What I Wore: Not Quite Sure About This!

I like to leave the house feeling fully calm and confident in my attire. Life will throw us enough interesting curves throughout the day, and one thing I can control is the thread on my back!

I kind-of love this bohemian dress, but I have second thoughts too. It might be that the color is a shade too bright for my preferred palette. The shape is great – I love the empire waist and the knee length. Perhaps it’d be better with the sleeves off (or “off-ski”, as Thrifty Mrs. said today). Or skip the necklace and do cuff bracelets instead. The boots are OK, I think, as are the textured tights.

Can you fab fashionistas offer any advice, including “send that dress right back to the thrift store!”? We can’t hit home runs every time we take the plate, right?

You can tell my smile is not as wide as usual — what’s wrong?
Does the dress have more potential sans the sleeves?

Thanks for any feedback and Happy Thursday!

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patti

67 Comments

  1. I love it! I would skip the necklace, a print this noticeable does not need anything else.

  2. I think the dress is lovely and very flattering.  I would not wear such a lightweight satiny dress with boots though, I'd save it for spring or summer and wear it with delicate sandals.  The print almost looks tiki to me, so I'd keep the accessories sort of tribal.  A big chunky beaded necklace might be nice.  Although I like the sleeves the dress would probably look more modern sleeveless.

  3. So many helpful suggestions!  Don't think I can add anything new.  I do love the dress on you and your smile is lovely, as always.

  4. OMG I love this look so much–the dress is just de-vine!  Evreything is just perfect!  If I got ambitious tho, I might trim the sleeves rather than having them bell–but rather a small detail!  Its a keeper~

  5. Thank you Jane! The consensus is that the tights and boots need to be darker — and I do agree. I hadn't thought about shortening the sleeves – I will ponder that  : >

  6. Love your term "scandalously short"! It *would* make a cute tunic, though, wouldn't it? Thanks Loren  : >

  7. I like the dress tremendously but would actually shorten the sleeves mabe three or four inches.  I think they are too long and don't let your small midriff show off enough.  I'm not loving the tights and boots but they are neutral so that's just my preference talking.  I think the color os lovely on you and like the contemporary design of the print, too.

  8. If it were mine, I would leave the sleeves, hem it up to 'scandalously short' and wear it as a tunic with leggings or skinny jeans. The color and pattern are fantastic though! That color looks great on you. So don't send it back (send it to me 😉

  9. Yes, looking with new eyes at a later date is a good piece of advice. And color ful flats are *always* a nice addition, imho  : >

  10. Oh… I know that feeling…. 
    I see nothing wrong with the dress. 
    I like the color and ift but like you there's something which I really cannot point out (?) that does not entirely "convince" me. 
    Maybe it´s the styling – how about saving it for warmer days ?
    Losing the tights and adding a bright colored pair of flats ?
    When this happens to me I give it a rest and then go back in a few weeks and look at it with "new eyes".

  11. I love My Closet in Sketches. I will think about gray as an option, thank you Debbie!

  12. I think that black is too stark for this outfit.  I went to MyClosetinSketches and she had a "raspberry" outfit using GRAY.  What about gray wedge booties and, if you feel that a camisole is necesarry, something cream and sparkly?  Bare legs?  Can't decide about that one.

  13. Thanks Beck – I love that concept of "bookmarking" – is it OK if I steal it?   : >

  14. Good thinking – then again, it's about 77 degress here today, so it's hard to tell the seasons apart!  : >

  15. Hmmm, a sweater over the dress ight be fun too – make it more sporty. Thanks Kari!

  16. Marianne, you are a true artiste! I will consider this artsy/boho styling.

  17. I'm arriving late to the party, but you already know what I'm going to say: this is my kind of dress and I LOVE it! Don't do anything to it.

  18. That dress is fantastic! It looks great on you. Definitely keep it (with the sleeves – I love those sleeves!). My suggestions would be either swap the necklace for bracelets or wear a shorter necklace length. Also the boots and tights are fab, but maybe wear a black boot to "bookmark" the look with the black cami?

  19. I had another thought; maybe the dress would work better for spring.  The lightness of fabric and the color may not be a good match for fall/winter accessories.

  20. Definitely a shorter bigger style necklace (even just shorten the one that you're wearing. And for me? I would put a big slouchy sweater over it, and wear the dress as a skirt. I'd also probably wear it with dark boots.

  21. Hmm.  The dress is a great find.  How about losing the sleeves now and layer the dress over a long-sleeved, black, scoop neck leotard, footless black tights, black ballet flats, pull your hair back or up and add earrings.  Whew.  Minimal and artsy.

  22. I think the dress looks fabulous on you. THe sleeves are actually the interesting part of the dress, overall it looks vintage chic. MAybe like what the rest said, a darker shade tights may look more prominent 

    mongsmythriftycloset.blogspot.com

  23. Hi Erica! I am still considering cutting off the sleeves for a different look – maybe for spring. Thanks for coming by  : >

  24. yes, that sounds pretty, Frances – and I like the idea too, but with a crew or scoop-neck (I don't like turtlenecks on me).

  25. I actually think the dress looks great and I particularly like the sleeves! Thanks for linking up!
    -Meaganwww.spunkychateau.com

  26. Actually, I think loose the sleeves.  It is a great dress, but without the sleeves makes it less 'busy'.  Don't send it back to the thrift store just yet, experiment a bit first 🙂

  27. I second the footless tights and flats.  I see that as a DVF extension that doesn't show quite so much skin but keeps the bareness.

  28. It fits very well!

    I'd go DVF.  Slim dress, light colored cami for modesty, nude legs and strappy shoes.  Then I'd be looking to add a printed clutch for contrast. 

  29. Same with silvrgrl, a chunkier choker dark boots, and black tights, a dangling earring, a chunkier bracelet. Then you are ready to go..by the way I love the dress ^_^

  30. i would wear darker boots and tights and a chunkier necklace a litte shorter
    the dress is a great find

  31. I hadn't thought of footless tights with ballet flats – that might be a very nice look with this dress  : >  Thanks Annmarie.

  32. I love the dress and proportionatly, it works for you.  How about a cream camisole?  Maybe you could wear some darker tights or even a pair of dark footless tights with a pair of ballet flats.  That could make the look more feminine without being "frilly"; I know you still want to keep a professional appearance.

  33. Ah, thank you, goddess of color! Those are great suggestions. And perhaps on my birthday, a certain dress should be winging its way to the NorthWest . . .

  34. Ooh, I love that dress! The burgundy is so rich! I would jazz it up with some colour (a yellow or turquoise cami?) or a bold cuff bracelet. I think the cream washes it out, and I'm not a fan of the black with it. Even a rich brown would play off it better. A belt would also help break up the top and bottom of it.

  35. Cuffs it will be, and dark tights/boots – maybe I'll show the "redo" a a couple of weeks  : >

  36. Thanks Liz – I usually don't like bell sleeves either, but these are pretty airy. And thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it!

  37. I love the dress, but agree with the others. I would wear cuffs, if you are going to wear the black cami then wear black tights!!!

  38. love the dress and the sleeves, even though bell sleeves annoy me when i wear them.  and i like the dark cami, but i definitely agree dark tights/boots would be great.  maybe navy or dark brown

  39. Patti!
    This is deeeee-vine! Keep it as is!  Try black boots maybe? Matches the undershirt and bumps up the brightness?
    LOVE!

  40. hmmm – maybe a shorter necklace would balance the neckline better, good point. And another vote for losing the black cami!

  41. right – the cami just kind of floats there alone in its blackness, good point.

  42. yes – I think darker tights and maybe a belt – I will experiment with that!

  43. Okay, you asked for advice! First, I think it is very pretty and you look great just as is. To improve it a bit, here is what I would do. Wear a cream colored@f05980d0b1f4a9cab59fc2dc9772ca7d  cami and add a belt in a light colored leather (just a bit darker than the boots). As to the jewelry. You know me, I like a lot, so I would add a shorter necklace with a pendant and at least one cuff bracelet.
    The dress is very pretty and you should leave the sleeves as is. You do look lovely in it and are way to hard on yourself.

  44. I love the shape of this dress too. But the dress kind of looks like it's floating in space, or your top half looks to heavy in relation to the bottom half. I'd lose the black camisole and add ivory, then go darker with the tights and boots. It's a great dress, just needs to be "grounded" a bit maybe.

  45. I love that dress on you. Keep it! And keep the sleeves. I agree with Melody  – cuffs are the first thing that came to mind and I know you adore cuffs. 

    I also agree about a different color of tight or maybe, if you are going to wear the black cami, wear something else black, like pumps and no tights.

    Great find!  

  46. Patti,
     I actually dig the sleeves and the whole dress just the way it is. If I was to give some advice, first KEEP the dress. Second, I would lose the necklace and add cuff bracelets and maybe even go a darker pair of tights. (although I do love those textured ones! Maybe a darker belt with dark tights? I actually like your outfit! My opinion anyway. ha

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