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WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy

Vix

Veteran

Hi YLFers --

I've been riding out the (recent, now swapped for rain) PNW 90-100 weather in stuff you've seen or stuff no one should see.

Some of you may recall my sharing one of my Rent the Runway numbers -- a floral maxi (photo 4).

I absolutely love this type of print and the colors in it were pretty good for me. But when I wore it I felt a little too demure (despite the larger-than-realized keyhole opening, ha).

Having seen the dress also came in a high-energy print in my favorite flattering colors, I did a price watch. And when it went on mega-sale for Memorial Day weekend, I bought. And made the keyhole smaller.

Funny how those overall contrast levels and/or color combos make such a difference -- this felt instantly right when I put it on.

Don't know if anyone else has experienced similar?

ps Tall YLFers may want to keep an eye out for the Parker brand: unfortunately I didn't realize my RTR one was several inches shorter so this one had to go off not just for keyhole reduction but also for 4 INCHES of chopping despite 2.5 inch heels (I'm 5'4).

Photos 1 - 3: Owned dress, including lace bandeau over strapless since I get irritated trying to keep sides and more from showing
4: Rented dress, now back with RTR

[ETA] 5: Example of a recent favorite -- delicate floral print with a mix of muted and deep tones

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2
3
4
5

25 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

JAileen

Veteran

I prefer the print you bought, over the rental print. I really like it. Are you going to wear it to the wedding that you were testing out dresses for?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

That's fabulous on you, Vix -- I really love the vibrancy of the new print! Great decision! I can see how the other print (while beautiful) might feel too washed out and faded, somehow -- too "watercolour" in a way? Fascinating comparison.

I have a post to write also about print and my new grey. I have a theory developing, but I haven't been able to test it because the camera is still in DD's hands. I want to compare before and afters wearing the same print with different hair. My hunch (from looking in mirror) is that I am not as happy in prints that are all colour no neutral; that I am more "at home" in brighter and deeper colours from my old palette and even less at home in the more pastel tones of that palette (which never looked as good on me as they theoretically "should" have in any case.) Also, I look for/ want/ need white somewhere in the print now.

This might be different for you because you have a higher contrast colouring to start, and your hair includes dark and light now. Having said that, the print you chose includes white and vivid colour. And it looks beautiful on you. I hope you have some occasions to wear the new dress.

Sal

Veteran

Great dress, I love the print!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

What a difference a print makes! Your new dress is gorgeous on you.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Very interesting - I see what a difference the "high energy print" makes & I love the dress on you.

For me it's the opposite, I never really liked many prints but since switching to the soft autumn tones I love them. I believe this is because I'm now choosing low contrast ones

catgirl

Veteran

Love your print! I feel exactly the same about print colors which is why I posted about everyone's print styles last week. Often its the colors rather than the pattern that make the difference for me. The RTR is very batik in color to me.

Vildy

Veteran

To my eye, the one you bought has much more movement in the print. Reminds me of flowing water. I wonder if you'd like florals better if you discovered a print where the flower heads were wind tossed?

lyn67

Veteran

1-3 is indeed your high energy print and contrast level and looking just gorgeous! BUT l I do love nr 4, too!:-)
It all depends on your mood, or the event. The floral print and lower contrast level in nr 4 feels a bit more soft and feminine, still very very elegant and would look fab for the appropriate event, too!
Oh, and, thank you Vix for posting the "bandeau over a bra" trick for diminishing the va-va-voom effect of a bigger keyhole! It never occurred me to do that and avoided the keyholes on front like plague-now it seems, for nothing:-).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

The dress is killer beautiful on you, Vix. WOW.

May I suggest another set of foundation garments. The teal bandeaux is taking away from the beauty of dress to my eye.

Peri

Veteran

I usually get a feeling about things like this, but can't articulate why I like one thing and not another. I like the way you've explained this. And I really love the print in the last picture!

Eliza

Veteran

Love that dress on you. The colors are beautiful on you and it showcases your shoulders well.Enjoy it.

RobinF

Veteran

I love the style of these dresses and agree that the more vibrant print looks best on you.

Vix

Veteran

Good morning! I wasn't expecting so much activity last night -- usually it's just the Aus/NZ crew who are up! [waves to Caro and Kiwigal]

JAileen -- Glad you like it too! The name of the new one is kaleidoscope, which appeals to me on several levels. I may wear it to the wedding, but that's in the fall and this feels pretty summery to me. I bought this more to replace my 16 y.o. silk maxi since they're a summer staple for me.

Suz -- I keep waiting for this post of yours. It makes sense you want to repeat the white/grey tones in your "new" hair and that you need to fiddle with contrast levels (so pastels are dicey in large quantities).

To you and Vildy -- Yes, I probably wouldn't have committed to buying the floral but I really am a sucker for that style of print so renting was ideal. The background shade was a neutral lavender (so a bit too warm) but mostly it's still needing some deep/dark mixed into my prints I added photo #5 which has a *lot* of dark mixed with muted but you get the idea.

Kiwigal, Firecracker, Caro, and Alaskagirl -- Thank you! I'm feeling more zippy than ethereal these days so the new vs old print definitely appeals more! Caro, I can't quite picture you in prints [hint hint] but bet you look amazing in the ones from your palette done with the right contrast.

[That's how I felt about color til I stepped away from the BRIGHT high saturation jewel tones people were always forcing on me.]

Lyn and Angie -- Thank you both for chiming in; I see it's bandeau-over-bra love/hate here!

Angie, for better/worse this is what it is. I was fit for new strapless this summer and choices are limited due to band/cup/personal characteristics. You'd just see glimpses of a plunge bra [ETC,ha!] without it. If it makes you feel better it's less noticeable at certain times and I'll skip the bandeau in more beachy settings.

I had my tailor sew the keyhole an inch smaller but couldn't close it completely shut due to lack of fabric unless I went 2 sizes up then altered (complicated, spendy) since the hips were the best fit in this one.

I pass on a lot of styles I love due to bust/bra issues but didn't feel like missing out on this one!

retailgirl

Veteran

Thoughts on gray hair and prints: I think gray or salt and pepper hair reads as a print and looks busy with print clothing. Just my own personal observation, graphic prints or stripes are OK. But I love that last dress.

Chris987

Veteran

Both dresses look really beautiful to me...but totally get what you mean by one being more your thing than the other. I sometimes feel that way about blues....some are perfect some are not. It's great when you have some "rules" in your arsenal that you can fall back on repeatedly.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

retailgirl, that is so interesting. I will have something to say on that when I finally post. I think in Vix's case, it is more silvery grey in front and dark in back so more a colour-block effect than print, perhaps? But I hear what you are saying and think to some degree it applies to me. Of course some will depend on a person's feelings re pattern mixing.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Vix, why don't you wear the bra that you're wearing in #4 with the new dress. It's that easy!

Suz, Vix and Retailgirl, since I like pattern mixing, I like salt & pepper hair with patterns. It works especially well when the colours of the hair are reflected in the pattern. I see that happening in Vix's patterns here.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Angie, I agree. I think that is why I am craving white/ silver in the patterns I am enjoying most now, and why I am liking myself more in black/ white patterns or silver/ white or charcoal/ white (etc.)

I don't mind some pattern mixing either. Or some variegated "texture" effects. But some feels too "busy" for me near my face. So that is the other issue -- pattern placement with variegated hair. I always had this issue to some degree because of lots of colours in my blonde, as well. I recall that a variegated spec felt far too "busy" with my hair and esp. in combo with a patterned top.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suz, that makes perfect sense. Firecracker Sharan wears patterns that pick up the colours of her glorious salt & pepper locks particularly well.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh my heavens does she ever!!! And shapes also mirror her waves. She's genius at that. Pure harmony.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

The new dress is gorgeous and right for you. Interesting we have similar coloring but, perhaps, different personal energy. Too early to over contemplate this though.

Vix

Veteran

Sorry not to get back to this yesterday but I see I missed some interesting discussion re prints!

Eliza and RobinF -- thank you! One of my favorite dresses had a similar "tropical colors" feel and I missed it, so...happy to have this version! I can never quite decide if a straight dress on my relatively hip-impaired/straight figure is a do or don't for me but I tend to gravitate toward them anyway!

Peri, Chris987, and Shevia -- glad you know what I mean about some combos just not feeling quite "you" even when objectively they work and appeal. And thank you!

Retailgirl -- you kicked off some interesting comments re grey hair and prints; thanks for getting us all contemplating and thanks to Angie and Suz for chiming in again! I agree Firecracker is a master at picking her prints.

For me it's more a case-by-case thing since so many other factors (color, color combos, print shapes, contrast) all bias me toward liking a print on someone. But I can see why the variegation might seem like too much print/pattern.

I feel like I've had the opposite experience since letting the grey slooowly emerge -- in the past tonal prints in my deeper shades were favorites and the ones incorporating lighter tones were bought more for practical reasons (transitioning to warmer weather when I'd have more skin showing). But now I feel those are my best ones. I'm kind of hoping once the hair is less ombre this sensation will wear off!

ps Angie, it's not about the strapless, it's about the blouson + keyhole combo. From photos taken when wearing the rental out and about I realized the damn keyhole shifts up-down-sideways with results that are hardly scandalous, but not really a 100%-for-all-situations level of coverage for me personally. Hence not sharing them on YLF. For a fancy event, fashion tape will probably work and for beach trips etc it's a non-issue. And that's all I'm gonna say about this zone in a public forum LOL.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Got it. You also have the option of sewing the keyhole closed with a seam.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I love that dress and it looks gorgeous on you. I prefer the print you purchased -- very cool!

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, I agree about the zippy colour!