Two wrap dresses: keep or donate? - YouLookFab Forum

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Two wrap dresses: keep or donate?

Mac

Veteran

I am trying to make a clear-eyed appraisal of every single item in my closet, and purge anything that doesn’t fit or that looks too tatty. At this point, I’m not styling any of the items for the snapshots... just Want to focus on whether or not they have potential.

Here: two wrap dresses. I had to lighten the pictures so you can see details, thus the colours are not exactly as shown. Keep or donate, please?

Thank you for your help. Xox

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Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from Kathie

Anonymous

I think these both look great.
I would only purge if you’re bored of them or they’re worn out, or for whatever reason you’re not wearing them enough.

bj1111

Veteran

Love the second one—wow.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I need to see the waist in the right place, first of all. Higher up.

Cute classics, Mac. Are you bored with them?

kellygirl

Veteran

They look like great fall transitional weather dresses. I can picture them with cognac boots! They can stand alone or with some layering—that would make them a keep for me!

Sara L.

Veteran

They both look fine to me. The fit is flattering on both of them. Do you like one more than the other?

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Mac, I'm trying to picture your usual style and needs without much success. I checked your profile- do you really have an "active preschooler" or is that from 8 years ago when you joined YLF? Forgive me, but these pics don't seem to suggest quite the age group for a preschooler? It would help me to give advice to understand your situation?

JAileen

Veteran

I think both dresses look good on you.

Mac

Veteran

Thank you for your input, ladies.

Yes, I will take some more photos with the waist at the right place - thank you for the suggestion, dear Angie! I feel like my backside doesn't look very nice in these - I wish they were a few inches longer - but maybe that's more due to how I feel about my backside than about the dress.

I am not bored of these.

Yes, I am a single mama to a very active 4 year-old son. Most days I'm in t-shirts and jeans or gear (trying to spend more time at the gym - have lost 15lbs since January 1st!) but I try to wear a dress at least once a week eg. dinner with a friend. And in the fall, I wear dresses like this fairly often with tights, boots and a topper and they are surprisingly comfy while playing with legos on the floor of the public library or chasing after a preschooler at the park.

xo

Anonymous

I like both of them and still think there is life in them for general use.

That said-I know this sounds horrible but.....

If you think you want to purge- stop for a moment and consider.......It's those kinds of pieces I keep in my closet in what I call my "death capsule". I usually wear colorful dresses and when my dad passed suddenly, mom and I had to go shopping for navy/black pieces even though we were not in any shape emotionally to do that. Now I always keep a capsule with a couple of dresses.

Sal

Veteran

I really like the first one on you - and think it is definitely worth keeping as it is such a flattering great classic that can be dressed up or down.

I am not so sure about the second one- I prefer the swooshiness of the first. But styling the second might make me change my mind as the fabric is lovely.

Synne

Veteran

I personally avoid wrap dresses. I don't like how they cling to the body and reveal "everything". I also feel they pull downwards, so to speak, and much better prefer woven dresses, or more structured ones. I also find them a bit aging on me. There's just something old-timey, "aunt"-y or whatnot about them, to my eye, even on twentysomethings! With that said, these dresses appear to fit you and look quite good on you. Do you fancy them yourself? The length and cut certainly does suit you. The colour and pattern is also good! Would you be happier in other dresses in the same cut? Our wardrobe-space is precious, as they keep saying around here!

3style

Veteran

Are these spring/ fall dresses? Would you wear them with tall boots? Toppers? Are they jersey? I’m feeling like you might prefer a woven shirt dress for that same classic look?

jussie

Veteran

They look great to my eyes.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

They seem like potentially useful pieces, even if you’re not thrilled with them. If you’re looking to purge one and keep one, the solid navy looks most versatile for a sudden funeral, meeting, something like that where you don’t want to make much of a statement. The pattern on the second one looks a tiny bit dated to my eye, but this could just be because my roommate in college had a similar dress, so it has time-specific associations for me.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I like them both and think they are classics.

Lucy

Veteran

I think you look lovely in both. I agree with others that wrap dresses are pretty classic - you could find exact items to buy right now! I'd wear them and enjoy them.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Oh sorry Mac your profile is right up to date then! Some Fabbers seem to leave their profiles alone for some time.
These dresses... I'm not enamoured of. The navy one looks so plain and to me boring, you probably won't feel this but I like more "oomph" to my clothes. Also I don't think it is sitting well. But then it could be useful as a backup dress like Efbgen suggests and Jessikams agrees.
I prefer the other one due to brighter, nicer pattern and colour to my eye.
But otherwise I'm kind of with Synne. I could never really see why Diane von Fustenberg became so famous with these dresses. But I must be wrong because she did!

Jane

Veteran

The first looks good to me. The second one (Boden?) looks okay but I’m not sure about the back, because it seems to sit in the lower part of your back so is slightly raised in the hem - but the colour is fab and I like the style of a wrap dress.

Scarlet

Veteran

I like them both.

Gigi

Veteran

I think they both look great. I assume that the second one can have its belt tied up a little higher on the waist?

Brooklyn

Veteran

I like the length of the first one but prefer the pattern of the second. How’s the length on the second one when you tie it higher up (at your waist)? I tend to think a bit of length looks more elegant in a wrap dress.

Kathie

Veteran

My gut instinct is to keep them, or at least put them in a holding zone, until we’ve seen what other dresses might fill a similar role. There is something slightly off with the waist in the back, but tying it higher might help. Also, are your shoulders uneven? If so, a more structured fabric might help. Or, if you keep them, I’d have them tailored so that the shoulders match, and the hems are even across the bottom.