Keep or returns: DVF wrap dress and misc Rack finds

Hi! Sorry to keep deluging you with keep or returns. I swear I'm almost finished building my new wardrobe! ;) These are some of the last few things I ordered before I wind down into SYC and I just wanted to get your opinion. I'm not planning on keeping everything...most of it was random finds at Nordstrom Rack online so I'm not necessarily attached to any of it.

1-4. Diane von Furstenberg Linda wrap dress size S. Other than my Kate Spade dress, I don't own any designer dresses.This DVF wrap dress is something I've been obsessing over and was a full price purchase from Neiman Marcus so it has to be killer for me to keep it. I love red and black and actually one of my most favorite blouses (#4) that I've worn for years has a very similar pattern (not sure if that's too redundant to have a dress and blouse with the same type of pattern).The dress is made out of wool and feels more like a thin sweater compared to the blouse. I like this a lot but need to know what you think since it's pretty expensive!
5-7. Classiques Entier lace-trimmed Myrrah skirt size 4.
8-10. Old Navy Rock Star Jegging in red, size 8 (they didn't have a 6 and 4 was too tight).
11-13. Classiques Entier Nova trousers size 4 (needs hemming).
14-15. Classiques Entier blouse size S. Does the print placement bother you (ie, white dots at the bust and navel) or am I being overly sensitive?
16-17. Halogen red funnel neck sweater. Too tight?
18-20. Vince black ribbed turtleneck and Lafayette 148 pinstripe trousers size 4. The pants are unlined. Also needs hemming.
21-23. Matching Lafayette 148 pinstripe skirt size 4. The skirt is lined and midi length.
24. The matching Lafayette 148 suit jacket--only size 6 was available online. I thought it might be good to get a suit jacket to match the skirt and pants, but it's a little too big so I'd have to search around for a size 4 and not sure I like the look of the whole suit...maybe too conservative/frumpy? I'm not in banking or law, after all...
25. Eliza J dress. Not my usual style but kind of "Mad Men" so I thought I'd try it.
26-28. Calvin Klein dress. Kind of a weird belt placement under the bustline, but it has large attached belt loops all the way around (see #26) so the belt cannot be repositioned any lower without leaving exposed belt loops under the bust.
29-30. Classiques Entier teal ruched print top size S.

Thanks for looking and for the feedback!

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

43 Comments

  • Deborah replied 12 years ago

    Hi Natalie, I so enjoy your shopping experiences.

    I love the wrap dress and pointy toe shoe is perfect. Its very ladylike and grown up looking. The fabric looks gorgeous. I would keep.

    I like the skirt with the lace but that is the kind of thing I would like for a while and then tire of. I wonder if the lace will prevent maximum styling opportunities?

    Love the red jeggings. Keep.

    Trousers look like a nice cut and create a nice leg line.

    The blouse is sweet but I don't really like it. I think that while the colors do suit you, they are a little dull.

    Red funnel neck looks a bit pink on my screen. I like it. Maybe just scrunch the bottom of it up a little over your tummy, rather than stretch it down flat.

    Pinstripe suit is really nice (all pieces). You could try a nice crisp white shirt under #24.

    My heart started pounding when i saw #25... love it, keep it.

    #26 is lovely too. I do think perhaps you need to belt it a little lower down, or perhaps it needs a slightly wider belt if you wear it where they have it, not sure but I am confident you can fix that. Its lovely.

    #29 not sure why but I don't love it. I am not sure those colors are the most flattering for you.

    All in all a pretty cool bunch of outfits GP. Love to hear what you keep and what you don't.

  • san replied 12 years ago

    Oh my goodness girl, what a whirlwind of style choices. You are beautiful and have great taste so this is a fun set of pictures. Thank you for sharing.
    You look so fantastic in so many of these pictures and then there are a few where I can see what a nice difference a little bit of adjustment could make.
    I'm just overwhelemd by the number of pictures. It would help me if you broke this into smaller segments of a couple separate posts. Not sure if others feel the same.
    To me, wow you have interesting style, and I love and am interseted in your great style journey.

  • Fruitful replied 12 years ago

    1) Beautiful dress, not the same as the blouse. A good addition to your wardrobe as it is a more classic contemporary contrast to your (fab) whimsical and nostalgic pieces. Love it with the pointy shoes!

    4) KILLER skirt. Love it with the wide sleeve blouse and those shoes. Tucked in it's so flattering and feminine in your abdominal/waistline area. This has your slightly fairytale element, in a way that comes across as quite serious and grownup at the same time. Love this!

    8) the red jeggings are awesome with the leopard print shoes. (Is that leopard?) Slightly loose, but that's rather rock and roll don't you think?

    11-20) I'm Switzerland on these. No strong emotions but they could be good basics. I don't know about the print on the blouse. It's nice but if you feel funny about it you might not wear it.

    21) Another squee from me! You are so feminine and chic in this.

    24) You don't need this blazer IMHO.

    25) very pretty dress and I still love madmen vibes, but I'm not getting a clear angle of you in it, so not sure how it flatters you. How do you feel about it?

    26) Very cool dress, looks awesome in thumbnail which is usually a good sign, but I'm not sure if the high waist is great for you? I could be wrong and it may be my eyes haven't adjusted. What do you think?

    29) Wow, I love this. Especially with the red jeggings. You have an incredible hourglass look in this and there's something mad men meets rock and roll about the look!

  • goldenpig replied 12 years ago

    Fruitful, here's a few more pics of the yellow dress for you! Both that dress and the black & white one have a high neckline with draping/puckering, which is something that I haven't worn before so I'm not used to that look (I tend to stick with V necks). Also, not sure if this is too fancy to wear as a work dress? And the color, print and weightier fabric could skew a bit older/dowdy if it doesn't look right (think church lady Easter dress), but with the popularity of the 60's/Mad Men look right now, it looks kind of fresh to me now. It's a bit of a stretch for me which is why I'm asking for feedback, because it would be a totally new look for me!

    The black/white one I'm a little less enamored with--I think I usually look good in black and white but the belt placement is bugging me a little and there's no way to fix it really. So right now I think I'm leaning towards the yellow, surprisingly! They were both the same price ($45) on sale so it's only one vs. the other (if I keep any).

    PS Yes those are my leopard and red B Makowsky Heist heels that Angie recommended, coming out to play!

  • Sharon replied 12 years ago

    OMG, I LOVE that yellow dress on you! Really flatters your curves and the colour is lovely on you. I understand what you mean about the possibility of the pattern skewing "dowdy", but it is such a great cut that I don't think it will be an issue, particularly with modern shoes and accessories.

    I don't love black and white dress as much. It's OK, but I don't think the belt placement is ideal for your figure.

    The DVF dress is also very nice and looks as though it would be one of those classic dresses that don't really date, so probably worth the money.

  • rute replied 12 years ago

    I'm not a big help!
    I love everything! All the dresses are gorgeous!
    Well done!

  • Fruitful replied 12 years ago

    The yellow dress is adorable. I'd totally go to the doctor if they were wearing this :)

  • Laura replied 12 years ago

    The DVF dress is stunning, the Calvin Klein dress is stunning (don't move anything on it), the yellow dress is stunning. The black button-down knit shirt is throwing me off in some of the photos - I don't like the fit on you, and it's distracting me from the pants or skirts. I don't think the Classiques skirt in #5 is good enough to keep, and the Lafayette jacket is way too big. Okay, I hope that helped with a few things at least!

  • missvee replied 12 years ago

    First impression - the dresses you chose are fabulous. I hope you keep the red and the yellow for sure. I like the black one too but if it's not comfortable, take it back.
    The skirt in #5 is a bit shapeless - it might just be the lace that's drawing you to it.
    The red jeggings look a little baggy to me, but I'm no expert on them.
    Finally, regarding the 3 piece suit, I think the jacket is too long and too big.
    I like both of the blouses - #14 and #30, they're nice layering pieces.
    Wow, I'm impressed by all the shopping you did!

  • MNsara replied 12 years ago

    Ha! I read the replies so far and we seem to have a variety of ideas, so I'll add a few more. . . ;-)

    I like the DVF dress, love the print and colors, but it is one of her more conservative wraps. If this is what you had in mind, then keep it! If you were looking for some DVF Wow , then I'd look again for a bolder print.

    I like the irreverant lace on the CE skirt. I think it would be a nice 'classic with a twist' item and could be paired with colors on top (thinking your mustard jacket. . . )

    You look great in the red jeggings, but they look a bit big from the rear (and that's without any stretching during the day, right?) However, this fit is probably better if you wear for work.

    The long pants seems to look fine. I didn't analze closely, but the pinstripe ones are fun.

    I also love the midi skirt - very elegant and professional :-)

    The yellow dress is fab, oh so fab, on you. Yes, you could wear it for work with a SS cropped cardi to reduce the 'dressy' vibe.

    I get annoyed when CK puts some odd twist on the dress (funky collar, weird pockets, unusual belt placement) -- it usually makes it harder to play nicely with jackets, sweaters, belts, jewelry, etc.

    I like the blouses in 14-15 and 29-30. They will be good on their own and go nicely under other layers.

    I'm not sold on the knitted red top. I prefer the ribbed black one, but not with those pinstripes unless the camera is just overemphasizing the ribs.

    CE jacket is too big. Only track down a smaller one if you REALLY want a suit.

  • Nakidra replied 12 years ago

    You are having so much fun, girly!! I have to agree with Laura ... the Jacket in 24 is too long in the arms and too big in the waist. I LOVE the top in #14 ... (I think I'll have to BBQ!!) The yellow dress is REALLY cute! The DVF is SUPER cute.

  • Angie replied 12 years ago

    KILLER dresses and skirts. I love you in those! Those are true 10's in my book.

  • cjh replied 12 years ago

    Great selection!! Now get out there and wear those babies! The only thing not to wear is the jacket in #24. As said above, it looks too big and plain - go for something the right size with a little more sizzle. Thanks for showing all the photos! A job in itself after a big shopping trip!

  • modgrl replied 12 years ago

    I love the rock star jeggings! I have those too :) I think these are the right size for you, if you sized down they would be too tight at the top. So cute with your red trimmed animal mary jane pumps. Was the size 4 just not ridic?!?! I couldn't even get them over my calves!!

    I don't like the DVF dress. It shows too much. That thin jersey is not very forgiving. I would need to be majorly spanxed and/or girdled out to get this to work.

    The yellow and black and white dresses are the best!! Look at you!! They show off your body in the very best way!!

    The red blouse in 4 is really pretty. I'm not really that thrilled with any of the other tops. They'd be ok for layering but you probably want tops that can function as both a layer and still look good if you need to take off your jacket or cardigan.

  • Carole replied 12 years ago

    What a great haul! I love all the dresses and skirts on you too. The red pants, dynamite! some of the tops, the black and red seem a little tight or unflattering 16 & 18. Hope that helps.

  • DressLover replied 12 years ago

    I want to weigh in on the DVF as I have a lot of experience with the brand. Linda is a nice, classic cut which I believe is essential for an investment piece; however, the material is a wool knit. Even if it is DVF, a knit is a knit. I have a couple cashmere pieces from DVF that I love, but they were extremely discounted. I would not purchase them at full price because even with extreme love and care, they will show wear as they age. Additionally, wool knits can snag incredibly easy and that essentially ruins the dress unless you pay a minimum of $75 to have the hole rewoven.

    I recommend returning this dress and adding it to your sale stalking list. More than likely, you can hunt it down at a lower price. Take the money from the return and select what I call an investment DVF. There are three criteria for an investment DVF:

    1) silk jersey or wool woven (DVF makes incredible 100% silk jersey and 100% wool woven dresses that wear like iron. The material is thick and luxurious and is near impossible to get it to show wear. I could put a DVF from the 90s next to one from this season and you'd never know the difference. No exaggeration.)

    2) the three J's - Julian, Justin, Jeanne (The most basic of DVF cuts, all dating back to the 70s. Julian is 3/4 sleeves with no collar. Justin is 3/4 sleeves with a collar. Jeanne is full sleeves with a collar. You can't go wrong with any of these cuts. There is a reason why they are present every single season in the DVF collection.)

    3) solid in a favorite color or a signature print (This is the hardest decision to make. Some people default to basic black, but I suggest choosing your most favorite, flattering color that you have loved since childhood so you will never tire of it. Either choose a solid dress in that color or a pattern with that color as the predominant shade in the pattern. If you choose a pattern, make sure it is one that is completely and unequivocally you.)

    Okay, that was way too long. I hope something was useful in there.

  • Mo replied 12 years ago

    I love the DVF dress and the print blouse in 14/15 also grabbed my eye instantly!

  • MsMary replied 12 years ago

    The yellow dress is so fab that it is blinding me to all the rest of it.

    Which means, I'm thinking, that maybe the DVF should go back because it's not the star of the show and for that price it really should be the star. (I got my DVF wrap at the consignment store for $60, BTW. Bargains are out there.)

  • mamaKate replied 12 years ago

    Must Keeps: 8, 14, 23, 25.

  • Turkey Vulture replied 12 years ago

    Definitely keep the DVF dress, in my opinion. I think it looks sophisticated and sexy at the same time on you.

    I like the Classiques skirt with the lace trim, but it's not blowing my mind (maybe styled up a little more it would.) I could go either way on that one.

    I think the red jeggings are not your best look...they're doing weird things to your butt. I'd return those, personally.

    By contrast, the Classiques trousers look awesome on your booty! I'd keep these.

    Love the Classiques blouse...I didn't notice any weird print placement at all. What I like about this one is that it can dress up or down.

    I'm neutral on the two knit tops. But I'm always neutral on knit tops.

    The pencil skirt/suit looks great, but is the jacket a touch too low on you? I can't tell whether that could be altered easily by a tailor without moving the placement of pockets, buttons, etc.

    The yellow floral dress is great, too! Excellent shape on you and the proportions are perfect.

    I love the black and white dress, too...looks awesome with the t-straps and I love that asymmetrical neckline!

    I think that blue blouse is pretty cool, too. Nice find.

    The only one I definitely vote "send back" on is the jeggings.

    Nice picks! Lucky you! :)

  • Queen Mum replied 12 years ago

    my loves..

    the wrap dress, blouse 14, outfit 21, dresses 25 and 26

    That's not to say I dislike everything else, but these are the items that really caught my attention.

  • rachylou replied 12 years ago

    Ohmigosh, the yellow dress is knock 'em dead. And love the dark teal top. And those DVF wrap dresses are so impossibly useful and flattering and good looking, definite keep. And and and... really, everything is great.

    I'd maybe hold out for the size six red jeggings... but then again, you want jeggings not stockings...

  • HelenInCanada replied 12 years ago

    1-4. Diane von Furstenberg Linda wrap dress: DEFINITE KEEP! I love it. Gorgeous colour, style & fit on you. I can see you wearing this to many occasions, in every season. Perfect.

    5-7. Classiques Entier lace-trimmed Myrrah skirt: Not loving this one. From far away you can't tell it's a pretty lace trim, and it just seems to give an "apron" type of look.

    8-10. Old Navy Rock Star Jegging in red: YES to the power of YES. Red pants/jeans are so on trend, and they fit you well (I wouldn't go smaller) and of course the colour is so striking. Looks comfy too!

    11-13. Classiques Entier Nova trousers: These are classic workhorse type pants.

    14-15. Classiques Entier blouse (sleeveless): OH MY GOD, absolutely beautiful. 100% KEEP!

    17. Halogen red funnel neck sweater: Nice fall piece, but the cut is a bit snug in tummy area.

    18-20. Vince black ribbed turtleneck and Lafayette & pinstripe trousers: Black turtleneck looks too tight. The pinstripe pants are great - classic, will match with ANYTHING. YES.

    23. Matching Lafayette 148 pinstripe skirt: Very nice skirt. Chic! YES.

    24. The matching Lafayette 148 suit jacket: Looks too big and yes, is a tad frumpy!

    25. Eliza J dress: Oooh, foxy yet ladylike dress! Fit is perfect. DEFINITE KEEPER!!!

    26-28. Calvin Klein dress. The print and style of this dress is FABULOUS. Yes, it's a bit high waisted, but I believe that's the look. Definite work horse dress, with a fitted jacket, on its own, with a cardi.., My vote is YES, but you need to feel comfortable with the high waist. I think it's flattering!

    29-30. Classiques Entier teal ruched print top: The colour is lovely, but I'm not crazy about the fit or the print. This might be nice as a shell under a blazer, but on its own...not so much.

    Wow - your wardrobe is growing so quickly and beautifully! Envy envy!

  • cobaltblue replied 12 years ago

    I think you will be sorry if you keep the DVF dress if the price is high to you. Beautiful as it is, thin knits wear out so quickly. What if you get a snag the first time you wear it?

    I love the yellow dress most of all. The pinstripe pants are great, too.

  • Marley replied 12 years ago

    KILLERS for me are #s 5, 25 and 27. If you want/need a suit, I would get away from the Classiques brand, as in my opinion, they are a little frumpy-dumpy in general!

    Also, do you plan to wear the red jeggings as you would leggings? If so, I think they are alright - but if you are planning to wear them more as a "jean" then I would look for some red ones that are more substantial in material and fit more like a skinny jean, rather than a legging!

  • Auburn replied 12 years ago

    I'm with Modgirl and DressLover on the DVF dress.
    I think this one skims a little too closely to be truly flattering and you NEVER need to pay full price for DVF--trust me on this. There's almost always some sort of sale--20% friends and family on Saks this week (and they have a huge DVF inventory right now), a fall 20% discount on DVF.com, etc. Her dresses are expensive and DL rightly noted the ones that are worth the price but I still think I'd hunt for something that is at least 15-20% off. Now that you know a wrap style works for you, I'd do some internet searching to see if you fall in love with a particular color or pattern and then do some price comparisons to get the best deal. You may want to consider a solid black or navy wrap that you can style in endless ways to make it feel different--more flattering too. Just my two cents...

    For what it's worth, I think the Eliza J and Calvin Klein dresses are far more flatteirng on your frame.

  • replied 12 years ago

    Pardon me if I only mention my true loves. Love the first dress. It is sophisticated and the style is very flattering on you. You love red and black so as long as the print makes you happy enough to pay full price, I vote keep. Only you know if you want to keep hunting. But the DVF works great on your figure.

    The printed shell you were worried about I also love. I like a print on the torso for it's camouflaging abilities for the baby belly bits (hey, it takes one to know one, right?). For the same reason, I'm not crazy about the tighter knit tops on you. Howerever, knits with ruching on the sides or other details are working for me.

    The yellow floral dress took my breath away. I can see it some killer red heels (of all things)!
    That and the DVF are really the stand-outs to me. Black and white dresses are all over the place, so this one just looks a little more common to me, even though there's nothing wrong with it. If it's filling a hole for work or something, then keep it.

    I have loved watching you transform your style in record time! You must have a fab wardrobe by now. Thanks so much for letting us see it!

  • Vicki replied 12 years ago

    I am STILL CRAVING a DVF dress, so YOU GO, GIRL. I love colored jeans and I think yours rock in red. I love your dresses in 25 & 26 and they are fabulous. The yellow just knocked me over and I love the black/gray/white one, too! However, there is a very similar black/gray/white dress, like that, at H&M, our group saw this weekend and it has really good "Mad Men" lines and some cool pockets at the hips, which fan out a bit. Getting back to the earlier photos, I have to say that I love the classic gray skirt with the lace trim. That can look good dressed up or down and that would be a keeper for me.

  • bran888 replied 12 years ago

    I'll be totally honest with you....

    The yellow dress is an ideal silhouette for you, please keep!

    I also love the animal print CK dress, you look great!

    The tops in14/15 and 29/30 look nice on you.

    I don't love the DVF dress, it's just not flattering your figure.

    The Old Navy red jeans look too tight in the waist.

  • goldenpig replied 12 years ago

    OK I've been looking at these pics again and can see what you mean about my figure...the more I look at all these pictures the more I'm noticing my tummy flab. Ugh! Yes, I can see the outline of my belly in the wrap dress. And I think the red and black turtlenecks will have to go back too...showing off my lumps too much. Argh, the curse of the apple! Especially when I'm a bombshell and love fitted tops and waist definition! I hate doing waist surrender, it makes me feel big and fat. But I guess these body skimming looks kinda make me look fat too. The camera doesn't lie. :(

    Dresslover, modgirl, Auburn, cobaltblue, bran888 et al...thanks for your honest opinions and cautionary advice. (And Dresslover, thanks for the wisdom on what to look for with DVF). Good to know about the knits being riskier. I actually didn't realize it was a knit until it arrived, I just assumed it would be jersey. If I do keep the dress I will have to be very careful with it. The problem is, I just love that pattern and color combination so much! It's just like my favorite red blouse! I've been handwringing all day and trying to find another DVF dress that I like but I just can't. I can't bring myself to like the solid colors because they are just too boring for me and I feel like if I'm going to get a solid dress, I might as well get something cheaper like a Suzi Chin or whatever. If I'm going to pay that much for a DVF dress I want it to be distinctive...I love patterns so much! But none of the other DVF patterns that are available now (I checked Saks, DVF.com, Neiman Marcus, Bluefly, Nordstrom, etc etc) really grab me. A lot of them are too crazy and loud even for me and I worry that it's not office appropriate or that I'd get tired of it too quickly (which is why I picked the subtle red and black one even though it's not as "wow", as someone mentioned). Some of the smaller square brownish patterns look a little more subtle but I don't think I'd look as good in brown compared to red. I think I'd look OK in black and white but I already have several black and white dresses and no red ones (my favorite color) so I'd prefer to get red. Ack! What do I do, go for the impractical red dress that makes my heart pound or settle for something cheaper or possibly longer-lasting but more boring to me? I found these two wrap dresses on Bluefly (#1 JB Brown, only size M available so it might be too big for me and #2 Laundry by Shelli Segal--I ordered size 4). I went ahead and ordered them to see if they might be a cheaper more practical alternative. But I'm not nearly as excited about them. We'll see. I don't even know if they'll fit. I hate ordering from Bluefly because I always end up paying both shipping and return shipping. They are a lot cheaper than the DVF dress though...I could even keep both for less than the DVF one. I also found a couple dresses from Boden (#3 jersey wrap dress and #4 woven wrap dress) but I've never ordered from them so I'm not sure what my size is and whether they're any good. And the patterns again are just OK but not wow to me. I haven't ordered yet because one of the dresses is backordered anyways. Do any of these dresses seem like better options to you than the original?

    Another apple dilemma with the red jeans, the 8 is snug in the waist but the rear/legs are loose. I might try to find a size 6 in the Old Navy Jeggings but as someone said I don't know how tight I want to go if I'm trying to wear these to work. I've been looking all over for red jeans so I may just go with these for now till I can find something better. I'm going to order a size up in the ruched teal top to see if the M is more forgiving of my tummy. I'm also going to return the pinstripe jacket, I don't really need a suit and the whole suit just looks too 80's corporate for my tastes. I like the pinstripe pencil skirt though, that will stay for sure. Still contemplating the rest.

    At least we can all agree on one thing, that the yellow dress is a keeper! Yay!

  • Marley replied 12 years ago

    GP - do you need a nice dress (like a DVF) for a special event coming up and so you are short on time to find that "perfect" dress? Or, do you have a hole in your wardrobe that you think the DVF dress would fill? If it is only to fill a hole, then I'd wouldn't force it - just take your time- and the dress will come to you.

  • lyn67 replied 12 years ago

    Love all the dresses, and I actually think DvF dress is kinda worth the money, will turn heads, for sure-I can see your love for that print if you have already one blouse almost the same pattern-so it's a deep love! keep it, but be aware of the material as Dresslover said! (really usefull comment!)
    -and also suggest it worn with a cami underneath (for smoothing out things:-)).
    (but no, I don't like any of the new picties more than the first one DvF! That's for sure!!! That very first dress(and thought) is a really sophisticate one:-))!)

    I also very love the skirt with lace, the red jeans and both the sleeveless tops(beautifull colors and prints!) but really all the loot is very nice!(except the jacket wich is too big, but you can always size down)

    Does this help?

  • modgrl replied 12 years ago

    The prints in 2 and 4 may be more forgiving for your apple. I struggle with this as well. I am sending back a gorgeous dress today. It is one of Angie's picks and I love it beyond reason but I can't risk looking like I am still pregnant.

  • teri replied 12 years ago

    my favorites are dress #1
    #5 Skirt
    #26 dress

  • Jonesy replied 12 years ago

    I agree with Marley about being a teensy bit patient :), and the perfect dress will find its way to you. I know lots of people talk about wrap dresses being flattering on lots of people, but I actually think they are pretty hard to pull off. They are either gapping at the bosom, or highlighting lumps and bumps (bra straps, tummy areas, etc.).

  • DressLover replied 12 years ago

    Natalie, if you are wanting to keep the dress solely because you love the print, I have a suggestion. Call DVF in New York, either Soho or Meatpacking district is fine. Ask them if they are familiar with the Linda dress in the Mosaic Red print. If they are, ask them what other cuts are available in the Red Mosaic print. (DVF rarely does a print in just one cut.) It is likely the print was done in silk jersey, so ask about that too. They should be able to help you with photos of the other dresses available in the same print.

  • Laurie replied 12 years ago

    Hi -- just wanted to say that I bought the blouse in 14/15 to go with the Halogen raisin skirt, if you have that one. It has that perfect yellow in it. I rarely splurge for silk, and was excited about this blouse. Keep!

    #1 stopped me in my (keyboard) tracks. and I love the yellow dress.

  • bran888 replied 12 years ago

    You are totally a bombshell, GP! I have a totally different body type, and there are styles that just don't work for me (hello whiskering, hip pockets, midis, ankle straps...I'm sure I'm missing several ;) I bet you could pull all of these off beautifully!)

    Anyway, I just wanted to give you my opinion...I'm no expert. If you cannot live without the dress love it, you should keep it. My feeling is, though, that you can find something you love just as much that is potentially more flattering. I happen to really like a couple of the alternatives you posted, especially # 2. I have a feeling that style would look nice on you.

    As for the jeans...I always try to fit the largest part of me (hips), and tailor the waist if necessary. Can you get jeans taken in at the seams, I wonder? I bet you can, not sure how involved/expensive it would be. I don't think the pants look bad, I just think that you'll be able to wear more tops (and I would imagine be more comfortable!) if the waistband isn't tight.

  • goldenpig replied 12 years ago

    Rita, which dress was it that didn't work for you? I want to make sure I don't make the same mistake! ;-)

  • replied 12 years ago

    One thing to think about. I love where the DVF dress hits you on the leg. The new dresses you posted look shorter on the manequins and I'm wondering if in a year or so, this length will begin to look "skimpy" to us, since lower hemlines are the new thing.

  • goldenpig replied 12 years ago

    Dresslover, thanks for the tip. I called the New York store like you suggested and they said that the red mosaic (they called it crackle red) pattern only comes as the Linda wrap dress or as a cardigan. And the F&F sale is over. :( Bummer. Worth a try though!

    Good point about the length, Claire! I would wear the dress to work, so I don't want it to be too revealing. I like to keep it around the knee or below. I'm only 5'5" so maybe the length will be OK. The two Bluefly dresses are on their way so I will give those a try but if I don't love them, then I will keep the DVF and do lots of situps! Or Spanx my belly into submission! ;-)

  • MsMary replied 12 years ago

    I think if the DVF dress makes your heart go pitter-patter and you love it, then you should definitely keep it despite us naysayers!!

  • goldenpig replied 12 years ago

    Just a quick update--I found out Neiman Marcus is having a sale so I re-bought the red DVF dress at 30% off! (and am going to return the full price one). I am so excited about this dress! I think it's the perfect little red dress for me! (And don't worry, I'll wear Spanx!) Yippee!!!

You need to be logged in to comment