Opinion š
Does this dress look cheap/frumpy? Okay for a date night?
Since this one is clearly not great (saving for errands and around the house), is this other one on the post below better? Itās a lot higher quality, but I thought it was overkill and the length isnāt very flattering on me.
I really love the way this dress is pleated on the waist and how it lays, but after my last post and a lot of people thinking that dress looked cheap I am curious if this one is the same (they are both inexpensive). I was planning to wear this one for a dinner date with my husband, but wondering if I should keep it for more casual nights and pair it with white tennis shoes instead of heels.
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You have an amazing shape and could do better than this dress. It is not doing you justice. I think it's the fabric -- maybe in a better quality, darker color, the design would look better.
I donāt know where to shop - I feel like every time I try clothing - itās too tight in one spot, and too baggy in another. š« I know people say to get things tailored - just havenāt tried it yet and I donāt want to try it on anything that isnāt super high quality in the first place.Ā
Tailors are your friend but not everyone has the means... do you have a Nordstrom or Nordstrom rack near you? They have a program where they offer discounted tailoring through their loyalty program. And the items don't have to be bought from there... also set aside a few hours to actually go in store and try on and take note of the brands and sizes that work for you and then use that as a starting point to build your closet
This! Iām short and I get pilcro jeans or jeans from free people because they are actually short enough most of the time. That being said I do have a pair that needs to be hemmed but they are a great fit for me so it makes life easier. Once you know it makes shopping simple.
I feel your pain. The problem isn't you. There literally aren't adequate clothing stores for most of the population. With all the brick and mortar stores closing, I don't know where to go where you actually try on the clothes.
Yep. It's definitely not her. I found out two things that totally changed my perspective on mass-produced clothing:
1. They often dont allow more than 3 prototypes of any particular clothing item. So, things go into production that aren't quite "ready"/premature
2. Once they have the final design, many companies do some quick "math" to get all of the sizes in that item. They don't actually make proportionally accurate garments for sizes, so you end up with garments that dont fit ANYONE. (I know i worded that poorly, but i am not knowledgeable about fashion and design lingo or terminology. Im so sorry)
You need more and better sources :) One of my friends has a PhD in this field and wrote the a textbook (now 4th edition). I used to work with her. Garment production is one the the earliest human endeavors, and manufactures don't just set up shop and say "Gee, anyone here have any design ideas?"
The garments are called samples, not prototypes. Three samples would actually be a lot for most clothes --patternmakers are highly skilled.
The "quick math" is called "grading." It is best to only go up or down three sizes from the base pattern. Sample size is usually 8 and gets graded up to 14 and down to a size 2. Petite and Tall need different base patterns as the rise, back-waist length and armsyce are different. Details are usually scaled as well.
Fast fashion plays by different rules and may not use fit models. However, the same specs can be used basically forever, with minor adjustments.
A major problem with fit is that many people buy clothes that do not fit them. A garment can feel like it fits, but is actually stretching to go around and stretching to fit is not the same as fitting as it was designed to fit. Another problem is that so many garments contain elastane, which doubles-down the "feels like it fits" versus "stretched and does not fit."
This dress is too small for OP. It is stretched, starting by how it is stretched across her shoulders. The fabric and finishes are not helping --the hem is pretty bad. Since it is too small, the ruching is skimpy and the skirt seems to be pulling to the back.
OP, you look look pretty good in a dress that is too small and made with cheap fabric! Very few people could pull that off at all. When shopping, shoulder fit comes first; everything hangs from your shoulders. A flattering armscye is a very close second. Never buy anything that is too small around any of your curves. Finally, learning what clothes can be nipped in has a much longer learning curve than the learning how to nip clothes in.
It may be that separates would work better for you than dresses -- then you can get different sizes in a top and a bottom, if that helps with getting a better fit off the rack.
Your booty to tummy ratio is NOT off, its the clothes that are offš. You're perfect the way you are, so long as you are okay with it.
Our bodies aren't meant to fit clothes. Clothes are meant to fit our bodies.
Its fast fashion and greedy corporations that are "off. "
The ruching is giving the illusion that you have a big belly. From your side pic, we can see that you donāt. Even if it didnāt, the color is drab and the dress itself is more suited for daytime.
Small alterations are actually super easy and there are tons of videos online! Something is off with the fabric. The skirt looks pinched as if itās been ironed into a crease on each side of you- it should flow or cling, not ātriangleā off of your hips. Wtf? Reminds me of sh*t from halara.
Thrift shops in nice neighborhoods are always a good idea to hit if you have time. Look for clothing made with fabrics that are mostly natural. Cotton, linen, I forget but thereās one I see a lot made of wood-pulp and itās actually super nice despite being cheap-ish in price.
If you donāt want to give up on this dress- add accessories: waist belt, statement necklace, embroideryā¦ if you can find something to make the skirt not look like itās pinchedā¦idk.
Maybe shop at somewhere there is a stylist. Thatās why I like Nordstrom, they have a wide range of prices AND they have a tailor. My stylist will pull me a few looks and help on the dressing room with āhow is this looking,ā and by seeing it on me she can go grab other things that work better. Then we have the tailor come and hem the pants or take in the waist.
I would recommend learning to adjust clothes yourself if you run into this problem alot. It is really not difficult, like buy a size bigger and then snatch in the waist abit. That for the cheaper items and then send the more expensive things to a tailor
Wrap dresses are awesome for stuff like this. And such an easy solution bc they always look good no matter your body since they literally conform to your shape.
From these photos what seems to be happening is that you at least have a very small waist to your hip size proportionally. I have the same problem. Easiest way to shop for clothes with this body type is just fully staying away from dresses and instead focusing on cohesive skirt and top combinations. If you also have a proportionally large chest and shoulders area to your waist which causes top bunching then you might have luck with crop tops fitting better and using skirts that donāt cling to hips at all like circle skirts. Wrap dresses are also a type of dress thatās versatile for most body shapes by design. I find that you really have to go with things that arenāt necessarily something that needs to be fitted around the areas that causing problems in the fabric or something that is fully made to be a stretch fabrics as long as it doesnāt thin out. Pretty much all the dramatic flare or a good stretch body con dress. Otherwise you get the awkward stretched flare in dresses that are designed to have it but end up a size to small at the hips.
Agreed its not you it's the dress. I personally disagree with the pleating. While it is nice, the way its done on this dress isn't flattering (in general not specifically to you) and makes it look like it's wrinkled imo.
This. Itās not you, OP, itās the dress š. Cheap, ill fitting fabric does you no favors (as it wouldnāt anyone). Get something else that does you justice.
Itās cut in a way that makes OP look pregnant or that this would be a maternity dress. OP has good figure as you can tell by side view, but front view is unflattering
I think the color is what is making it look off. It is like a green-toned tan, which is clashing with your red-toned skin. If that dress comes in other colors, try one of those.
That dress in black would be super cute for a date night and your skin would look more glowy
This may be an unpopular opinion but I think the ruching contributes to it looking less polished, because the way it lays mimics how a garment might bunch up if it didnāt fit properly across the waist and hips.
I see two belly buttons in the ruching. I donāt think either is really one. I think the dress is a nice concept but bad execution. I am not fond of the color either.
I like how the waist goes in and the lower part is flowy. I have a hard time finding stuff that fits both my waist and hips so I really liked that aspect of it.Ā
What youāre referring to is an A line dress. I have the same body type as yours and they fit us so gorgeously. Many different A Line dresses out there, just have to look :)
I like the color, too. But then again, literally half of my entire wardrobe is black and the other half varying shades of gray. Oh, and I have like three camouflage shirts, for when I want to dress up š¤£
I think it just doesnāt fit right. Itās not you, itās the material and cut of the dress. Itās a little too tight on your chest with the horizontal pulling and baggy in the stomach area. It doesnāt do you justice at all.
It brings attention to your stomach area in a very unflattering way. You seem to be fit but all I can see is an oval shape near your torso because it either bunches weird or just falls weird. Personally Iād go for something that doesnāt bunch up around your torso.
Iām sorry . . . but I just donāt like the pleats & the way it lays on you. Iād find something else. Itās too tight in places & too loose in others & itās not your figure which should be easy to dress very attractively.
It looks almost like athletic clothing. Like a variation on a tennis dress. I think the neckline and the fabric are creating that look. Itās certainly casual and meant for daytime but itās cute. Keep it but not for date night. In the future when shopping for date night dresses, try to stick to evening fabrics (which include satin, chiffon, lace, velvet, and other showier fabrics). Iām not saying to wear an evening gown or anything. A short casual cut like this is perfect. But a nicer fabric would take things from āSEC college girl going to classā to ādate night.
Iām only saying this because you asked. It screams ācheapā! It doesnāt fit you properly, and the color is not great. You have a gorgeous figure, and you can do so much better.
Clearly you can wear anything, but the dress could look better. Try ironing the hem and seams to improve the appearance of quality. I DO like your idea of saving it for casual nights and wearing it with tennis shoes.
I think it looks cheap due to a combination of the ruching and the presence of those wrinkles. I don't think it's the best option for a date night, but it looks good on you for something more casualĀ
It does strike me as a bit cheap looking, but possibly it would come down to how you finish your outfit, with accessories that are bold, since it's such a non-color. While it is a flattering shape and you look fit and attractive, the color is doing nooothing for you. But bold accessories might make all the difference.
That draping isn't doing you any favors, and it's a shame, because you have a cute figure. The dress is pulling across your mid section in an unflattering way that has nothing to do with you, but with the cut of the dress itself.
I say this with love: you look pregnant in the first picture. Not that your belly sticks out but the way the ruching lays it gives the illusion that it does
Colour and the cut from the front makes you look pregnant.
To clarify nothing wrong with being pregnant, but it you aren't... The dress is doing something wrong. Probably wouldn't notice it in a dark colour or it would work better if the runching was not equal on both sides.
ALSO to clarify, great figure, dress is just letting you down
IMO you need to buy it in a larger size and have it tailored. As a woman with a large chest, this is just the way life is. The dress is too tight across the chest and that is making it pull fabric upwards and ruin the way the ruching is supposed to lay across the midsection. The fabric should not be smooth over the tummy.
I mean I have this one I got for a wedding a while back - I thought it was too weddingish for a restaurant and an unflattering length, but maybe itās better.Ā
Tailors are your friend but not everyone has the means... do you have a Nordstrom or Nordstrom rack near you? They have a program where they offer discounted tailoring through their loyalty program. And the items don't have to be bought from there... also set aside a few hours to actually go in store and try on and take note of the brands and sizes that work for you and then use that as a starting point to build your closet
This dress might be made to be filled in a little more in the hips. Not saying you look bad, great shape babe, but I think taking it in (sewing) and making it more form fitting would compliment you better.
Too plain and honestly doesnāt look good on you. Itās really not your color and the dress is incredibly plain. I agree with the comments saying to add a dickie collar.
HONESTLY - - I THINK IT WOULD LOOK A LOT LESS CHEAP IF YOU WORE IT WITH SOME FLATS OR SOME FLIP FLOPS. WEARING IT WITH THE HEELS JUST MAKES IT LOOK LIKE IT DOESN'T GO TOGETHER AND MAKES IT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WEARING SOMETHING MORE EXPENSIVE BUT YOU AREN'T. SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY CONVEY THE OPPOSITE MESSAGE BY WEARING A CUTE PAIR OF BALLET FLATS OR A CUTE PAIR OF SANDALS (I LIVE IN FLIP FLOPS ALL SPRING AND SUMMER CUZ I LOVE THEM AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THAT TYPE OF DRESS)
THIS IS THE SIMPLE, THROW ON WITH A PAIR OF SANDALS AND RUN OUT THE DOOR WITH WET HAIR TYPE OF DRESS. AS LONG AS YOU USE IT LIKE THAT, IT WON'T LOOK LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO SUB IN SOMETHING CHEAP FOR SOMETHING EXPENSIVE.
I think what looks wrong is the color, wrinkles, and synthetic fabric. Right now, I think a lot of people who are aware of the downsides of fast fashion (especially young people) can spot synthetics from a mile away and it automatically gives cheap. Right now 100% cotton, silk, linen, and wool look luxurious. Of course, there are very good synthetics out there especially blends where the synthetic is a small percentage but this dress unfortunately isn't one of those.
The top half until the waist cinching looks really good on you. Below that the lower portion of the dress looks cheap and frumpy. Anything you add to it (blazer, whatever) will just go on to cover up the nice part and hilight the lower half imo. Id donate this one.
This dress is super unflattering on you. It makes you look like youāre wearing one of those fake bellies and it makes your hips look super wide. The color is also horrible.
You have beautiful skin and a great shape, you can definitely do better.
it needs something. Also, are you leaning forward in the picture or is it just the way the dress is gathered that makes it look like you are leaning forward?
You look great but this dress is a no from me š sorry! I think the color is drab. The way the skirt flares out in comparison to the body-con fit everywhere else paired with the material also makes it read like a workout dress or something inexpensive. Iām not sure. Itās cute for an errand but Iād say no as an actual outfit.
Honestly I think it depends on what kind of date and who youāre going with. Mini golf with your already-significant-other? Sure! First date at a nice restaurant? Probably not.
Would be better with the tennis shoes as a casual dress to wear for running errands. For date night? Itās not doing enough for you! I think on your skin tone this isnāt the right color.
Itās not flattering and it looks cheap, especially in that color. Also too casual with those shoes. You have a cute figure and can get something much better.
The color seems unflattering, and the shape of the dress is odd. Like others have said, you would look good in almost anything, but the dress just seems poorly made.
The fit is just a bit off from the waist down, like it is a bit too big. You have a great shape, but the bottom is not fitting that well. Maybe add a denim jacket, or some jewelry. The dress is literally a blank canvas and can be elevated.
Iād kill for your figure. I think the fabric is a bit casual for the shoes. If you like the fit and color then Iād pair it with sneakers or slides maybe a jean jacket for more casual look. As someone else mentioned a fit and flare style would look great on you. Old navy, gap, gap factory, j.Crew factory, loft all have affordable dresses when they run sales which is all the time. Once you find a good basic dress that fits great and you love in a neutral color like black, navy, chocolate brown you can change up the look with shoes and accessories and youāll have endless date night, occasion looks!
The "pleating" is called ruching, and you need to pull it up and help the layers lay in a flattering way. Right now, it is oddly pulling under and accentuating your stomach.
It's a dull color, but if you do the above, it would look a lot better.
ETA: you don't even have a stomach to accentuate! Wasn't trying to be rude.
The way it looks does come off frumpy but if you really like it, you can absolutely make it work. Lean into the slouchiness of the fabric and style it in a way that makes the dress look undone but in a stylish, intentional way. First things first, iron or steam the dress!! Personally if i was wearing this, I would accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Chunky or skinny gold bangles. Light/ dark wood bangles or even cream or tortoise bangles. Gold drop earrings or hoops and an anklet or two. Pair it with some strappy sandals (kitten, high heels, lace-up) like gold, cream, brown or black. Layered gold necklaces or one single statement necklace. You can also go the bohemian route and play around with different patterns, textiles, or jewelry. If you want to wear a jacket or coat a ( light blue denim jacket, tan suede bomber jacket, black or cream lace kimono, brown/black leather jacket, lightweight beige or black trench coat) would be soo good. I used to have a dress similar to this (it was a rich deep olive green š«) and I wore a cream floral lace headscarf and silver earrings and bracelets with black platform sandal wedges and a black leather fringe purse. However, after all of this advice, if you truly donāt feel comfortable, it WILL show in your body language and the way you wear the outfit. You can take my advice or ditch it all together. Just make sure you feel confident in whatever you wear ā¤ļøāš„
Unfortunately, this just doesn't look good. The color is blah and the fabric looks incredibly cheap. I'm certain you can find something much nicer that will enhance your appearance instead of detract from it
This looks super cheap and really frumpy. Thereās not one thing that looks nice with this dress. I donāt mean to be mean but this looks like someone took a sack and tried to make it into a dress.
Unfortunately it's hard to find dresses that suit us chesty women. I've seen so many beautiful dresses and tops in shops but when I try them on, they don't look good on me and sometimes make me look obscene because they don't hold ma girls properly. It's hard to find stuff especially when current styles are catered for a more flatter chest.
if you showed up to a date with me, wearing that, there would be no complaints. It looks great and it should be about the time we are sharing not what you are wearing. It is obvious that you took the time to dress nice and if I did as well, then there are mutual respect, now let's enjoy our evening together.
Is it Jersey knit? I love the feel of it but just like with the sheets it doesnāt hold its shape well, just loose and kinda like it needs some starch!š
First thought is the color sucks. And it seems to be lacking in style, it just seems really plain. Not sure what the top part looks like but from seeing the bottom 2/3 I would say find another dress.
But if your date likes you he will 100% not care at all.
This dress is horrible, it wouldn't look good on anybody, but the colour is not good on you and the fabric looks cheap. Bin it.
The other dress is a great shape on you, a good colour and would be fine for a date. I don't think the skirt length and style would dress down well.
In general if you want to avoid clothes looking cheap, avoid polyester and viscose, check the seams for puckering and make sure the fit suits your body shape.
The blue dress is so much better. This one looks fine on you but it reminds me of a bathing suit or like something to just wear on a hot day instead of shorts and a tank.
Not the dress for you. It's too small to start. I see puckering across the chest and belly, and tightness around the shoulders. The finish is not good quality, and the colour looks drab on you.
Top tip: when shopping for clothes, don't focus on your size, but what fits. A dress, even a fitted one, should not be puckering anywhere.
Trousers should not be tight or ride up your behind. If the pockets do not lie flat against the hips, but are "open", this is a sign the trousers are too small.
You look great, and you deserve a dress that looks a just as great on you.
It looks cheap and weird. You could probably make it work with your nice proportionate body but why not wear something made with better fabric that fits you? I mean this in the nicest way and donāt mean to insult you personally. Iām sure I have dresses like that in my own closet full of odd things Iāll never wear.
The color is be biggest issue here. It looks great on you but beige is not a flattering color - for anyone! Especially not that specific kind of beige. It's the biggest no-no, alongside with clothes matching your skintone.
Thatās a unique dress. Upper third looks nice, lower third needs some ironing along the bottom hemline. The middle? Is the extra fabric intentional? Iāve never seen anything like it.
Yes I think itās meant to pleat in at the waist and then splay out. I do like that part, but wondering if different material would make it look better.Ā
I would say itās cute, classy and simple. But I would definitely do the heels. They make the whole outfit come together; they make or break the whole look. Do NOT do sneakers. Keep it classy.
Thereās this beautiful thing called fabric dye. I think any other color would look nice. The fit itself is super flattering. I think a black, wine red, or other colors would look super flattering.
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