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Confused with the tunics concept

anchie

Veteran

I was following the tunics thread with interest but I am still confused about difference between tunics and dress over pants. Is it the same thing?
Appologies if it was already explained in the original thread, I must have missed it.
Disclaimer - I don’t own tunics and never wore dress over pants. But I have this one example. I only wore dress in the pictures couple of times because it is on the short side and I don’t consider it appropriate for work. But if I wear it over pants is it still a dress or it becomes a tunic? And how does it even look with pants?

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Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Cee

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Who cares? It looks great worn both ways! Although I have to admit I slightly prefer it as a dress and don’t think it looks too short to be work appropriate at all.

A rose by any other name...

Anonymous

I am in full agreement with Elizabeth. You can wear it either way. I like it better as a dress.

Sisi

Veteran

You look fab in both outfits ! But my personal preference is for the dress worn alone. Would it be possible to lengthen the hem?

I have been very confused as well about tunics but now Angie has updated the original thread with an explanation.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Anchie, Angie's definition is on page 4 ( on my phone) near the bottom of the page. She does only call something a tunic if worn over leggings or pants. So in your pics, the first way you wear it would be called a dress, and the second way a tunic. So yes, a tunic is essentially the same thing as a dress over pants.
And I think it looks great on you both ways!
I am like you, I nearly always prefer my knees covered for work. Last week I had a shorter dress just a bit above the knee which *should* be polite enough for work, but I checked in the mirror and put some cropped leggings under ( it's summer here). I thought maybe that didn't look that great ( I've gone off leggings in favour of pants, those are my only summer ones left, hardly worn now) but I felt much happier and more professional for the day with knees covered. I will show my knees at the weekend only I think! Or on holiday (vacation).

anchie

Veteran

I bought this dress on deep sale, and even though I realized immediately that it is shorter than I like, I convinced myself that I can make it work. Well, I wore it to work once and regretted this purchase. When I was sitting, the dress hiked up to the middle of my tights and I had to adjust all the time. So I decided never to wear it to work again.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well then wear it happily to work with pants under! It looks very smart as a tunic. Then you can wear it shorter out to dinner with friends. It's such a pretty colour with your hair.
Great to have you back, missed you.

kkards

Veteran

i had a dress like this...same thing, bought it on sale, realized it was shorter than i thought, tried to wear it with tights -was adjusting it consistantly, tried it over leggings--it was better....but after wearing it about 2 times a year for 4 years i finally got rid of it this year...
i do like how it looks, both as a dress and as a dress over pants. but only you can decide if you are comfortable wearing it either or both ways

Aquamarine

Veteran

Can you shorten it slightly so it feels more like a tunic to you? Although I do think it looks fine as a dress, but you have to be comfortable with the length.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The dress looks fabulous on you. But this is why Angie always tells us to do a "sit test" and I find it especially important in dresses. That is always the downfall.

If you like it as a tunic, wear it -- it looks good! You could shorten it a couple more inches to wear that way.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I like the dress over pants look on you but I understand your confusion.I tend to think of tunics as being too short to wear bare legged and worn with leggings not trousers but it’s semantics really.

Anonymous

I like it on you. To my eye it looks fine over the summer leggings.

RobinF

Veteran

The dress looks great on you. I think it is fine for work but the sitting thing would be an issue.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I love the look over pants more than the dress worn on it's own. It looks modern and 2018 over the skinnies to my eye, Anchie.

It's technically a dress worn as a tunic. A tunic is a CONCEPT. An item becomes a tunic when worn a certain way - THAT's the modern definition of a tunic.

anchie

Veteran

Angie- there were few suggestions that maybe I should shorten it. Do you agree?
Concept! That clarifies it.

What added to my confusion was that yesterday I have been browsing Zara dresses online and lot of them were actually labeled as tunics and I could not tell why.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

No need to shorten. Looks great to me.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Anchie, my theory is that tunics are trendy, so everyone is labeling everything a tunic in order to sell more.

I like the "concept" definition.

Mainelady

Veteran

I really like it both ways. If it rides up when you sit, the skinny pants solve that problem!

Anonymous

I don't think you need to shorten it but if you feel more comfortable with a clearly defined "tunic" rather than "dress over pants", why not? If it's too short to wear as a dress you've already given that option up anyway?

Jenni NZ

Veteran

No but you can wear it as a dress out on a date night!

Cee

Veteran

As long as it's not a cowlne* {{{BONNNNNNG !!!}}}

*Evil cowlneck flips heavy frypan and grins cowlneckedly*