WIW: old Burberry dress - YouLookFab Forum

This is only my second WIW since I joined YLF about a year ago, I am ashamed ...

I am wearing one of the very few quality pieces I have, a Burberry dress. It is a dark green corduroy and it is ancient, I bought it maybe 18 years ago. I had it hemmed shorter, so that I could showcase my legs. My legs are still OK, but such short lenght does not seem so great on a 48 woman, so now I have decided to wear it over pants. The pants I am wearing in the pic are grey jeggins, and about to fall apart (almost sheer between the thighs), so I need to replace them "now".

The shoes (shooties?) are the most expensive shoes I have ever had, I think they cost me about 150 euros a couple of years ago. I think they are beautiful but have proved to be very unconfortable. I have tried a variety of insoles to make them wearable, with little success. My latest move has been to take them to the cobbler to have them stretched out a little, lets hope that + insoles will make them more confortable (I still have not worn them for a few hours at a time to see if they are really better now).

I like this outfit but what do you think? Maybe looks dated? Ideas to improve it or time to get rid of the dress? (I resist the idea of getting rid of it).

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12 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

It's a great cut--and could work wearing as you are doing, as a tunic.
Though it's corduroy, I might play up its dressy aspects more, and wear with black or cognac leggings of a sort--meaning, the slimmest fit and a smoother fabric--that works for you. If not a legging then a slim ponte knit. Sort of more like a riding outfit but hmmm, might need to do something to not look too off to the hunt, or elfish. To me a more polished outfit might look better than denim. Or if you are a denim fan then a slimmer darkwash jean. I am so not the expert on tunics, or dresses over pants, though.

Caro in Oz

I understand why you would want to make the dress/tunic work - it looks good on your body. How do you feel in the dress? If you feel great then I would play around with styling options. Slim darker pants maybe?

If you are just trying to make it work because it was expensive then my advice would be to let it go. You may also want to explore why you resist getting rid of the dress - I've found that question to be helpful in my quest for a fully-functioning wardrobe. I've made some really awful mistakes with fashion but imo the secret is to learn from them & move on ::)

Clothes are there to support you - not the other way around. As for shoes mine must be comfortable otherwise out they go.

I like Caro's comment because you might want to ask, "how does this compare to other things I have that i could wear, or would want to wear? i don't see its value as being "Burberry" but only if it's a great style for you & you'd buy it today and like tunics or dresses over leggings. I think this is skin to the posts on outfit creation--even with items we like or love, there may be some ways to style said item that are do- able but not nearly as fab as others. How far you push item versatility( and longevity) is personal, but should be because you like the result, not because obliged to do so.

Suz

(website)

Caro is so wise. I love everything she said.

It applies to the booties, too -- really -- if they are not comfortable, they have no place in your closet any more.

Having said that -- the cut of the dress is superb on you and I love the way the cuffs echo the colour of the booties. I imagine the dress's colour is also very rich on you and the fabric sumptuous. I get awfully attached to good fabric. So tough to find in lesser quality garments.

And I love that you have posted! Keep posting! Please!

Gigi

I like the dress. It looks like a very traditional fit, which never goes out of style.

Have you tried wearing it with leggings and maybe knee-high boots? I wonder what that would do to the vibe.

I wish you luck with the shoe stretching! It is so frustrating to drop a lot of money on a pair of shoes and have them be uncomfortable. I have had good luck with Nordie's Superfeet insoles, Catwalk insoles, and Pedag Viva insoles. I think the Viva are the slimmest, if you don't have much room in the booties.

Niefern

Active Member

Thank you for your comments, they are very helpful.

I actually like this dress as much as when I bought it. It looks good to me, fits well, is confortable, well made and the fabric feels good. I appreciate its good quality. It is only that I had thought it might look dated to others as I do not see people wearing this style of dress around here. But if it does not look dated to you stylish ladies, I trust your judgement!

It had not occurred to me to wear it with black pants, for some reason I had thought it would look better with grey or lighter ones. But now that I think of it, I do pair some black pants I have with dark olive t-shirts, so you are right it should work.

I love how these shoes look and they seem to go with nearly everything I have. But I have to test them with a good insole now that they have been stretched by the cobbler. I need these shoes to be confortable for at least half work day (I go home for lunch), otherwise out they'll go.

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