Wrap dress - wardrobe staple or 'noughties throwback'?!!

[williaminajetfighter]

Just bought a black wrap dress from Isabella Oliver/Baukjen thinking it would be a good wardrobe staple. Wrap dresses particularly a few by DVF used to be my fave to wear.

However when I put the dress on it - the silhouette. - looked dated, the fabric was clingy and the front too plungey. And I forgot about the dreaded cross over in the front which has a propensity to show too much cleavage and which, like a bra strap, I spend all my time hoiking up when wearing a wrap dress.

Am I being too harsh? Are wrap dresses a thing of the past or still a classic? Should I keep or return?

I don't like them, I feel they look dated on me, despite being very flattering.
I tried one on in the sales thinking I might wear it but I felt it aged me.

Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear!

If you don't like it and it doesn't suit you, then return it. I think wrap dresses are a classic but they don't suit everyone.

Thx all. I think it's just the silhouette to me is very 2004. As I get older I also feel I need more structure.

It also may be that my post pregnancy massive breasts just look like they are going to break out of the dress!

wrap dress, feels very frumpy middle aged PTA mum to me atm

Ronald yes, me too. I think others look nice in them but when I wear one I look and feel older which is never what I'm trying to achieve

I do confess to owning an asos midi dress with an obi belt...which is kinda like a wrap dress but sexier...well I think so ( kidding myself )

I've never seen one look great on anyone TBH. I've never understood the fuss (and I have big boobs so for a period they were constantly recommended to me!).

Not keen, they look dated and I don't care how flattering they might be - they just scream stuck in a rut to me.

Well, I rather like them but think they have to gave something a bit different (colour, pattern, sleeve, length etched) to avoid looking meh rather than classic. They don't work with big boobs, I don't think.

Love the very specific 2004 time reference!

They're easy to wear and flattering if they fit properly. But, yes, you have to have a certain confidence to wear one, it can easily become one of those garments that wear YOU.

The don't have enough structure for me.

Some faux wrap dresses are better. I have something like this which (although it doesn't look it on the model) is hugely flattering because the fixed wrap bit pulls you in at just the right point, and leave just the right amount of fabric for draping. I can never achieve the same effect with a wrap dress when I'm tying it myself.

I've still got one from 2004 Top Shop though, not DVF. It suits me better now.

Some look great on me, some look hideously mumsy. I think they're all about the cut. I find a bigger swishier skirt and a bold pattern is much better on me than straighter skirt and plain colour/small pattern which makes me look frumpy/dull/2004 :)

I am wearing them more at the moment as I'm pregnant and much prefer dresses to separates in pregnancy. Less so when not pregnant, but I will and do wear one if it's the right cut.

I've never found a wrap dress that stays comfortably in position, but I do have loads of the mock wrap style linked to above. I find them much more practical because there are no gaping issues and more flattering because they pull you in better across the belly than a wrap dress with a single tie.

But that's me and I know nothing about fashion. In 2004 I was mostly wearing maternity clothes.

I love them. I'm a tall, J cup, hourglass and find them very flattering. I wear plainer ones for work and have a couple of more interesting print ones from White Stuff for casual wear.

I think like anything the fit is absolutely key. They can be frumpy. You can also make them frumpy with bad shoes and bad jewellery.

If there's too much cleavage, pop a vest underneath. No one wants to see a woman constantly rearranging and setting her clothes.

Like every other style, you get good and bad. Anything that needs constant fiddling with is not right for you. I look at other's style and think I would like to wear the jeans and long line tops for example and end up looking like a sack of tatties! It is about you, body type and personality and also the design of the item. I like a wrap, but it does depend on fabric, print and construction and have some great fun, flattering dresses, that don't require me to fiddle with them at all, but it is also about how you style them too. Always worth trying new styles at any age.

I've got quite a few faux wrap dresses, they're flattering to my shape and easy to wear. I also put a vest top on underneath as I have quite large boobs and can't be bothered with rearranging my clothes all day.

I absolutely cannot do wrap dresses. One of the worst things on me.

But I think it's a body shape thing. Others have more success.

I have a DVF and I love it.

I'm tall and a size 10 (well, 6, if I go by the DVF label) hour glass with modest boobs.

For me it's a day dress. Easy to wear and very flattering.

I find them terribly frumpy. Trinny and Susannah killed them as a style, I think.

They dont suit my figure so I dont wear them but they are a classic wardrobe staple.

They look better with a crop top underneath so theres no cleavage on show.

love them (but am v un stylish so maybe that answers your question)

they suit me. i look fabulously voluptuous in them . am tall hourglass-ish

They absolutely suit my figure and I confess to having quite a few for work. I find them very comfortable and flattering but you have to get good quality ones, the cheap ones don't have enough wrap over, the belts are too short and the material is clingy. Get good quality ones and they are much more comfortable and fit nicely.

I wear a vest top underneath or Primark do these great crop tops. Also necessary to wear a slip. Then I wear with riding style boots and jewellery. I think the patterned ones look better also.

I like them too - small & FF cup.

Have just got a new DvF in sales and think it is pretty flattering. I like the fact they can do day to evening quite easily. But I definitely need to wear a vest underneath or a slip. I wear with heels or ankle boots.

They suit me (the FWM ones) and I have 2 of them - however I do think they can look dated hence heels and ankle boots.