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?

Think they need to fit you well and be sturdy material. I have one in red that is a couple of years old (from Isabella Oliver-as-was) and still like it. I am slight and 5.3'' and it gives me some shape. I love the long sleeves on that particular dress, not so keen on on 3/4 sleeves I had on a wool blend French Connection wrap dress, so it went on ebay a while ago as I simply didn't wear it.

Thanks everyone. My two DVF wrap dresses are really good quality and fit incredibly well. Will always stay in my wardrobe.

But I do love the Trinny & Susannah reference because they seemed to use wrap dresses as the answer for all body types!

Sadly this wrap dress is good quality but the fabric is really soft and clingy, kind of like yoga trousers. Just not enough structure and feels and looks more like jersey-type pajamas/lounger wear.

www.baukjen.com/uk/shop/baukjen/dresses/the-classic-wrap-dress-caviar-black.htm

Wrap dresses are not optimal for me - they accentuate the wrong bits (I'm fairly slim but they give me a potbelly and I also have problems fiddly cleavage) - and I too have recently felt they look and feel dated. I have two winter weight DVF wrap dresses but have not reached for them recently. They had their moment when they were invented (zany patterns, fresh silhouettes) and have since rotated in an out of fashion, but after having them around for almost 10 years I'm really bored and prefer other shapes. However, for hourglasses they may be a staple.

Love them in general. Bought one from Warehouse a long time ago, and it is faded and ancient but can't bear to throw it away. Have been researching high and love for a replacement for some time. If anyone know where Nikki chapman on Wanted Down Under get her dresses from I would love to know.

Searched the usual places and nothing quite right.

I think wrap dresses are (a) incredibly dated (b) not suitable for all figure types.

Having said that, I have an über stylish, über creative, über hourglass friend whose favourite dress is a wrap dress and she still looks fabulous in it. She does tend to look fabulous all the time...

they make me look like mrs tiggywinkle

I don't think they suit everyone - they tend to just draw attention to my ample bum and gape open at the front, not a good look! Also the wrapped in the middle thing makes me look short and dumpy. Shirt dresses and jersey dresses with cleaner lines suit me far better as a basic staple, the v-neck booby clingy thing just isn't me.

And I agree they're quite boring because they're so ubiquitous. Not that boring is bad, it can be classic, but you can't really style a wrap dress other than shoes and jewellery - they don't really layer successfully.

Also quality is absolutely key - in cheap jersey they lose their shape very easily, look awful and saggy.

I like them for work with knee boots - I err on the side of classic for work though as I'm quite young and want to look serious I have a couple from Hobbs which are both good, I also wear a slip with them, honest I'm not 80. I'm pear shaped size 10, small boobs and I find them very flattering.

I agree with the PP who mentioned faux wrap dresses - they are so much more flattering!

I'm quite short (5'3) and slim, but with a very hourglassy figure (39-25-39 inches), so very few clothes hang correctly on me. However, a just-above-the-knee faux wrap dress in a thick, stretchy fabric with a good drape sits perfectly and doesn't look dated on me.

I mostly like them plain, although I have a couple of cotton ones with subtle prints which always get compliments.

They do need to be accessorised carefully though - jackets and cardigans can be difficult, and I always put them with either high heeled patent Mary Janes and interesting tights or snazzy Dr Martens and fishnets.

My favourite was £7 from Tesco about 2 years ago and it regularly goes to parties and important worky things with me, even though I bought a nice DVF version for that exact purpose...

This is funny for me to read!
I had a wrap dress I loved about 5 years ago.
I wore it the other day and even as I put it on I felt wrong. Dated, frumpy, definitely not the smart classic look I was going for.

DH, who never comments, said that looks like something your mother would wear.
It went in the charity bag.

Flattering on me, but still frumpy feeling.

I think they look great on hour glasses and large of nork-ers. I have one patterned, heavy material one that I like, but th clingy jersey ones a la Isabella Oliver show every lump and bump on me and dont flatter.

YY faux wraps all the way. Real wraps too high maintenance and prone to malfunction in high winds. And you need a vest top to hide cleavage. Shirt dresses and knit dresses also easy to wear & smart with knee boots & coloired tights.

I love them but wore them all the time as maternity wear so they are kind of in the maternity category for me which makes me not want to wear them, IYSWIM? Along with anything with an empire line.

Agree on structure and have moved on to shift-type dresses in ponte roma: they tick same boxes in terms of practicality and comfort, whilst looking much more tailored.

I had a weak moment in the sales and bought a soft drapey wrap-style dress online: was really taken aback by how unflattering it was on me in real life.