulder.

Kellygirl, where DOES one wear a floor length gown?

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

The opera of course!

I think it loses something if you shorten it.

Inge

(website)

I have no doubt this dress would look stunning on you, Jenava. Gorgeous with your beautiful skin, eyes and hair, and perfect for your style. Love the silhouette. I'm also a bit worried that it would lose some of its fabness when you shorten it. So the question is whether or not you have enough opportunities to wear it long?-)

rae

(website)

Veteran

I love it, but it would throw off the great proportions if you shorten it. I mean, possibly, it might work as a midi, but it's a long shot. Knee length or above and you hover around the 1:1 ratio that just makes everyone look square IMO.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

It's great but I don't know about shortening it. I guess you could order it and pin it up to various lengths to see.

Anonymous

Yes, you should buy it and leave it long and wear it to the opera. I bought a fancy sequin dress about 10 years ago and though I don't get a chance to wear it often I still love it. It was worth it to me, I thinik I have worn it 4 times.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Oh, yes, the opera! When I opened your link, I thought this would be a great "singing" dress, dramatic, but elegant, and highlighting the face. I agree with the others that it needs to stay long. It is a decent price, though, and a classic style.

This would be suit your style and coloring well.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Oh, yes, the opera! When I opened your link, I thought this would be a great "singing" dress, dramatic, but elegant, and highlighting the face. I agree with the others that it needs to stay long. It is a decent price, though, and a classic style.

This would be suit your style and coloring well.

lyn67

Veteran

Yesss, but keep it's length! That's a dramatic dress, for the dramatic You! Killer:-)

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm not convinced this frock will make you feel fab. It's loosey-goosey in odd places. BUT! You never know until you try it on. Dresses in particular surprise us all.

MNsara

Veteran

It's gorgeous! When I saw this, my first thought was 'I wish I had somewhere to wear this'

I think shortening it would lose the 'dramatic' it has though.

The cold shoulder part always baffles me. But to have women exposing arms, shoulder, legs, etc. in winter party wear is the norm. I think a wrap/shrug would also ruin the gorgeous lines.

There was one review where they recommended sizing down if you want a bit more curve definition.

Anonymous

Ok, here's what you do Jenava. Buy the dress and leave it long. I'm SURE it will be absolutely knock-out on you. I can't imagine another dress that is more *you*.

THEN, you throw a party. Specify the dress code (heh). It's at your place, so you don't need to worry about being cold, or what kind of wrap to wear with it. Genius, no? I can just see you hosting in this dress now!

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Claire, *you* are a genius!

Jenava, I can see why the dress spoke to you. I love the idea of you in it, it's opulent, feminine and dramatic. Worth at least trying it, don't you think?

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

OK, when my budget turns over next month, if it's still in stock I'll give it a whirl. And I will leave it long....it might cling overly much at the hip in which case I won't feel fab, as Angie cautioned, but it so hard to tell about dresses online, and the reviews are all so positive...

Claire, haha, I am actually hosting a cocktail party this year! But if I made my guests dress up half of them would probably not come (this is Seattle, after all, and the combination of a history of "wild west" logging and farming along with the current tech culture are a double whammy for cultural dressiness). A few do come in cocktail attire! And I of course will be dressing up...but the thought of hosting in this dramatic gown in my tiny townhouse make me giggle a little. Would be a little "Grey Gardens"...fab but a touch crazy...not that there's anything WRONG with that!! (-:

maria

Member

I like this dress and like the color. This is one of my favourite color.