Thinking out loud- Moving towards a more Feminine style

Gennifyr

i bought a wildcard item this weekend and it has me thinking. My outfits tend to be fairly minimal, straight lines, structured etc. I saw this dress the other day and it's not my style at all. Very feminine, flowy. I almost didn't buy it.

I did buy it and wore it today in the city as styled in the photo. Now, I never get attention in public. Never. Today I received many, many compliments and appreciative looks. A store cashier was practically tongue tied while serving me. It was a very different experience for me.

A couple of months ago I did the kibbe test and it put me at theatrical romantic which really surprised me. "So wrong!" I thought. But now I'm wondering. I don't dislike the style but I feel like it's hard fir me to pull off. I am really curvy, boobs, butt, hips, belly. I just tried on some more frilly dresses and they all made me look huge.

I'd like to trying this style out a bit more but I'm not sure how to go about it. The way I dress now is so easy. I order almost everything online, everything fits. I feel like this will be a lot more difficult.

Any advice? Thoughts?

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9 years ago

Dressing

13 replies

Latest reply was from E

Thistle

Veteran

Do you not like feminine because of fit issues or style issues? You can make feminine work for any body type and create traditional flattery. Question is, do you want to?

9 years ago

Anonymous

You do indeed look lovely in the photo. But, then, I loved all your other outfits too.

You know, you don't have to have frills and ruffles and full skirts to dress feminine. There are lots of different options, so maybe you need to browse Pinterest, online stores etc to pin it down more as to what you consider feminine, and what you would be happy trying out.

9 years ago

Gennifyr

Active Member

It's definitely more of a fit issue. I'd like to try the style out, yes. When I tried the dress on, I thought I looked really bulky. A friend said I looked angelic, so I went back for it.

Mainly I'm worried about getting frustrated and discouraged with the fit as I try things on.

9 years ago

Gennifyr

Active Member

Thanks Diane! I'm surfing Pinterest now.

9 years ago

approprio

(website)

Veteran

There's some sense in Kibbe, no doubt. You can take some of the advice on aesthetic and proportion and filter it for your body shape. But a lot of his styling advice is woefully out of date. Take a look at Dita Von Teese, who gives a good example of a contemporary and classically ladylike romantic style.

A good place to begin might be with skirts and belts for waist definition. Maybe look out for some retro style fit and flare dresses? Doesn't have to be frilly or ruffly, just the right amount of feminine detail. The right bra could make a huge difference with an elevated, sculpted silhouette.

You look lovely in the picture, by the way.

9 years ago

Anonymous

It's bound to feel different, yes, until you get used to a few different items. Just try out a few pieces first. No need to go crazy and dive headlong into a new look. Transitions take time. But I have to say that the dress you have on doesn't look at all bulky or make you look bulky. I think fabrication is a big factor and the fabric looks nicely skimming and drapey.

9 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Looks great!
I see that the dress is "flowy" but it doesn't say "frilly" to me. It's simple, and it's a solid color. These elements may work well for you if you
want to skew to more curve-flattering fits but not get too girlish. Sort of "power feminine". Gathered waists can be hard to do right but this one really works. You might look for stitched-down pleats or trumpet styles, DVF-type wrap dresses or wrap tops.

9 years ago

tulle

Veteran

As Diane said, Theatrical Romantics don't need ruffles, necessarily; it's all about the waist, and the soft curves. Look at what makes this dress so great on you: the deep scoop neck, the tulip effect of the skirt, the accent on the waist, the delicate sandals, the light, feminine fabric--and that delectably theatrical hat. No wonder the clerk was speechless! I say go for it--you may find this femininity thing, as Approprio and Unfrumped suggested, quite empowering. Read Kibbe, but mentally translate his ideas from the '80s to the present, and you'll be on the right track.

9 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I wonder if the appreciative looks were because of the appealing "pretty girl in a summer dress" vibe of this outfit? There is a lot of nostalgia for this quintessential summer look which has become more of a rarity since trends have moved towards edgier, tougher, deconstructed, casual looks.

It might be easier to play around with this look in your summer wardrobe where it's more common to find skimming, draping looks in soft, floaty fabrics. On a curvy, feminine body, it's a beautiful look and you could have fun (and gain lots of appreciative glances!) experimenting with this side of your fashion persona.

9 years ago

Sal

Veteran

You look great. I think the elements I like are the hat, colour, floaty fabric and neckline. It is fun to play around a little and in the meantime repeat this one!

9 years ago

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

I agree with everyone. I'm another curvy gal with boobs, hips, tummy....yet my style has always leaned towards feminine. However, I don't have anything with ruffles or frills. I like these, but they look horrid on my large bust. So I choose other feminine detailings.

Here is my advice:

1. Look for feminine detailing in all clothes. Floaty drapey fabrics that don't cling but just skim your body are key. They're easier to find than you think in both tops and dresses. Sometimes it's the cut, sometimes print and pattern and sometimes detailing. But the fabric and design always make a big difference - to the fit as well as how you 'feel' in the outfit.

2. Pinterest will help you find a few cuts and silhouettes that appeal to you. On my curvy body, the ones I love are peplum tops, fit and flare dresses and wrap front tops in drapey fabrics. They all have a soft, feminine vibe and are easy to find in bigger sizes too. What's better, these styles really flatter a curvy figure. Choose soft colours and feminine detailing on these and experiment.

3. A few feminine details on an otherwise very modern piece of clothing also make a huge difference. For example - a ruched waist detail, or gathered sleeves with a slight puff, or waist definition through a belt.

4. Accessories are just as important when you want to achieve an overall romantic look. For example, here your pretty belt, sandals and hat play a large role in the overall look. The design you choose in shoes, belts and bags can transform a modern outfit into a romantic feminine one for a softer look. Same holds true for jewelry too.

I'll give you some examples too. I'm attaching pictures of 2 dresses I was considering to buy. #1 is way more feminine than #2 even though the cut and fabric are the same.
Also, attaching a few Finds that I like for a feminine style. Hope they help inspire some ideas!

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9 years ago

Gennifyr

Active Member

Wow! Thanks so much for all the input. Going to chew on it all make a pinterest board of ideas.

9 years ago

Veteran

That's a gorgeous dress on you! Like everyone else, I see drape but not frilliness.

A fairly easy way to try out the style is to add a couple similar blouses to your wardrobe; as long as they have waist definition they should work with any type of bottom (skinnies or boot leg or wide leg) and you can pair them with a 'sturdier' option if you want to tone down the traditional femininity. Anthropologie does a lot of boho, drapey blouses; you could grab a couple off ebay to play with if you don't want to spend full price. Just make sure in addition to the bust/waist/hip measurements, you get the length measurement from the shoulder seam to the waist, so you can compare to current clothes and see if it'll fit you.

9 years ago

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