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19 June 2008

Dear MeCha style mavens: help me find the perfect dress [More:]

*sigh* I need some better summer dress options. I'm going to hit some thrift stores and consignment shops but I'd like to poll the MeCha braintrust and see what fun, current, affordable and cute internet shopping options might exist out there. WARNING: I'm kind of picky, so here are [some of] my preferences.

Fabrics: cotton, linen, silk or rayon. Jersey, fine knits, eyelet or crochet is okay too.

Cut: if it currently exists in the faux-preggo-top hell of this summer's fashion wasteland, I prefer fitted natural waists and a-line or pleated/full(ish) skirts. I have wide shoulders, a tiny waist and bike racer butt/thighs (aka: not fat, but definitely there), so empire waists turn me into a cube.

Length: I'd rather stick to above the knee lengths (can go as short as mid-thigh). Long full dresses make me look like a dwarf dragging a curtain, and at-the-knee hemlines cut my short legs in half so they look even shorter.

Necklines: halter, square, camisole or tank, prefer sleeveless or set-in (military style) to cap, ruffle or flutter sleeves, as my shoulders don't need more emphasis. and owing to the fact that I have the chest of a 10-year-old girl, boxy square necks with fitted waists (think Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, tho it's a tad long) look nice on me.

Colours: ivory (preferable to white-white), earth tones (khakis, tans, russet, olive, red-browns or golds), aquamarine or french blues, bold prints are good, and in certain styles/mixes can even trump my hatred of pinks/purples; for example I have an ivory silk tunic top in a big bold purple iris print that I adore.

DO NOT WANT: empire waists (no maternity tops kthx) denim, polyester, black, neon, pastels or calico "granny prints".

Here are some "near miss rejects" of mine:

Example 1. love the fabric and the neckline but the waistline cut is made of FAIL. Plus, it's too expensive.

Example 2. I adore the details and the colour, would be tempted to buy even at that price if it were a touch more fitted thru the waist.

Example 3. Everything about this is great, except the waistline (again) and the polyester fabric (I'd love that print or a red/orange version in cotton or silk).

Example 4. I'd buy this in a heartbeat except that's a goodly chunk of our next mortgage payment.

*sigh* perhaps it's simply time, at long last, for me to learn how to sew... ugh!
She's mad as a hatter, wildly overpriced, but her clothes are pretty... and perfect for women with hour-glass figures, or figures that aren't boyish and square.
posted by jonathanstrange 20 June | 00:42
I had such a long comment written out but then MeCha broke. But I found some lovely dresses for you at Urban Outfitters and Target (insane prices!).

As I have just got up and haven't had coffee yet, my brain isn't up for finding them again right now but I'll look again later.
posted by essexjan 20 June | 00:55
I think a sheath dress--which is classic-- similar to 2 in a color you like would work. Antropologie and UO are both run by a Santorum supporter, so I would look elsewhere.
posted by brujita 20 June | 01:04
This comes in some great colors, is affordable, looks like it hits at your natural waist, is rayon, and seems to float away a bit below the waist. (Unfortunately, has cap sleeves, but they look like regular t-shirt style sleeves to me.)
posted by birdie 20 June | 01:58
Example 4. I'd buy this in a heartbeat except that's a goodly chunk of our next mortgage payment.

You need to hit my vintage shops with me, i can find you lots of these!

also underrated - H&M are currently in a vintage fad and have dresses this shape (with sleeves) in off-white lace on off-white fabric. very cool and cheap. Quality not superb though, a little 'heavy'.
posted by dabitch 20 June | 04:06
this is the TYPE of lace you should keep an eye out for at H&M - except that one is black and the wrong model. hehe. H&M have an idiotic site where you can see any clothes, so you just need to a hit a large H&M around your parts and look for the lace dresses - when I last checked mine they had three different colors (cream, brown and something yellowish - I never saw a black one they probably sold out quick in my hood) and three different models (non-waist, long sleeves A-line which was adorable, waisted short sleeve classic cocktail dress with a belt). The only reason I didn't get one was that all the ones I could find were too large except the brown long-sleeve and that clashed something awful with my hair.
posted by dabitch 20 June | 04:12
Reading this I'm rather glad I'm not a woman. It seems so complicated...
posted by jouke 20 June | 04:25
Nine West has similar dresses to a few that you linked. The Macy's here carried a bunch of them, in their better dresses section.

If there's a Zara by you, that may be worth checking out, too. Their stuff runs a little small, usually, but they had all sorts of cute dresses and skirts and such when I was there last time. (Their website is a horrendously annoying flash thing, so I'm refusing to link.)
posted by occhiblu 20 June | 13:52
okay I'll try to respond to this thread one more time... everytime i touch it tho, MeCha friggin breaks so it's making me paranoid.

occhi, thanks. and yes, what is up with fashion designer's obsession with shitty Flash/splash pages? that one jonathanstrange linked is positively infested.

jonathanstrange: despite the flash nonsense, I'd buy all of those if I could freaking afford them.

jouke: indeed, dudes are lucky. finding a cute (non-trashy) dress is a major PITA, especially considering that most everything these days is designed for some bizarre alien species of woman that is 6 feet tall and shaped like a twelve-year-old boy.

jan, I eagerly await your input.

dabitch: damn, I wish I could go thrifting with you. My recollection of Europe is that y'all are better dressed and less trendy than us Yanks.

UPDATE: the mister is taking me thrifting in Cap Hill and the Baker District tomorrow. As he has one of the better hetero male fashion senses I've ever encountered, will let you know how it turns out.
posted by lonefrontranger 20 June | 14:22
Does this kind of calorie calculator exist? || 1993filter

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