Hello again
This post is a bit short as I’m currently writing a long post on the NHS for My Other Blog, which will appear on Friday, or possibly earlier. So to calm my ire and rage (yes, I am angry) I’m looking once again at my dresses! Nothing like a bit of retail (charity shop) therapy and musings on evening wear to soothe the frazzled and frowning brow!
This is also about the cut of a frock. I’m not an expert. I didn’t study fashion, nor would I say I was much of an authority on style or image, but I do know there are certain cuts and designs that flatter and those that don’t. And I always think that less is more. Even when you are a large woman, I would say don’t wear dresses with copious amounts of material, which, more often than not, swamps shorter women and adds rather than subtracts inches for a taller women. But honestly people, don’t listen to me, wear what suits you and what you like.
Anyway, here’s a dress that is easily found in many UK charity shops, as in, there are many in that particular style hanging up on charity shop rails. It’s one of three I’ve bought recently for the cruise.
Maybe you’re thinking it is what you’d expect an older woman to wear. It’s got little sleeves and it’s sweet. But I don’t think it flatters my figure. Yes, I’m slim but like anyone else I’ve got rolls round my middle and hips. And it shows in this dress.
This is a dress I’m actually rejecting. Yup, it’s going back to the charity shop, but as it cost under £5 I’m not too worried.
Now here’s a dress that’s definitely inappropriate for my age!
Definitely less material, but actually, it’s bit stretchy, so it fits and flatters.
Oh yes, I like this dress!
What do you think? What flatters you? And look, I really am trying not to wear boots!!!
With love
Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
And sharing with the usual lovely bloggers – click on the icons to see 🙂
Quite agree with your choice. Dress 2 looks great on you especially with those shoes and that bangle. I do love the shoes in outfit 1 but the dress seems rather too cruise matron for you to my thinking. I know a friend onwhom it would look great but not you I think.
What a hoot – cruise matron! I like that phrase of yours and no, I don’t want to look like one!!! The thing is to always assess your shape and think about what’s the best shape/cut – that first dress is not for me. Thanks so much for your comment.
Both dresses are lovely but something isnt happening with the black one around the middle. Would some sort of belting make it work?
Charity shops – it does help if you are a size 12 and average height and normal shoe size!
Have you seen ‘A Stitch in Time’ on TV? A very interesting programme by a fashion historian. The cut is v important, as is the type of fabric and things like linings. Lined dresses and trousers are usually much better. But linings have been cut – literally – to save money!
Sounds like you are getting some great clothes for the cruise. Enjoy!
I am watching ‘A Stitch in Time’! And I’ve met the person fronting it, Amber Butchart, who chaired a session at the Mirror, Mirror conference a couple of years ago. She knows her subject.
The first frock is not for me. And we will enjoy the cruise x
Yes, quite agree with your decisions on both dresses. The second one looks fab on you. But show us the neckline too. And, b.t.w, I am extremely jealous of your lovely smooth arms!! Polly
Just what I was thinking! Those arms look fantastic! Is there any secret there?
Hi Patricia, it’s all down to weight training and exercising my arms. Actually they have got a bit flabby from not doing a class for a year. But I’ve just started a new class that does loads of arm exercises – so onwards and upwards! Thanks so much for your comment!
Oh wow! Hello Polly! Actually I don’t have smooth arms at all as I have lots of blemishes and sun spots all over and especially on my arms. I do, however, try and do some weight training and have just joined a class that does a lot of arm exercises. That does help the look of arms.
The second dress is lovely – well done on finding it!
Thank you Linda!
Both your dresses are very stylish, and would be perfect for so many events. Good searching indeed. x Jacqui
http://www.mummabstylish.com
Thanks Jacqui! But not that first one – it’s not a good shape! The second one, though….
Yes I agree with your second choice. You look fabulous in this dress and legs to flaunt so why not. My knees are knobbly so know that anything above knee line does not suit. Good luck with NHS article.
Hi Roisheen, yes, the second dress looked so skinny on the hanger, but the material is stretchy and the cut is very forgiving.
The NHS article is up on My Other Blog – but I have to update it as I realise I hadn’t fully appreciated why Jeremy Hunt was given a new title on 8th Jan. So this afternoon, I’m going to write something pretty quickly – fuming and sad at same time!
Agree, dress number two is fab, and flatters your great legs. More shoes, less boots??
Thanks Jan – I do love boots though!
Penny, you have fabulous legs! The second dress is just gorgeous and you look so good in it. I don’t like the first dress at all, I wouldn’t wear it even though the colour is lovely. But I’d wear the second one – I’m 71 and 5’ 1” – love all your blogs, thank you!
Hi Lesley and so good to hear you’re reading the blog! The first dress has gone back to a charity shop – which is good as someone else can wear it and love it as it really had great material, just not a good look with that bias cut.
Agree, dress number two is fab, and flatters your great legs. More shoes, less boots??
Yes, yes, yes to No. Two dress! Very mermaid-ish – so appropriate for a cruise! Er, dare I suggest little heels?
Well the thing is Zepherine, I’m not all that good with heels. I mean once upon a time I wore very, very high heels, but now I’d just wobble over. But actually, I will look for a kitten heel x
Each dress has its own merit and both look great on you x
Thank you Lyndsey x
Bias cut dress with little frilly sleeves – no! Sexy little
fitted dress with a definite ‘where did she get that’
yes?
Thank you Harri, I pounced on the dress when I saw it. Actually I thought I’d never get into it as it seemed so skinny and short. However, the material is stretchy and the cut very good for those rolls – how great is that!
The first dress is bias cut, very popular at one time but why I don’t know as you need to have a very flat stomach. I avoid these like the plague! The colour is nice though!
I like the frilled one -looks like Roman Originals or M&Co. I would need to cover my fat knees ( your legs are so good!) and wear a little shrug or cardi,
I buy evening wear for cruises on ebay or in sales. If you like it, go for glitz. I wore an all over pewter sequin dress (draped front, three-quarter sleeves, over the knee) on my recent cruise, bought for about a third of the original price. I wore pearls in shades of grey as I thought the dress did it all!
Yes, bias cut is absolutely a cut not to wear! The material was lovely so it will sell to someone else who has a flat stomach! The label in the second dress is London Times and that I think is an American brand that does big sizes so that explains the stretchiness of the material and the forgiving cut that hides everything so well. I will wear a little bolero cardi with it, or a shrug, because my arms aren’t as good as people think (quite a lot of blemishes) and unless it’s a hot evening that dress will just need a bit of extra material around the shoulders.
That sequinned dress of yours sounds amazing – isn’t it great to wear such lovely dresses!
Definitely dress #2, it’s gorgeous. I think it needs heels though to give the wow factor 🙂
I would so love to wear heels, Polly! When I think of the height of the heels that I used to wear! But now, although I’m working on this, I’m quite a wobbly person so heels won’t do. I will look though for a kitten-heeled pair of shoes.
I agree with the fab legs and arms that you have! Very impressive! How do you do it? The 2nd dress is more… “out there”. Go for it! And I agree with larger people (moi) not wearing swathes of material, and being short as well, it’s just a horrible look. Yet, I had a stylist try to do just that to me: the over layer of floaty, fine, ghastly patterned, top. I almost wept, I looked so “old fat lady trying to look slim”. I left and never went back to her.
I’m so sorry to hear about your experience – honestly it must have been so hard. But I think, no matter what size, we can all find our own look. We just need to experiment. And that’s what I do in charity shops.
Re: the arms and legs – the legs have always been like that and with age they’re getting thinner, which is not always a good thing. Arms, well, in the past I did a lot of weight training and actually I hid the underarm part in those pics, as they are a bit flabby from not doing a class for a year. I’ve just started a class that does a lot of arm exercises with weights – this should sort out the flab! Yes, the only thing that keeps arms going is exercise, I’m afraid. And I’ve had to really give myself a good talking-to, to get back to weights, but I have. I’m not the oldest in the class, btw, there’s someone there who is over 80.
The second dress looks fab on you,and with great legs like yours,you ought to wear shoes more often.
Actually, thanks so much for saying that, I will look out for some kitten heels for that dress!
I would wear both and but probably would wear this undergarment thin I got to go under a dress for Rachelle’s wedding but that probably isn’t the idea on a cruise. I will make an effort to read your other blog this week. Ire and Rage?-try being a liberal progressive who voted for Hillary in today’s USA-jeeez-everyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean “thing” guess my I don’t like “G'” today
The first dress has gone back to a charity shop, the second will remain a favourite for a long time, I think, Terri. The label is London Times, which I think is American.
Well re: the US and the UK, both countries seem to have got themselves into a fine old mess – sigh!
Yes, number two is the better of the two. It fits you beautifully and is very flattering. I would wear it with (small) heels, not flats, and a short jacket…
The thing is I just don’t wear heels because of weak ankles and consequently being a wobbly person – when I think back to some of the lovely heels I had – sigh! But, yes, agree, I will look out for a pair of tiny kitten heels for the second dress. I’ll also wear a shrug or little bolero with it to cover the shoulders.
First dress acceptable, second dress FUN !!!
Woo hoo – I agree! Thanks for the comment!
My personal favorite is dress number 2. Love the layers of material. Definately flatters all body types.
That second dress had the most amazing stretch to it – very forgiving and good for any figure.
Yes you right,the first dress doesn’t suit your shape and is dated.the second is much nicer and looks fantastic on .x
Yes, you’re so right, that shape dress with its bias cut is very dated. And you can find no end of that type of dress in charity shops – also bias cut skirts – and I usually avoid them like the plague, So, in not avoiding I wasted my money, but fortunately it didn’t cost much. And it just confirms to me – DON’T buy bias cut anything!!!!
x
Yes no 2
Thank you, Liz!
The second dress looks AMAZING on you – very flattering and a real eye catcher. I don’t think bias cut dresses flatter anyone. They show lumps on even the slimmest person.
Bias cut really isn’t the best cut for anyone other than a very thin, flat stomached person – actually I don’t know why I bought it. But it was very good price and the material was nice – I regretted it though! The second dress IS amazing and I shall try to get some kitten heels to match that I can walk in – have practically given up on heels but never say never!
You’re so right Penny – I had a dress similar to your first one and it made me feel frumpy and fat, so I gave it away. The second dress is so different, it’s a joyful little dress!