It's funny, I feel great in this, but my first thoughts were that I didn't want others to think I looked overtly sexy or [gasp] cheap! For instance, I can bet my BF would tolerate, but not love this number Objectively I can see the image in the mirror and say I like how that looks on 'her'. Airin, I was 40 when the pic was taken, turned 41 recently.
I let it go in the store but now can eBay for $25 door to door. I have 40 hours to accept the offer and am leaning towards a yay. I can't seem to get enough red lately . . .

I like it and you look good in it. And the price is right for an item that you will wear when you are experimenting outside your comfort range.

I think it is actually hard to judge if we can't see it full-length over the jeans. Maybe for 25 bucks it is worth the risk. sorry if I am wishy washy and not helping

Hmmm. I guess I'm the odd one out here. I think the dress looks FANTASTIC. It's form-fitting, but it really doesn't reveal much skin at all. It fits you very well. The color is gorgeous. I really like the shoulder cut-outs - they make it a bit edgy. If you're wearing it over skinnies, how could it possibly look slutty or cheap? The only skin that will be showing will be your shoulders and a bit of your neckline.

So, um, in summary: buy it.

I have been thinking about your dress dilemma, Malina, and I feel like it's an awful lot of work to make a $25 dress feel right, isn't it? I mean, there are so many dresses out there in the world that are going to look MUCH better on you...so I'd say pass. You're not hard to fit and certainly not hard to flatter. You'll find a better red dress out there somewhere.

Get out of my head, Maya:) I was just returning to this thread to say the same thing.

One of the things I've learned here is that if you have to work too hard to make it right, then it's a pass. I'd pass on this one.

I agree with Maya and Beth, if the dress requires alterations beyond a basic hemline I would pass. That' s a lot of work for a dress that's not for a formal event requiring custom tailoring (such as a gown to a wedding). You have a great figure and another dress will come along shortly I'm sure, why settle.

I think you look great in it, but shoulder cutouts always make me think cheap or callgirl (no offense - I'm an old lady sometimes)

Mo, you have a knockout figure and this dress fits you to a tee!

I'm personally not a fan of the cutouts (somehow I totally ignored everything in fashion in the 80s), but for $25 I'd probably get it, give it a wear and see how I felt. If I felt too sexy (or whatever), I'd consider removing the sleeves or always throwing something over it (but that better be a something you already own!), or seeing what a tailor can do (short or elbow length sleeves maybe).

But I get reckless with buying things that don't cost an arm and a leg. . . .

Strange question, but does scrunching up the sleeves change the overall effect any?

Hi Mo! After I had read your post, before I looked at the photo, I was expecting to see a bodycon number with cleavage, Latin Ballroom style, e.g. http://images.asos.com/inv/n/2.....age1xl.jpg
I was pleasantly surprised to see how very demure this frock is; it has loads of coverage. I particularly like the long sleeves - they have an "evening glove" vibe. As long as the fabric is not too clingy under the rear - a chance you'll just have to take if you purchase - I don't consider this frock "revealing". To me you look stylish. The cutouts are dramatic - but they do not read "trashy" to me - cutouts are what you see celebs wearing on the red carpet all the time e.g. http://images.asos.com/inv/med.....age4xl.jpg
Here is Halle Berry's just-on-knee-length cutout frock:
http://images.empora.com/image.....rry/gucci-
and here is a design that has only been in my local stores 2 months: http://www.madisonmag.com.au/a.....93x554.jpg
So if you like the cutouts, why not keep them? many trends of the moment are not to everyone's taste, but hey, you can't please everyone. This could be an opportunity to put into practice Angie's recent post advice about trying things that you wouldn't normally wear. I think buying cheaply is a good way to road-test anything that is more dramatic/statement/eyecatching than what you are used to.
PS. For accessories, I would suggest geometric simplicity (check out red carpet looks again for ideas), so as not to distract from the shoulder effect. I would skip a necklace altogether, and wear a statement ring(s) - and possibly some plain and simple thin hoop earrings.

It seems this all boils down to shoulder cut outs! So I either buy the dress, accept the cut outs as a new daring thing for me, with the idea of maybe altering it if possible, but if not - oh, well! And interestingly, Maya, I have NOT found a flattering red dress in years. Somehow this top doesn't have the low armpit holes and too wide across the chest, etc that I always run into. And it's the perfect shade of red. Let's put it this way, I spent hours on the 'net looking for a suitable replacement with full shoulders and came up empty.
So I have to decide if cut away shoulders are alluring, or tacky . . . Thanks everyone for weighing in. I have to say this brings my own ideas of what is 'trashy' under the microscope. I read an article about how these cutouts can be done well on the red carpet or badly a la Jersey Shore lol. And lyrebirdgully, yes, the necklace is too much! I had it on while shopping . . .

I think now isn't really the season for long sleeved dresses, though. Just a thought.

True, Maya. Oddly, it was snowing yesterday still in Tahoe so it would be just fine if I were home lol. I do have those cognac boots bought at the tail end of winter and then sprained the ankle, so that's one item already sitting in the closet waiting for next season!

Mo, did you see the sleeveless jersey wrap dress in red with the knot front on ESPRIT.com? they have free shipping and returns, right now a 40% off sale.

I tried to add the photo here for you, but I wasn't able to save it in the right format. If you are curious, search the site for "red wrap dress."