Hi AG! What a great frock this is to study – its style is so clear and uncomplicated. No printed pattern and virtually no details to distract the eye. It reminds me of looking at a paper cutout dress on a paper doll :)… which is useful, as it allows full concentration on the core aspects of SHAPE and VOLUME. The frock has strong positive features - gorgeous colour, great fit, nice neck and shoulder lines - but there are 2 critical features that aren't really working for you:
1) Silhouette.
A flared skirt dress is great for A- shaped bodies, as it disguises wide hips by adding more volume beyond where the hipline ends. But you don’t need all that extra volume added to your standard-width hips. The all-time classic shape for a simple basic dress for you would be the sheath (a shape incidentally that A- and X- shapes find very tricky to wear). Anyway, I think your IT shape is right in line with modern fashion aesthetics and I don’t see any need to disguise it. What do you think of Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene (the World’s most celebrated IT, and a former Olympic swimmer - check out those fab backstroker’s shoulders!) in this sheath dress worn in May this year? Uber cool IMO.
2) Proportion.
The point in the frock silhouette where the sides are indented (and the skirt flare begins) defines the waistline, which marks out the top half of the frock from the lower half. With this red frock, we can see that the lower half appears to be nearly double the length of the top half! This creates a short-waisted effect, and is what is making the frock look unbalanced, and the lower half “too full/overwhelming”-- as some others have remarked. (If you shortened the frock into a tunic to wear over pants – or, you had the sides of the frock taken in to create a sheath outline - the balance problem would be solved.) As it stands now, the frock looks better worn with the black jacket – (pic #3), because the jacket hem lowers your apparent waistline; a longer jacket e.g. your Theory one, would be even more effective.
So I don’t see the problem of this frock as a question of compatibility with your personal style, simply as a question of what flatters your body shape. When a frock is as plain as this (no eyecatching print, no arresting draping, stitching, buttons etc), the silhouette and proportion are doing all the heavy lifting in the look, and jump right to the forefront of attention. In my view a totally plain red frock could definitely fit in with your style, if it had a flattering silhouette and balanced your natural proportions. Here’s Kate Bosworth wearing another silhouette that would work for you (though it requires a mini hem length)-- a classic A-line mod shift. (The term “A-line” is rather loosely used these days; but this is a true example of an A-line cut). A tube dress like your Bailey is another example of a silhouette that suits you. Finally, here’s a pic of Alexia Niedzielski, for the RATE vibe she brings to her frock-and-matching-coat outfit.
This post has 5 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.
If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.
