Today one of the link ups I am participating in is Royally Waiting . Although it may sound funny I have been waiting on a denim dress that actually looks good on me! Crazy, right? I mean really just about everyone has a denim dress they throw on and it looks good. It’s like a good LBD, one of the items every woman should have in her closet. For the blonde, however, the right one just seems to elude me.
A denim dress is versatile and the right one can be worn practically year round. With a cute scarf and boots or booties in Fall, add a heavier sweater or blazer for Winter, and with cute sandals or heels in Spring and Summer. By changing out accessories the possibilities are endless. So today I thought I’d share the results of my search for the perfect denim dress and some of the dilemmas I have faced. For the record I can be like a dog with a bone when I get something in my mind so it’s not likely I’ll give up anytime soon. On top of that I don’t think my body is too hard to fit; I’m fairly proportionate (at least I was before Spring Break and the carb fest that ensued) so why is this difficult for me? Brace yourself as I share the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think we’re both likely to learn something here!
First up is the cutest, softest dress from Nordstrom Rack. When I saw it I swear I heard angels sing! Apparently that’s why I just grabbed it and bought it without trying it on (otherwise known here as Lesson 1). In my defense I was in a hurry after leaving an inservice and held it up and yeah, it looked like it would fit. Um, no. No ma’am. Not this time. Take a look. It’s just too big and bulky. The pockets make me look wider than necessary (actually is it ever necessary?) and this dress clearly does nothing for me. Pretend you don’t see the wrinkles because I ACTUALLY IRONED IT BEFORE TAKING THIS PICTURE. Who does that? Me. The soft denim wrinkles like nobody’s business, so back ya go!
Next up is a dress I found online at Gap. I got such a great deal on this dress! But there are a couple of problems with this one. I ordered it in a small and it fit well everywhere except in the chest area #dangboobs. The snap buttons pulled but it fit everywhere else. While I was trying it on I realized how dumb it was of me to get a dress with long sleeves because hello Florida heat! That’s Lesson #2 – look for a good fabric weight for your climate. So back it was for this one. You’ll notice I did not iron this one #lessonlearned.
Still not giving up I tried Target. This dress is cute and reminded me of the first one I tried at Nordstrom Rack. It’s off the shoulder style and frayed hem is so on trend this season. But I was not feeling the love. I think part of the problem here (in addition to looking like a sack of potatoes) is that I can’t wear this to work, even on casual days. Off the shoulder is not work appropriate in a school setting. Get the dress here if you’re interested. It really is cute and depending on your needs it could work for you. Lesson #3 make sure you can wear the dress in a variety of settings and that it suits your needs. In my case not being able to wear it to work was a game changer.
Before I ventured into Target I placed an online order from Gap because they had a sale and I saw some cute options. When I returned home from my Target trip my order from Gap was waiting for me! This tencel, off the shoulder, tie waist dress is lovely! I ordered both a small and a medium because #freereturns. The medium was too big and the small was just too short for me. And the tie waist is not a good look on me – I have no waist and this doesn’t look good. I realized this once I had it on and tried to lift my arms. Lesson #4 make sure you try moving around in the dress, raise your arms to check the length. There’s nothing worse than a dress that’s too short! And again with the off the shoulder bit and not wearing it to work.
Now this last dress has me thinking. This denim popover, short sleeved dress seems to meet all my needs. It’s not too short, it has short sleeves, the fit seems ok, I ordered it in a medium. But after all of that I am not sure I am in love. And one thing I learned from the closet clean out (back in January) is that I need to feel some kind of excitement. I’m not sure I feel it in this dress. That’s Lesson #5 be sure you really LOVE the dress (or whatever you’re trying on) and you’re not just buying it because of the price or because everyone else has one.
I hope you enjoyed the lessons I learned from my denim dilemma. That’s what’s in This Blonde’s Shopping Bag today! Now tell me, do you have a denim dress?
Fashionably yours,
Kellyann
Linking up with Get Your Pretty On,Royally Waiting, The Blended Blog
