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This dress?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I know, I know, here I go again with a dress…. But Angie has warned us to snap up great midis and maxis while we can…

I spied this on the Anthro site and LOVE the colors (light blue with deep burgundy is a favorite of mine)s the print, and the style — sort of a silky, easy, sleeveless shirt dress. It arrived today and I think it fits well and is pretty flattering too. The fabric feels great — light but substantial and flowy. It feels like silk but is actually a viscose rayon blend. The pattern placement is well done too.

It’s a bit long though! I’m 5’7” and this is a M. The armholes are *just* enough to cover my bra (in a perfect world they’d be maybe an inch higher but I can deal with this). I’m thinking that if this is a keeper, I’d want to chop maybe 4-5” off to more of a midaxi length. Belting it helps raise the hem, as you can see, but I’m not totally keen on belting at the waist (belts migrate up to my bra line), and it also breaks up the pattern. I kind of prefer it unbroken, plus it’s breezy and comfortable without a belt. Shortening it would mean I could wear flat sandals with it too — the current length limits me to platforms or heels.

Opinions? Worth keeping and altering? I’ll ask my husband what he thinks when he gets home too.

Bonus, you can see my latest haircut.

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32 replies

Latest reply was from citygirldc

phoebe

I like the colors and while in a photo the extreme symmetry is a little jarring it may not be so in person.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Interesting that you see that Phoebe! I rather like that aspect of the print. I’m just grateful they didn’t place the flower centered right at a certain level, LOL.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

I like the bird print, and it looks summery and airy. IMO it does need a lot of hemming. I would skip the belt because that makes it a classic shirt dress, unless you want that effect.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

cjh, I agree about the belt. Not really the vibe I’m after, and it feels so much nicer unbelted!

It does occur to me that with the right styling it could be worn into cooler weather too — layer it over a long sleeve top, add my burgundy faux-suede jacket, tall boots….

MsMaven

Veteran

I think it's beautiful on you and a keeper. Definitely shorten it.

I saw what Phoebe saw and had the same thought. I think when you are wearing hemmed it an moving around it won't give a viewer that same giggle.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

KILLER haircut! You have gorgeous salty hair, Janet

I like the dress! Fab palette on you! KEEP. After a good chop to midaxi length, it's perfect in hot and humid weather - unbelted.

LJP

Veteran

I see it as Phoebe does , and my eye goes straight to the front “area” . However , in real life and in movement it probably won’t be an issue . I LOVE the colour and the idea of the pattern and with significant hemming it could be a fun dress . I wish the armholes weren’t quite so low - but maybe a stretch cami worn under it will help ?

Ginger

Veteran

It looks like a winner to me! I agree with shortening slightly. That said, I have a couple of long maxi dresses with a below knee-height front slit; I really love how that slit helps the dress move and swirl around a lot more that expected. That effect would change if you shorten a little. But I don't know that that's much of an objection! And the belt is unnecessary. It's great without.

LJP

Veteran

Oops - missed the line about the hair cut! It looks great ! This length is really good

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I like the color and pattern for you a lot, but I might like it cut a little closer in the middle to highlight your nice figure

Brooklyn

Veteran

I looked at that too! I like it! I wouldn’t cut too much off, you will lose the drama. I’d say about 4 inches. I prefer it without the belt.

SarahD8

Veteran

I like it very much and I think you have a good plan! I agree with Brooklyn about making sure not to chop *too*severely.

The symmetry of the print doesn't bother me and actually I'm quite impressed by the precision of the pattern matching across the placket! Bodes well for the quality of the construction, I dare to hope.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Love it! Yes you do need to take a few inches off but I think it will be will worth it. Yay, you found something!

Bee

What a gorgeous dress! This looks so much like something my mother would have loved and worn often. She passed away at age 51 and her style was always fresh and youthful, although after having a thigh to ankle cast on her left leg (ripped tendon) for almost a year, she stopped wearing her wardrobe staple mini skirts/dresses and embraced all things maxi length. She bough many similar dresses, several were also sleeveless with button up collars like this one. The colour and pattern are very much her style too. It suits you very well!

Anonymous

I like it more unbelted too. Agreeing to shorten it a bit.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I noticed the haircut right away and it looks fabulous! The dress look good also - but it is the hair that makes it work .

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, everyone! I’m on my phone so difficult to respond individually, but I appreciate all the input!

Jamie loves it! He wants me to bring it on vacation so I’m going to see if my tailor can rush a hem job. So a keeper it is!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Cute hair. Would it work for 1” to be take in at the seam at the top of your shoulder to raise the armhole to your preferred spot? Then you could take the rest off the hem.

Val

The print placement gives the dress a little more edge and attitude, in my opinion. It’s stunning on you, especially unbelted.

Anne

It looks lovely! My only concern with shortening the dress is that the pattern placement is quite deliberate right down to its existing hem. If you chop it, you will chop somewhere mid-pattern, whereas right now the pattern ends nicely. There's no obvious alternate place in the pattern to cut it as nicely as it ends with the current length, if that makes sense. I don't think you *need* to shorten it, either, for it to look good.

Bijou

Veteran

Love the dress and your haircut! Those colours are fabulous on you, it is a great find.

pirouette

It looks lovely on you the colour really suits you. I much prefer it without the belt.

LaPed

Veteran

I love that color combo too.

And I definitely think this is worth hemming. Could also take in the armholes to help raise the hemline (reducing gaping armholes is probably my most common alteration — even more so than shortening pants!).

At a midaxi length, it could also make a really cool duster vest over jeans and long sleeve tee!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, everyone!

The length is truly a tripping hazard as is. This dress is seriously long! Anyone under 5’8’ will likely need a bit of a hack if you don’t want it dragging on the floor. In bare feet or flat sandals it’s definitely dragging, and I would really like to wear it with flats.

I would love to take up the shoulder to close the armhole and shorten it a bit, but with that set on collar, it’s a bit more complicated of an alteration that way. I’ll ask my tailor. It may be that it won’t be able to be done in time for our trip, which would mean I’d only get to start wearing in in August, but that’s ok!

Great suggestions all! I like the duster idea!

Debora

Veteran

Love it, Janet! I’m looking forward to seeing it after the alterations. I’m usually very attuned to print placement, but I don’t see a problem with this.
A perfect vacation dress. Enjoy!

lyn67

Veteran

Love the dress (i have no problem with the print placement) esp unbelted (it will look even better after alterations!--2-4 princess seams would do great even without taking up the shoulders-and maybe you can do that yourself, for earlier use:-))) and LOVE LOVE LOVE the new-shorter hair in the same style!!!

RobinF

Veteran

Love it! The pattern would bother me if it wasn't lined up, as is I really like it. Love the haircut too!

Lucy

Beautiful dress--I really love the pattern! Have you considered re-ordering it in a petite size? That may fix the length (and possibly the under-arm issue as well) without having to take it to the tailor. Hair looks great too!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

The dress is fab on you, Janet. The style looks like you. Agree with shortening to midaxi so it works without a belt.

The armholes really give me pause, but I don't see how the collar really complicates the alteration all that much. You can take essentially a dart out of the shoulder seam, tapering to nothing at where the collar is. That will change how the dress hangs from the shoulder, though, as it's changing the slope of the shoulder line. But you can easily pin it up that way to see what effect it has.

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