(Dorothy Perkins, see others on my Pinterest board)
I’m not very good at being fancy.
Such being the case, you’d be surprised to know how much I love to wear a good dress.
Or maybe you aren’t surprised, just by nature of never having given any thought to what I wear because you don’t give a rat’s behind.
That’s fair.
Regardless, the problem with really loving to wear a good dress is needing to buy a good dress, and before buying that dress, finding one that fits absolutely every part of your body. The French have a word for such a task: impossible. I’m the sort of unfortunate cartoon of a woman who needs to buy different sized tops and bottoms when getting a swimsuit, one with an “extra small” tag and the other with “extra large.” Such proportions do not bode well for a dress shopping experience.
Still, determined as I am, I spent the weekend clutching a fist full of birthday money and prowling the mall (money from cards that had all been scrawled with “FOR CLOTHES,” if that tells you anything about the state of what I’ve been wearing). I also spent that weekend crying into drive-thru soft serve. There are few things that contribute to poor body image so dramatically as ill fitting clothes do, and few things that settle the matter so poorly as drive-thru soft serve.
Why am I telling you all this?
I don’t know. You’re the one reading it.
Actually, while I’m thinking of it. Where do you buy a good dress? One that fits all over? Does anyone make those?
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Aug 29, 2012 9:57 pm
I have recently discovered Dorothy Perkins too! I LOVE their clothes, and the best part for me is they carry plus sizes, which means I can finally buy clothing I love and that isn’t a moo-moo with giant floral patterns and intense cleavage with animal print and sequins (yes, all in one garment). Great website, incredible sales, and yay for plus sizes!!
Aug 29, 2012 10:02 pm
Ooh, you’ve ordered from them? I’ve wondered about the accuracy of sizes and stuff. Did it work out for you?
Aug 29, 2012 10:15 pm
I found a great alterations shop this year, and it has changed everything. Everything! Taking in dresses here and there is not as expensive as I previously thought. Buy the size that fits at your largest part, and then alter where necessary. I also find that when I come across a designer that fits well, I usually have luck with their other pieces. Jennifer Glasgow is my latest score (great for tall ladies with big boobs): http://www.jenniferglasgowboutique.com/category/Dresses Good luck!
Aug 30, 2012 8:52 am
Seconding finding a tailor/alterations shop. I don’t always go to this step, but often times it’s the only way to get certain dresses to fit just right.
I’ve also found that I’m a big fan of dresses with some stretch for everyday wear, as they are fairly forgiving. All my usual shops are Canadian owned and I don’t think they’re down in the states, but I find most of my dresses at fairly standard mall stores.
Aug 30, 2012 9:51 am
How do you guys find a good tailor?
Aug 30, 2012 12:35 pm
I got a recommendation from the owner of one of my favorite boutiques.
Aug 30, 2012 9:42 pm
I’ve asked around for recommendations and cold called at tailor shops. Sometimes you can find a great tailor the second way, sometimes they are duds. I generally don’t take really special things on my first visit to a new tailor though.
Aug 31, 2012 8:49 am
My best tailor I found through my husband. But I’ve also found good ones through friends, through recommendations from some nicer stores (a lot of suiting stores and professional stores for women will have a tailor to recommend). Also, if you know anyone who works in theatre I’d ask there – all my theatre crew friends could rattle off at least three people who are good at alterations and are almost always looking for a little extra work on the side.
Sep 6, 2012 10:21 am
Liz, do you know anyone who has skill with a sewing machine? Sometimes un-complicated tailoring can be done that way. Taking in a dress along the side seams, for instance, is a quick little job for someone who understands clothing construction. Hems are insanely easy to do yourself too.
Sep 6, 2012 10:56 am
You know, the truth is, I have a sewing machine and still haven’t brushed up my skills on it yet. I really should so I can do these things for myself!
Aug 30, 2012 12:31 pm
I’m Canadian! Where do you shop?
Aug 31, 2012 8:53 am
For casual dresses I tend towards Suzy Shier, Smart Set, Rickis, Reitmans and R&W because I like the price and find the quality is decent. For fancier or serious workwear dresses I like Melanie Lyne and Laura, and I’ve had a lot of luck with Le Chateau (heck, I found my wedding dress there!) this year.
Aug 29, 2012 11:21 pm
I’ve heard of an online store called eshakti.com that has standard sizes and allows you to customize based on measurements. I’m not totally clear about how it works or the quality or cuteness. So, my endorsement is not exactly ringing, but it may be worth a look.
Aug 29, 2012 11:33 pm
As soon as I’m done nursing, I’m buying three dresses from eshakti – I’ve heard good things about them.
I am super top heavy – I think my nursing boobs are either G or H cup (so at least 16, maybe 18) and a 10 at the waist, so I feel you. My answer? I bought a nice shirtwaist style dress that was too big, and paid to have it proffesionally altered. I think I spent $50 to alter a $45 dress. TOTALLY worth it. Looks like it cost way more than it did, because it fits so well.
Aug 30, 2012 9:51 am
You folks keep mentioning this tailoring business, and I always assumed it’s expensive. Not so?
Aug 30, 2012 10:44 am
I’ve gotten numerous dresses altered to fit perfectly for about $20 at a local dry cleaners. It doesn’t have to be expensive.
Aug 30, 2012 12:34 pm
I just went to a small shop down the street from me. My dress was more expensive to alter, because it needed multiple darts and pin tucks and adjustments around the waist to make the bust fit. I’ve had simpler tweeks done for less.
I don’t know how to find a good one, but I’d guess a shop that had been there for a couple of years would be fine, because they’d clearly have repeat business. It’s only sewing in the end – complicated, but not rocket science, you know?
Aug 31, 2012 8:57 am
It depends how much you need done. I`ve found a simple hem runs about $7, a zipper $10 and taking things in runs to about $20. It`s not something I`d do to clothes that I bought mostly because they`re cheap, but if you`re putting a bit of an investment into the clothes (for me that`s $50 or more) and you plan on wearing them for years it`s completely worth it.
Aug 30, 2012 1:27 am
For fancy, well structured, high quality dresses that are also girly, classy and elegant I love Karen Millen.
They are quite pricey, but I really see it as an investment (I have 3 now) since their models are quite timeless.
Aug 30, 2012 10:20 am
Just looked em up and DAMN. Love so many of them!
Aug 30, 2012 2:19 am
oh man… hell if I know! I’m also one of those people with different-sized tops and bottoms. well, I take that back. lately, one is creeping up to match the other (see: tweet about cheesy baked pasta).
what I DO know is that a good tailor will make any purchase look good. I’ve recently bought a couple of ill-fitting items from local thrift stores for a few bucks and had them altered and they’re now wonderful, thanks to a nip here and a tuck there.
Aug 30, 2012 6:43 am
Love, love, love New York and Company dresses. They fit, they flatter, and they come in fabulous colors at reasonable prices. I used to wear a lot of Ann Taylor/Loft dresses, but lately they have gone to hell. I also adore the White House Black Market outlet, where I have been known to grab an adorable dress for $20 that fits like a glove. I find that I have the most trouble with anything fitted – I’m aggressively pear shaped, so fitted dresses that don’t have any stretch look terrible on me (the one you linked to would never fit me – too big on top while being too tight on the bottom). I find that draped, close fitting knits work really well for me – you get all of the advantages of a tight fitting, sexy dress, without having to worry about one part of your body or the other fitting it. If you are big on top, try something with a cowl neckline that has extra fabric in it, if you’re big on bottom, knits knits knits! Something with an a-line.
Aug 30, 2012 9:56 am
Thanks, E! I haven’t tried White House/Black Market and wondered about the quality of their stuff. Good to know!
Aug 30, 2012 8:17 am
The dress doesn’t exist.
The tailor, however, does.
Buy the dress that fits your bigger parts, and then TAILOR TAILOR TAILOR. Figure the cost of alterations into the dress you buy. This will save you so much heartache, I promise.
Aug 30, 2012 9:57 am
But aren’t they EXPENSIVE?
Aug 30, 2012 10:14 am
Not really. They’re more expensive than I thought they would be, but they’re not bad. I had the bust and (complicated) straps of a dress altered to fit me better, and it ran about $15 and took about 2 days. For a $6 Goodwill dress, I’ll take it! I also look at it this way: if it fits me perfectly, I’m *much* more likely to wear it, and more frequently. So really, it increases the bang for your buck.
and I would get recommendations from friends or look on Yelp. I lucked out with the guys down the street (an emergency-type thing that ended up working well). friends of parents always have good recs, too.
Aug 30, 2012 10:18 am
Thanks!! And now I’m dying to see this thrifted dress.
Aug 30, 2012 2:05 pm
What Kathleen said!
Aug 30, 2012 8:21 am
The last dress I bought that I really love was actually from Goodwill. The hit-or-miss nature of thrifting sort of takes the pressure off for me; if I don’t find anything that fits me well, *clearly* it’s because the pickins were slim. ;)
Aug 30, 2012 9:57 am
Hahaha that’s an ingenious plan, miss.
Aug 30, 2012 10:02 am
That dress doesn’t exist. Not without trying on LOTS of dresses. I used to stick with empire waists but now I fear someone might ask if I am pregnant and I fear that the most.
Aug 30, 2012 10:04 am
You and Chris have the exact same style (in women’s clothes, which he doesn’t wear… just thought I should put that out there). He basically wants me to buy everything on your Pinterest board.
I have dresses from all over (F21 to the now defunct Betsey Johnson), but I really like how the structured BB Dakota (http://www.bbdakota.com/dresses/l/300) dresses fit. They are incredibly cute and flattering.
Aug 30, 2012 10:27 am
Hahaha that’s awesome. And looking into them now, thanks!
Aug 30, 2012 10:49 am
For what it’s worth, the only dresses I’ve found that fit me like a glove without alterations are Betsey Johnson. I have three of their dresses now (they are on the expensive side, but worth it), and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they make a come back from their bankruptcy. Although I did find one of my Betsey Johnson dresses at a thrift store (Buffalo Exchange) for $28. Talk about a steal!
Aug 30, 2012 2:44 pm
Oh man! I totally know how you feel. I hate trying on clothes! I have a super long torso, so in a lot of dresses the hip/butt darts hit at my waist and pouches out all wrong. It took me a few years, but I finally found some brands that fit and I honestly have stopped trying on other ones (Elie Tahari, Arthur Levine for Tahari, and Kay Unger). I find usually find them waaay discounted at TJ Maxx or the Rack.
I also LOVE to shop online (mostly through stores that have free shipping/returns) so that I can try clothes on in the comfort of my own bedroom with my own mirror. I’m able to pair shoes and jewelry so that I can better invision the outfit. Honestly, sometimes if I have a really good feeling about a dress, I’ll even order it if there is no free return shipping. The comfort of my own bedroom is worth it for my self-esteem!
Aug 31, 2012 1:50 pm
I can relate…I’m struggling with body image because I’ve put on a few pounds over the last year and a half…I feel like finding the right fit is so important too. It definitely gives you confidence when your outfit fits you to a t. You should check out the Betty Page clothing boutique they just opened on Walnut Street!
Aug 31, 2012 2:37 pm
Did they open yet?! I saw the sign up but the windows were still covered with brown paper!
Sep 5, 2012 11:39 am
Rachel Roy at Macy’s is my new go to for dresses. A lot of them don’t have zippers on the top which is where I always run into trouble. I’m big on top, small on bottom, but with a huge waist. The rest of my dresses are from Nordstrom Rack where I have to comb through tons of junk but have managed to find lots of cute dresses that work for going out or work depending on accessories.
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