What an interesting side by side -- thank you for doing this. (And my apologies if I started a confusing mess for you!!)
Anyway. Here is the thing. As delurked says (and despite what I may have suggested earlier) it doesn't have to be either /or if you love both. It depends what your needs and priorities are.
Structured outfits are -- in the main -- more conventionally flattering to your shape. (In my opinion, of course -- feel free to disagree, and some of the others here do!) However, because you are tall, you can also wear drape extremely well, at least if it falls in certain parts of your body or in certain ways.
The thing is -- these dresses have different "moods." Tailoring in darker items conveys something quite different from the soft floral drape of the MC dress (2). Dress #1 is professional, businesslike. It can be dramatic, powerful. If you added sparkle and shine to #1 it could go from the office to out to dinner, but it would never say, "I am soft and serene." It would say something like, "I am powerful and secure in who I am." It might say, "I am feminine and alluring." (And if it didn't, a similarly shaped sheath in a festive fabric or a brighter or lighter colour would say that.)
I happen to love dress #3 -- and I don't think you need to break up the neckline at all -- this neckline suits you perfectly!!. Having said that, it does appear "strict" in comparison to the MC. It is the kind of dress that many women would wear to work because like #1, conveys a certain amount of authority. And because of the neckline it is more "buttoned up" in a way. It means business, or at any rate, it doesn't scream anything else. I might wear #1 to a cocktail party. I probably wouldn't wear #3 to a cocktail party.
The MC dress in #2 is dramatic, but rather than conveying authority it conveys ... well, I'm not sure what it conveys. I think it is supposed to convey relaxed elegant sophisticated ease? But I'm not entirely sure it does!
You wear it really well with your height and it is certainly within your preferred colour palette. But I agree that it is fighting a bit with your specs and perhaps body modifiers. The devil is in the detail and it is all in the styling with something like this that is a bit of a stretch from what is most conventionally flattering to you.
If you had a pair of white specs, this might work a whole lot better for me -- the contrast wouldn't be as high and the look would feel more congruent. I'd also love to see with white ankle strap shoes or the ones you are wearing in #1. And a pretty clutch.
The other aspect of this dress that gives me pause for you is the neckline. As Skylurker says, this might be because it is the type of neckline I have to be careful with myself. But I do feel that this dress would work a whole lot better on you if the V of that neck were not as wide and deep. It's not the V, per se, I don't think -- it is something to to with how it relates or doesn't relate to the ease and drape below.
These seem like dresses for very different occasions. Dress 1 is "wear to the office with the jacket for important meetings, take off the jacket and add the bling at night." The proverbial "little blue dress." Dress #3 is "wear to the office on a summer day, look professional yet approachable." Dress #2 is "wear to friend's summer party or out on a special date in summer." It isn't really a work dress to me. It is a "younger" dress (because of the colours and pattern more than the cut, I think).
The thing is, nobody wants every dress to be a work dress. You need dresses for different occasions. And maybe you need a really pretty summer party dress! So maybe the MC is it for you, especially given your goals.
I adore structure and I know it looks best on me. Drape does me zero favours. But even I have some looser dresses and tops. I have to! With my casual lifestyle, that tailored Boss suit would get approximately 0 wears, much as I love it!
And, let's face it, even if we love it, structure can feel "stiff" or "uptight" or not comfortable at times. It can appear forbidding to some people. I remember showing a number of outfits here -- ponte pencil skirts with button front shirts -- or even jeans with a blazer -- and each time, somebody would comment that the outfit looked too "corporate." Do I agree? Not necessarily. I feel great in such combinations and I honestly think that (in theory, styled right, with a bit of J. Crew juxtaposition in fabrication, pattern, colour, etc. so they don't look too staid and "nice") they are among my most conventionally flattering looks. But for some people, tailored items automatically read: business, corporate, work. Maybe even mean, bossy, harsh...I don't know. They might read boring. I don't share these associations, personally, or at least I don't share these associations when classic tailored items are paired with trendier pieces --- but in your line of work it would be really crucial on clinic days to know what the clientele is thinking.
ETA: Plus, many days, you need comfort and ease of movement in your work.
I also think -- based on the comments -- that people who are themselves much more comfortable and flattered by softer items are going to find softer items more appealing on others. While those who are themselves more flattered by tailoring may find tailoring more appealing on others. Again, we try to be objective but it is really hard.
Meanwhile, in addition to being comfy and possibly conveying an "easier" impression, drape can also be arty and avant guard, which may be another element of style you want to explore.
I really love the look of drape on others and I haven't given up on it completely for myself. But I've learned to read Angie's body type guidelines and her item descriptions very carefully. I'm a slim hourglass/ rectangle and the best kind of casual dresses on me are trapeze style with a higher neckline. A V neck or other open neckline is less than ideal on me with my longer neck, bonier chest, and short hair -- although I do wear one on occasion, it really seem to depend on the specific cut of it whether it will work and what else I'm wearing with it.
I know the challenge for you can be to find the styles you like in the lengths you need. This adds to the frustration.
In the end, if you love the MC dress you should keep it and play with styling. It has enough "yes" elements that I think you can make it work if you want it enough. And it is very different from the other dresses. But it definitely requires thoughtful styling.
And I don't think you need to banish drape (unless you want to). You simply need to know that if you choose it, you're fighting against what is going to be easiest for you to wear and style. But you may prefer to do exactly that, for the very different impression it can convey.
