Hi Elle --
While I hear you on the Rectangle-ish Shape in a Wrap thing, I think you look *really* good in the dress.
[I can't help with the opinionated husband, though, unless my passing along a photo of a patchwork dress that includes a jaguar print will make him see how sedate the DVF is, thus convincing him to convert.]
The shoes do look great with it, but -- as someone who has had pro and DIY shoe stretching I can say the stretched pairs never end up being as comfortable as I'd wish. And the piping seems like it will resist molding to your foot.