It is totally the dress not you. You look fantastic and I think you should tell DH you are going out to buy a new dress (or two) since this one isn't good enough for him.

Grrr. I'm feeling very GRRRRR towards your hubs' comment (not him, his comment) right now.

I agree with Caro that the structure of this dress is probably behind the belly. (Consider--maybe it landed at Yoox because so many women passed it up because it creates the belly.) It needs a bit more gathering to make the pleat seem more intentional. And if the dress isn't causing it? If you have a tiny tiny bit of a tummy? Well, ain't nothing wrong with that. I'll never have a flat belly. That's my body type. I also have disproportionate shoulders (10 or 12 always, even when my bottom is a 4). In return, I get boobs and I get slim hips. As Angie pointed out, models have their bodies air brushed and tweaked to make them appear perfect. People aren't perfect.

Imperfections can be your strength or your weakness. You decide which. I have a big nose. I love my big nose (almost always). I love it even after years of torment by a mean big brother. I could get a nose job. I can afford one. I haven't. My nose isn't an elegant, aquiline nose. Not a sculpted beauty. It's just a big nose. But for me, it's my nose. It fits me. It makes me different. It makes my beauty unique. I try to own that and love it. It becomes a force in and of itself, that belief.

Your body is beautiful. Your care towards it, working out and feeding it properly, is beautiful. Those things are concrete. They are real. The dress? Only beautiful in the abstract.

You look incredible, Dana.

Ouch. That must have been hurtful to hear, as if hubby just threw all your hard work out the window by focusing on one little trouble spot. Would be curious to hear what kind of shape he is in--maybe some latent jealousy on his part or maybe a bit intimidated by your buff body and had to find a complaint?

Aside from that, my only observation is that the fabric looks incredibly sheer and therefore would be hard for anyone to wear without a little help. You should focus instead on the fact that there are no other wobbly bits on you--anywhere!

As for the tummy (i have one too and spend a lot of time at the gym), i'm told there are four potential culprits: sugar, gluten, carbonated beverages, and alcohol that cause that little pouf. If you really want to have a six-pack, you can try eliminating those bad boys!

I constantly have to reframe my thinking on body image issues, always striving to focus on all I have accomplished instead of what I think I have not yet achieved. I'm cheering you on and think you look fantastic.

FWIW, I was sick last month and lost a lot of weight. I was not happy with that, either and did not like the way I looked. It was a good life lesson for me as I strive to just be happy with myself as I am.

Lulu - I'm hypoglycemic and one way I lost the weight was to cut out all processed carbs. So, no sugar, gluten, or alcohol to cut out. And carbonated drinks make me burp like a linebacker. So I think the tummy is my buddy for now.

You're all very sweet. Hubby has definitely noticed I am depressed and is trying to be sweet. He means well. He's just very "honest." Which I guess no one taught him meant using tact. If I haven't in 20 years, not sure what will.

Also the dress is going back, it is itchy. Angora blend.

A) I bet if there were a side view you'd see this on the model, too.
B) tummy shape is part of most everyone's shape. I know it's become socially unacceptable, but the reality is it's like getting worked up over the shape of your elbow being too pointy.

If you love the dress and don't want to emphasize this area then spanx it up. That's why they come in XXS. (-;

Sigh! With me it was my inner thighs. No diet or exercise on this planet would make them like the airbrushed beauties in the magazines.

Seriously, I think some garments can make tummies on anyone although if you hadn't mentioned it and just posted the photo I would have thought it looked fab!

As I am unsure of what your "before" bod was like, all I can say for your current bod is wow! Not all dresses suit all,people. I see that you are returning the dress - good, I think even if you had worn spanx the dress would always be tainted. Remember there is nothing wrong with your body, its the clothes, and there is something better for you out there.

What Mochi already said. Also Jenava ^^

I was going to wonder if the comment's 'not-niceness' could come from other issues, but you've already explained that the man does 'honest' in *opposition* to tactful. (Hey, I have one of those at home! Calling him on it only gets: 'I can engage or I can shut up' --- someone did not show them the middle ground early enough in life and I don't know if this false dichotomy of tact vs honesty can be demolished in the middle years. At least yours recognizes it hurt! You're doing well there!)

As for your body, I loved what K said --- this is *your* body. You've been doing a great job of enjoying it and nurturing it. Now don't start fighting with it over a dress, of all things!

Go buy some Spanx if you have to, or go get a different dress. Whatever you do, find something that shows off those gorgeous arms and shoulders --- WOW!

Sometimes men are clueless when they make comments. My DH thinks that anyone who voted for Obama is irrational. Need I say more? Hope this gives you a chuckle.

There doesn't have to be a issue behind what men say... My hubby is one of those who is just honest and practical to the point of being tactless. And occasionally what he says hurts. But I know where it's coming from so I get over it.

Just remember that nothing is ever as it appears on a magazine page or on your tv/computer screen. I once had dinner with an art editor at a glossy mag. He actually showed me how the pics look un-photoshopped vs. photoshopped... an eye opener, I tell you!

Sounds like you've made peace with the dress...*hugs*

Even a swimsuit model would wear Spanx with that dress!!! Go for it, you'll look amazing!

And ... hubs owes you a serious foot rub!!!

I had the same problem, I gave up milk and the belly went away!
You have an amazing slim figure!!
Hubby was just trying to help!

Ironkurtin you are slim as and look lovely... rotten itchy, mis shaped dress there is a better frock out there for you!

You have a gorgeous body. Despite size different women have different bodies. Even after losing 24 pounds with people telling me I'm too skinny I have a tummy that looks just like yours in dresses like that. But then again I don't have thigh or butt problems or cellulite & my bust is nice. We all have parts that behave how we want & those that don't. There are women that are bigger & heavier than me with flat tummies & I envy them, but maybe they envy me. I'm sorry your husband said that. I don't know what to say about that, but you have a great body.

I lost about 20 ibs three or four years ago and developed a tummy at the same time. Or maybe my tummy just became more visible because everything else was shrinking.

I wake up everyday with a completely flat stomach that transforms into what seems to me a three months pregnant belly right after breakfast.

I'm 25 (not yet, actually) and wouldn't dare wear that dress. May I ask why you chose that one instead of an easier to wear style and shape?

Oh, and if I get any thinner, I get right into the underweight spectrum, so it's not me needing to lose any more weight.

This is not the first time you have mentioned your husband's "preference" for a flat tummy. And I'm going to assume he is not an underwear model?
Maybe you cannot change his overall communication style but you can specifically ask him to drop the tummy comments, if they are bothering you this much.

Not reading every single comment, but this could have been a conversation between my hubs and me as well. Even at my thinnest, I will always have a tummy. And for some reason my husband seems to zero in on it. FWIW, I avoid knit dresses like the plague and would just go for a different style. You have done incredibly well with your fitness and exercise routine and your body is PERFECT. It's the dress, not you.

There's nothing wrong with wearing Spanx if you really want to wear that particular dress. I tried a pair of real, name brand Spanx on at work, and I was surprised that they did not flatten my bum at all, but lifted it, all while flattening my tummy. I have bought generic shapewear before, but gave up on it because the shaping areas were not so targeted.

My husband knows how sensitive I am about my hips and thighs, and he always tells me he sees nothing wrong with how I'm shaped. If he gave me a hard time about something I obviously cannot change, I'd be devastated. So I can see how upsetting this must be.

So I had a conversation about this with Mr. Mochi last night. Remember, he is not a tactful person and has been known also to make an inappropriate "jokey" remark (comparing me to a Nazi for wearing my new shiny black boots was the most recent example.)

But anyway, he says: many men are not good at tact. It's understandably a remark that was poorly phrased and executed. Would have been better off unsaid at all. But taken on its own, it's better if the wife can manage not to let it get to her, because he probably didn't mean any harm. Now (hubs continues) if there is a pattern of these types of remarks, it's a different story. But otherwise, she should look at his intention and try to let it go.

What Mochi said. My husband is the same way. Men like to be problem solvers and often think they are being helpful when they say things like this.

Living in Texas with the usual heat spanx are just not a real option for me but I had nearly the exact thing happen recently. I bought the first "dressy" dress I had bought in years for a wedding later this year, tried it on for the DH and he said "It looks great, but you might want to wear some shapewear with it.". Duh! Yes, I have a little tummy and yes I workout and eat very healthy. I know he meant well (we've been together 30 years) so I gave it another good discerning look myself and decided I STILL liked the dress and let him know that I like it, don't feel it needs shapewear and plan to wear it with very little underneath. He said "Well, it is more natural that way so you should do whatever makes you feel good."

So I think I'm just saying it's really dependent on how YOU feel about the dress. If you feel good in something it shows. If his comment will haunt you and make you feel less than fab than do something about it (wear spanx or try another dress), otherwise wear that lovely dress with a smile and cool confidence!

I really don't get many compliments from the boy, to be honest. He's a very negative person, in general, and so the feedback I get is usually critical and not complimentary. He knows I would like to hear about nice things, not just flaws. He's just somehow never managed to do it. His whole family is that way, it's a bit sad.