The Bailey 44 diagonal stripe dress on a pear-ish hourglass - YouLookFab Forum

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The Bailey 44 diagonal stripe dress on a pear-ish hourglass

Janet

(website)

Veteran

This is the dress from Angie's blog post this morning. I tried it on maybe a month ago, and I took a picture because pictures have been helping me evaluate items in the fitting room. Sorry the quality isn't better -- I never thought I'd post this, but I thought it may be helpful to someone to see how this works (or doesn't) on my body type.

My conclusion was that this dress emphasized my hip/thigh area too much to be truly flattering. Granted, I'm barefoot here, which doesn't help the overall impression, but I sadly concluded it wasn't quite right for me.

What do you think? Would you have come to the same conclusion?

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Urgent

47 replies

Latest reply was from Janet

HeleenH

Veteran

I agree with you. I do see how it would work to give a straighter person shape, though

catgirl

Veteran

Er, I think you look fabulous. I would love to look like that in a fitted dress. It is long though, so I don't htink it will work for me unless a tier can be removed from the hem.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I see that too, Heleen. Even someone with a higher hip than me would probably benefit from the lines of this dress. It just so happens that the lines and layers fall right at the point where I'm widest.

From the side it looked awesome -- gave me a little more curve in the tush! So funny how when viewed from the side, I look more like an IT body type.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I think you are going to get agreeing opinions from fellow pear/hourglasses and opposing ones from the straighter figured gals! As another who carries a bit around the hips, I also would have walked away from this, which isn't to say it looks bad. It's just that we already see our hips in our mind's eye and it just amplifies our own perceptions.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Wow! I love this dress on you, Janet! Here is my 2 cents.

There are two ways to think about this:

1. It accentuates your pear shaped body and that's not flattering.

2. It accentuates your pear shaped body and that *is* flattering. This is your shape and we love your shape. It's who you are and that's the end of the story.

There are clothes that accentuate a lower half which look off to my eye (trousers in particular) - but this dress is not it because it fits so, so, so well. Hugs your curves in all the right places. The quality is substantial too, which really helps.

You might find that the burnt orange and tan version is less accentuating because the stripes are not as bold.

FWIW, that's my opinion

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Mo, I think you are absolutely correct!

One of the first things I look at when I try something on is whether it minimizes or de-emphasizes that part of my body. To others it may not look *bad* per se, but if I feel like there are giant virtual arrows pointing to a part of my body I've been self-conscious about since puberty, I probably won't feel comfortable, even if other people think it looks good.

catgirl

Veteran

What Angie said. It's like bust size - some want to minimize, some want to maximize. You will turn heads in the best way in this dress, but that may not be your aim. Repeat: I think you look AMAZING.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Janet, I know exactly what you and Mo mean. At first glance, I thought it looked great. When I read your comments, I imagined that it was a pic of myself... suddenly I saw the hip emphasis you were talking about. Weird...

I think it all just depends on your prioriteis and what you prefer to draw attention to. No right answer!

mamaKate

Veteran

Agreed with Angie, it is all in your perspective. I would have probably walked away but you do look awesome. @Una - I just posted a reply on the blog saying you could definitely lop off about 8 inches of this dress with a scissors without setting foot in a tailor.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ah, Angie, we posted at the same time!

It's so interesting to have this perspective from you! Who knows, with your continued encouragement, i may grow to embrace this look.

I agree that the high contrast may have been a factor. Burnt orange and tan are not easy colors for me to wear -- I wish they had made this in burgundy and gray!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, no right answer. I think it looks GREAT, but I completely understand why you don't, Janet. If it had been me trying on, I'd probably have felt the same, from the same adolescence!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Something else I just realized about this dress in this picture -- I think it actually de-emphasizes my chest, which is really odd considering there are horizontal stripes right across it and I'm not exactly small-busted!

catgirl

Veteran

Okay, everything you're saying about it is a plus for me! Adds curves, detracts from bust - how forgiving is it in the midsection? Sorry to make you the resident expert...

Scarlet

Veteran

Add heels and you are steaming up the place!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I think it's pretty forgiving in the midsection, and it sounds like Angie's client may have been concerned about that too.

Diana

Veteran

Janet, I think you look great in this dress but I totally know what you mean about emphasizing the pear. I felt the same way when I tried it on (although I think I tried on the sleeveless version); I didn't actually mind the pear emphasis, but I did feel like it was a little too form-fitting and a little too sexy/bodycon for me to feel comfortable in. I have more in the way of bottom/hips than you though; I think it looks much more elegant and less overtly sexy on you than on me.

morethanbeige

Veteran

spanner -- As a resident pear, I think you look fantastic in this dress!

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

It sounds like we have the same body type. This is an example of a dress I would love to wear but most likely wouldn't feel my most confident in. I don't think this dress looks bad on you, just not a 10. If you want to keep maybe try pairing with a blazer, or high heels or maybe even take the length up a bit?

Edit: oops! When I started writing this there was only 2 responses and I forgot to send it right away. Sorry if I'm just repeating what's already been said!

JennyAnne

(website)

Veteran

I think you look great! I'd love to go try on this dress. I didn't have the time in my day to drive to Anthro an hour away, though. Maybe tomorrow. Reading that there is an orange version has me very excited.

sarah

Veteran

I'm with Una and Angie on this one. I think it looks delicious on you!

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Janet, I am so seeing what you are seeing. I don't think it looks bad on you but it definitely emphasizes the hip and thigh area and I would not be comfortable with this on me as well. I think what would be a deal breaker for me is the fact that it is pretty stretched over the hips and then sharply goes away - I am not sure if I explain it well...

Isis

Veteran

Janet, so glad you posted this; it's really interesting to see the different responses! I'm right in line with what Mo thought---I have a similar body shape to yours, and I would feel self-concious in this too!

The Maggy London colorblock dress that Angie recommended was a great dress for a pearish hourglass (she recommended it for hourglasses to fill out the dress---it looks baggy on the model on the Nordstrom site). And it's on sale! I had to size up one size for my shoulders.

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the "field work," Janet, because this really helps with figure-hugging fashions and stripes. I, too, carry more around my hips, while my (fraternal) twin sister has a straight up-and-down, boyish, gymnast-type body (not sure what it's called here) and she could probably wear it, but I couldn't. I think you've got a fabulous figure, but adding to what Mo said, if you feel it overly accentuates an area in your mind, then it may not be right for you. Still, when you said the side view, showing a nice curve to the tush, was awesome, I can see how that would have made you want the dress, because I think that is a really nice attribute, IMHO. Angie's color suggestions may prove helpful with this or another one you see in the future.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Isis, I looked at that color block dress one day but was in a hurry and didn't try it on. Later on when I had more time and thought I might give it a try, it was sold out! It's slightly reminiscent of a Muse dress I got last year, which is now too big. It's sitting in a bag to either take to the tailor for alteration or be given away. I'm not sure which way it will go...

Janet

(website)

Veteran

This has actually been really helpful to post this and get feedback. Its interesting that it was not a cut-and-dried response one way or the other!

I'm learning to give things a try if they appeal to me, even if I doubt they'll work. That was the case with this dress. I literally picked it off the rack, saying, "Well, just for grins..." Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise!

Louise

Veteran

As a fellow pear who is at peace with her hips I love this dress on you x

Isis

Veteran

Janet, not sure we are talking about the same dress, as this one is not sold out

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ma.....sultback=0

(not even sure you are looking for a dress though!) I love this one...

celia

Veteran

I guess the answers to this post depend greatly on your body type.As a fellow pear my attention on anyone goes first to the hip area. And yes this dress shows your curves.
If I try to look at the overall picture your hips and shoulders seem very balanced with a nice small waist in the middle.
I guess is the same reaction I have when I see women with bigger chests.I think they look gorgeous but somehow they are always trying to minimize it.

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I think this dress is fabulous on you. Also have to say that I'm slowly grasping what Angie has been trying to say all along - that all shapes are lovely and we don't always want to be covering up or trying to downplay things.

I used to wear a lot of baggy clothing because I felt uncomfortable about my shape. While I'd still like to camouflage the remaining pounds I'd like to lose as best I can, I'm more comfortable letting my essential shape show, and that's thanks to YLF.

The dress is wonderful on you!

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