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Casual summer dress, try on...and volume..

Staysfit

Veteran

Casual dresses have been a wardrobe hole. I like to wear them on weekends and sometimes to work. I tried the 7 pictured dresses. I plan to keep two (dresses in pics 3&6) and am still undecided about two (dresses in pics 4/5 and 9). I would appreciate the forum's wisdom about whether I should keep or reject undecided dresses.. The rest are definite rejects but I am bravely showing them since I think they look awful. All pics are taken with no makeup, messy after workout hair, and in either my old Birkies or in some Naot slides that I am considering. (Probably will keep, since they are comfy).

1. Turquoise dress by Ever New. My assessment is pretty color but too much volume...REJECT!
2. Treasure and Bond navy shirt dress. I think this is better than the first dress, but still too much volume. REJECT
3. Poetry Linen dress- sky blue check. It has quite a bit of volume but a nice neckline. It tapers a bit at my waist. The volume seems less overwhelming than dresses 1&2. Maybe the length helps add needed structure as well. I like this one....Keep.
4&5. Connected apparel maxi dress with geometric pattern: Is the pattern placement unflattering? Nice discount and it was the only one in my size. ?keep
6. Eileen Fischer tiered crinkle silk dress. I love this one because its super comfy and light. I already wore it to work once on a hot day. It has a lot of volume but drapes well and does not look as overwhelming as the other large volume dresses.. Not my favorite neckline....but when I add a the right necklace it's fine. This is my sleek version of a tiered dress if there is such a thing.
7&8. LOL! I can literally fit three of me into this Caftan. It is obviously better with my arms down....REJECT! Dress number 3 has a similar loose and casual style, but its much better.
9. Sweaty Betty knit dress. My experience with knit dresses is that they stretch, so I'm not overly worried that it looks a bit tight around my hips and chest. This is the sleekest of the dresses and hopefully not too body con. DD likes it. DH likes it. Leaning towards keep right now but not entirely sure. ?keep

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33 replies

Latest reply was from lyn67

Anonymous

3,5 and 9, jeez for heaven's sake you look amazing!

Carla

Veteran

Before I read your post I looked at the photos - and thought ‘#3 and #6’! Your hair looks ah-mazing! #9 is good too (but it is YOU who makes the dress look good!)

L'Abeille

Veteran

4/5 and 9 are slam dunks, they look amazing on you. Keep them!

Wow, when did your hair get so long? Or am I used to seeing you with it up?

Tanya

Veteran

Staysfit, what a coincidence, I am doing exactly the same thing at the moment - refreshing my casual dresses, and will be posting about it within a week or so. I completely agree with you that #3 and #6 are keeps. I also think that you should keep #4/5 and #9 -both look great and show your lovely figure. I personally have nothing against more fitted/tighter dresses, I wear them myself. I am going to try to find #9 myself.

madeline

Veteran

4/5, 6 & 9 are all keepers, you look great,

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I love 4/5 -- fantastic. I'm tempted to seek that one out myself. Also 3 is really nice. 6 looks useful as well, especially good for accessorizing. And you make 9 look amazing.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

You asked about the pattern placement on the blue print dress. I do notice that there is kind of a clamshell, mermaid outfit effect on the bosom area, where the print makes curved shapes. Perhaps not noticeable in real life/motion, but since you asked…

Staysfit

Veteran

Labelle, Yes, I have grown my hair! I never wore it up in the past, I had a pixie length cut! ...

Runcarla, thanks so much! I think dress 9 is most typical of my style aesthetic, whereas the others are a stretch in one way or another...mostly volume but also pattern, color and texture.

I credit you for providing inspiration for longer curly/wavy hair styles. For warm weather my stylist suggested I try a lob. I am happy with it so far. I can wear it down as pictured, pulled up on the sides, or back in a pony tail. It seems to look nice whichever way I style it and/or whatever level of curl/wave/frizz I have in my hair.

Phoebe, thanks!

JAileen

Veteran

Your hair is so gorgeous!

4/5 looks good to me. I really like 3.

Okay, just read CJH’s comment about 4/5. I can see what she’s referring to.

nuancedream

Veteran

4/5, 6, and 9 are winners for sure and you look like a million bucks in them. The caftan in 7/8 just reminds me too much of a hospital gown.

slim cat

Veteran

I love the dress in #4-5 - great on you ( fab print and fit )!
Dresses #3, #6 are draping well, have some structure and look like comfortable/easy to wear dresses - vote to keep.
Dress #9 is very nice and shows your body shape ( you've gotta have some dresses that flatter your trim figure ).

nemosmom

Veteran

5,6,9 are so so great on you — if you had to pick only some! My gosh your hair is so pretty!

Staysfit

Veteran

CJH, I appreciate your honesty.. I need to check to see if that effect is noticeable in real life... I'm not used to wearing pattern and also not sure how concerned to be about aspects that distract my eye since they may not be distracting to others.

Janet, I thought of you when I tried on dress 4/5 and can picture you wearing it. I hope you can find one somewhere. This one came from Nordstrom Rack.

Madeline, thanks for your feedback!

Tanya, I look forward to seeing the casual dresses you find....and hope you can find the Sweaty Betty dress. I found it at Nordstrom. I read your recent post about casual sandals. I am also looking at those....and have found one pair I like. Chaco Wayfarers, and I am probably going to keep these Naot slides.

Staysfit

Veteran

@nuancedream, I am laughing about the hospital gown remark! So funny!

I have to go but will be back later. Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Sal

Veteran

You have tried on a great range here and I think you have chosen two comfortable practical and stylish options. 5 and 9 both suit you really well- I would be tempted to keep your favourite of the 2. I lean to 9 as being a bit more sporty and thus different to the other two you are keeping.

I almost love 2 on you - I think it is close, and it is a lovely dress.

catherine

Veteran

4, 5, 6, and 9. Excellent.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Your keepers are definite keepers and I like #9 a lot too. The pattern placement does not bother me on 4/5. I would try it on sitting and other positions and see how it falls.

Anonymous

4/5 and 9 are awesome! Love the slides!

anne

Veteran

Yes 3 & 6 are great. 9 good too. Not sure about 4/5, but mainly because it's a lot of pattern.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I actually really like number 1 on you. It seems to echo somehow, the ruffles and the waves in your hair. It’s also pleasingly unexpected on a grown woman, such a sweet and girlish dress. I think it’s intriguing.

This doesn’t mean that this dress is definitely for you— maybe it just means that with your new longer hair, you may seek out ruffles more than you did in the past. I am also transitioning from very short hair to longer hair, and I find it really impacts how my clothes look.

Bijou

Veteran

I agree with the consensus that 4/5 and 9 are amazing on you and definite keeps. I did not notice anything amiss with the pattern on 4/5 and that would not bother me in the slightest.

I would wear #1 with a waist belt and think the volume could work if you added structure. #3 and #6 are good keepers too and perfect dresses for hot summers days or wearing on a summer's holiday. I love how you have added 'sleek' to your style descriptors as you look amazing in items that are sleek.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YOUR HAIR IS BEAUTIFUL

More love for #4/5 and #9. KILLER.

I also like #3 and #6. On trend and fab!

rachylou

Veteran

Staysfit... just the look on your face in #1. Lol, that one is just a definite no. Ohmigoodness

The two ?s are a Yes from me. Totally killer as Angie says. Totally. Beautiful fit.

Synne

Veteran

I love the clamshells! Looks like a little cocktaildress within a longer summers dress, a nice, almost optical illusion. Interesting to see that the most liked dresses are the ones that are lighter, more muted (since we just had that big colour discussion). Agree that you look slammin'!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

My favourite is 6. I also like 4/5 and 9. I see 3 is a keep, I am not so sure on that one. The rest, as you say, begone!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

4/5 is great with your hair. 9 looks good—would you really wear it just schluffing around the house? The bold stripes are energetic, but font fit your work persona. You are hilarious with the caftan.

Minaminu

Veteran

3 and 5 are my favourites! Different shapes and very versatile.

Love the hair!

Star (Lise)

Veteran

Definitely keep 4 and 9. The other 2 you already identified as keepers are fabulous summer classics. Good shopping!

Staysfit

Veteran

Many thanks to everyone for the complements about my hair! I didn’t expect that!

Minaminu, I agree there is some variety in the shapes of these dresses and they also have geometric patterns. I have previously favored abstract floral patterns. When I had my Align style analysis a few years ago the stylist (Kibbe like yin-Yang based system) suggested I try large scale vertically oriented geometrics. Finding them in my contrast level has been challenging. Horizontal stripes in a pattern can work if they draw the eye up and down in a long vertical line….

Fashintern, I would definitely wear dresses 3&9 schluffing around the house or schlepping back and forth while running errands (as long as it wasn’t the garden shop or hardware store). Dresses 3 and 6 can work with leggings so they would be fine for a hike in a local park on a hot day. All of them are summer weekend outing worthy and work worthy depending on how I accessorize. Maybe my casual is not what other people consider to be casual? Perhaps “easy” is a better term. These dresses feel easier to wear than my usual workwear for various reasons.

Jenni NZ, I’m happy to hear that you like dress 6. I am not sure my photo looked as nice as the reality because this dress looks great when in motion. Its an unusual color. It looks dark green, but I think it may really be a very deep dark yellow (with very little green). I imagine if you keep adding white to this color you would get a cool toned citron yellow not a warm light green. I received a lot of complements when I wore it to work, and I think I had a Kondo like moment of joy when I first tried it on.

Synne, yes, I like the cocktail dress analogy! Also, anything that adds some emphasis to my smallish chest can’t hurt! I agree that the lighter and softer colors work best.

Rachy, I am not a poker player….good thing I have some mirrored sunnies!

Angie, thanks for your feedback! After reading all these comments, and considering my options, I am going to keep all four of the better dresses. Two are clearly right in line with my style, and two are modern updates which may or may not last for the duration.

Bijou, Thanks for the great idea…add belt for structure to dress 1! I will try it, to see how it looks….. “Sleek” is definitely the hallmark feature of my personal style, I’m glad you think it works for me!

JessiKams, I agree that the tiers echo the waves in my hair. I have a couple items in my closet with small ruffles, I should try them on again and see if I like them better with my longer hair.

Anne, pattern is a clear departure for me but I think I am going to try it and see how I feel wearing it this summer. This dress in particular was a minimal investment since it was on sale and much less costly than any of the others.

Nikki, thanks for noticing the slides! They stay on my feet and are surprisingly comfy!

Shevia, I will definitely check the pattern placement when I am sitting. Since I work with teenagers I don’t want them staring or snickering….

Catherine thanks for weighing in!

Sal, I find my weekend style is becoming a bit sporty at times compared to my workweek. I agree that the navy dress is nice but not quite what I was looking for. I have another dress made by Vince that has a very similar silhouette and I decided I would pick the Vince dress over the T&B so it would likely sit unused.

nemosmom, thanks for the kind words about my hair!

slim cat Thanks!

JAileen, once you see that pattern placement, it’s hard to ignore! LOL!

Star, with luck the dresses from poetry and EF will last a long time, and they are supposedly made with sustainable materials and practices.

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