I do not wear dresses ,i do not own a dress, just curious can i be converted ?

[Beauregard]

Am i alone ?

Can a dress ever look good with flats?

Once you know what shape dress suits you you can buy them quick as you like. I often dont need to try on

I am a short oblong with lumps, shoulders broadish. Can't do heels, can't walk in em.

Pelvic I'm so sorry I've joined in with this, I do hope you don't mind.

I don't wear trousers, if i can help it.

I always wear skirts or dresses.
dresses are good, you just have to make sure you get one that fits your shape.

and it's much more comfortable in the winter wearing dress and tights rather than trousers (no crotch chafing!)

Tell us what shape you are - "tall" isn't enough.
In fact, put a front on and side on picture of yourself on your profile.

oh, and I don't wear heels either (except for posh, and even then they have to be very comfortable)

Trousers are more of an issue when you've gained weight than dresses, as they have a snug waistline to worry about. Dresses can be much more free flowing than that.

If you have time, I would go during the week, during the day to somewhere nice and safe like Marks and Spencer. Find a clerk and beg them for mercy to help you find something, explaining you've never worn a dress before. If you go when it's less busy, they'll have more time to help you find something.

And again, I'm not saying you should go and buy the first thing you see off the rack, I'm saying you should go and try something on so that you can actually see what a dress looks like on you.

I must admit Hully, that I am a bit paranoid that it makes my bum look big . . .

Dont be daft Hullygully

I dont wear heels because i would be about 8 ft tall if i did lol. i am nearly 6ft 2 (well 186cm) so hence no heels.
I prob wont be able to just buy off the rail either.

you'd have to be careful about skirt length then - if you go for something that's supposed to be below-knee, then on you, it will be knee or above-knee.
(below knee looks hideous - it's a skirt-length for grannies)
you won't be able to wear long skirts, unless they're made for tall people, because they will go to mid-calf and that's just gross.

I am 5'8" and tend to only wear dresses at above-knee length (makes my legs look slimmer), and with opaque tights in the winter.

New Look does Tall for Women That's pretty off the rail. The tall cable knit dress about three rows down would be a good one to try, you could wear it over jeans at first like it's a long sweater and then graduate to leggings and then tights.

Any more excuses?

I wish I had worn dresses more before I had a "mummy tummy" when I was slimmer but i live in em now.
I buy from lots of places but mostly easy washable fabrics so no minimal ironing, chuck opaques and boots and in the words of Republica

maybe i could manage with leggings Andimac

Trouble with New Look is that i would have to buy before i tried

I'm tall (over 6 ft!) and wear dresses all the time. Mostly with opaque tights and boots or mid-heel shoes (no stilettos).

I think it looks nice, but what do I know...

Quite how tall are you?

ah I see you are 1.86.

I am 1.84, and I wear heels as I'm taller than anyone anyway, and as far as I'm concerned once you're over 6ft you as well say "f5ck it" and wear heels and look nice, and just deal with all the comments

How about going into JL or HoF early in the week and getting a personal stylist? Even if you end up feeling guilty into buying something - just go to another floor and return it!

They will have a huge cross range of dresses to try though - rather than just M&S or the like.

I started with leggings and then slowly graduated onto thick tights. You will soon get fed up with the leggings if they bag at the knee and will yearn for a tight!

I think SPanx do shaping type leggings and tights - so will hold all bumps in.

Or get a thinner dress but layer with a longline cardi/waistcoat to skim the bumps.

I love the 2 dresses linked so far. My problem is everyone would say 'ooh Molly is wearing a dress' but I'm determined to get out of jeans.

I did buy a dress this summer this one but rarely wore it because I didn't know what top/cardi to go with it.

Agree with Chandon. I don't bother wearing heels partly because even with an extra 2-3 inches from heels I'm still short, it's really not fooling anyone! So by the same logic, you're going to be tall whatever shoes you wear, so you might as well wear whatever ones you like best :)

For plain dresses I would try
White Company (sales quite good)
Gap
possibly Great Plains?

ephiny, are you by any chance my 5ft best friend

We always make a deal if we go to party and want to catch up, where you have to stand up (cocktails etc.) that I wear flats and she wears heels, otherwise we can't talk

I really want to be a convert (just need some boots/shoes comfy enough to wear all day including commuting).

Please, more links and suggestions for us dress-avoiders!

And the questions:

• don't woolly dresses stick to tights?
• where to get the best thick tights for tall (and wide) people? All tights I've ever worn have been only just big/long enough.
• how not to have lumps under the dress, especially where the tights squeeze your waist?

Thankyou, dress-wearers!

well tights - get the thick footless ones from Gap - pretty big and they give a bit more leaway

the thick middle thing - that's why you need to find the right shape dress - not clingy round the middle

I've never had a problem with clingy tights - perhaps wear a wool dress with non woolly tights?

Molly that dress is beautiful.
don't wear it with a cardi.

or if you have to, maybe a cotton shawl?
or a cotton crochet cardi/
this would work
or something like this, but not this colour

or this style

I'm a cardi queen

Catilla - if you wear a woolly dress, wear an underskirt (one of those slips, rather than a skirt or you'll get the waist thing anyway)

I wear John Lewis's winter tights (mostly cotton), but in the spring/autumn, I wear normal opaque tights - no thicker than 40 denier look.
If i wear tights in the summer (i normally wear ankle socks that match the dress), then I wear 10 denier skin-tone with fishnets/patterned tights on top. That works in the spring/autumn too, if you wear thicker flesh-tone tights under them.

I am about your friend's height Chandon, and yes it can be awkward talking to tall people on standing-up occasions! I used to work in a team of mostly tall men, and after-work drinks tended to be like that...

Oh! for tights - avoid Next, the only tights I've ever bought from next had stupidly short legs with massive torso bits! I thought they were designed for people with legs half the length of their body!

I found some lovely fitting ones in New Look.
I normally buy large size to get the length.