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Original poster

Do I look frumpy in this dress? (with photos! )

430 replies

Wigeon · 31/01/2015 11:16

Trying to find a nice patterned dress for office-based work. This dress (Boden via eBay) looked lovely in the catalogue picture, but worried the neckline isn't flattering, makes my boobs look odd, fit makes me look fatter than I am (8-10 on top and 10-11 on bum/hips), DH thinks the pattern is aging / dowdy (I'm 35).

Honest views required please!

Do I look frumpy in this dress? (with photos! )
OP posts:
Thread gallery
37
blibblibs · 04/02/2015 18:10

I like the kaliko one on your mum, but doesn't work for you.

And like dexter said I think you may be in for a surprise in Bravissimo, I'm a 32f and you look more endowed than me too Grin

Katie2489 · 04/02/2015 18:14

Great neckline on you I think. With such a nice figure you could go a bit more fitted and shorter sleeves.

LoveVintage · 04/02/2015 18:19

Once your blossoms are hooked up and out the wrap style dresses will look much better on you. I think the Baukjen dresses look really cheap and flimsy, sorry.

LoveVintage · 04/02/2015 18:20

Oh good grief - bosoms, hoiked up!

Original poster
Wigeon · 04/02/2015 18:36

ChippingIn - the 'beige' dress is actually a lovely shade of grey - the colour has come out weird in the photo.

Re my boobs (!) - I dropped to probably a D after I stopped breastfeeding DD2 (about 2.5 yrs ago), and they went all saggy and empty, so I bougt some 32Ds, but over the past months they have filled out again and I think I am definitely now bigger than that. But not sure how much. I do lurk on the bra intervention threads and know that if someone says they are a 34C (say), they are almost certainly a 30DD! So I promise I will get diagnosed. Or maybe post my measurements for Statistically et al to diagnose.

Re wrap dresses - every time I have tried them on, I think they make my boobs look weird. But may be that's because I am wearing the wrong bra, not because the dress is wrong! (I hear you chorus)

OP posts:
PeaceOfWildThings · 04/02/2015 18:49

Agree that the Navy Baukjen one is fabulous. I'd be tempted to just get 5 of those! Grin

BallroomWithNoBalls · 04/02/2015 20:45

I don't like the Kaliko one at all. It has 3/4 length sleeves which are often meh your original dress had lovely full length sleeves and the v neck and ruching and meh pattern add up to a truly frumpy dress.

I like the Baukjen ones apart from the weird ruching at the neckline - but I think the jersey-ness isn't suited to matching with jackets, if that's your plan. I think they are fine for work but not pretending to be a properly formal dress, you need LK Bennett or Hobbs for that.

You need taken in hand, woman - you have a lovely figure and the world of work dresses is your oyster!

Original poster
Wigeon · 04/02/2015 20:57

I definitely do need taking in hand please Ballroom! I generally like my body (although still have a few hang ups!), I know I can look great, I see other people looking fab, I really want to look stylish and fab, but I am a bit clueless when it comes to clothes / fashion / shopping.

It's immensely frustrating that it seems to take sooo much effort / time to find the right shape dress, which fits, in the right colour. Do other (stylish) people just spend much longer clothes shopping than me? Does looking effortlessly good actually take a huge amount of effort?!

OP posts:
rootypig · 04/02/2015 20:59

Try some separates, OP!

Original poster
Wigeon · 04/02/2015 21:01

Thought I'd uploaded this one earlier - green lace from Kaliko.Feels like a much better shape, love the lace (although is it terribly last year / year before? ). But think I look better in a more emerald green and this green might be a bit dark (although not as dark as it appears in this photo actually).

Do I look frumpy in this dress? (with photos! )
OP posts:
BallroomWithNoBalls · 04/02/2015 21:07

I've seen this in the flesh and it's gorgeous. I'm not a fan of wrap dresses but love shirt dresses.

Do you have to / want to wear jackets though? If so, stick to simpler dresses - Hobbs would be a great first port of call, their work dresses are supremely good quality and flattering. Just glancing through them - Suri, Luann, Leona, Melinda, Lilibeth all might be good for you? I love the look of the Michelle one personally.

BallroomWithNoBalls · 04/02/2015 21:09

Oh yes that one is a really good shape! Not sure about lace for work though, lace says 'night out' for me.

BallroomWithNoBalls · 04/02/2015 21:13

To be delicate too - you have fairly large boobs on a slim frame Envy and I wouldn't necessarily wear very fitted / clingy dresses, your figure is lovely and something like a shirt dress or just something more skimming rather than properly figure hugging would look IMO better, more polished and professional. I think a silk shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt would be a great look for you. Have you looked at Belinda's blog? Google the workwearedit .

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 04/02/2015 21:58

Lace one looks nice but I don't think it looks like a work dress.

Agree that separates might well be easier for work.

ChippingInGluggingOn · 04/02/2015 22:58

The Lindy Bop dress looks great on you, you have the perfect figure footprint it. With normal tights and heels it's fab.

Many of the others are too shapeless.

DarkHeart · 04/02/2015 23:23

It's horrible, sorry

coffeenut · 05/02/2015 06:07

Okay .... my two cents.
The only dress I've remotely liked on you so far is the LKBennett one (altho the colour on my phone is awful). I have a similar figure and I need structured pencil dresses (I have a Baukjen one - without the horrible neck ruching - and it's way too clingy for work!) or separates. I find work dresses really hard FWIW as the ones that fit everywhere are often too tight on the boobs. I wear pencil skirts, with a variety of tops (silky blouse, fitted knit, silk shell, camisole etc) with a blazer.

Greengardenpixie · 05/02/2015 08:33

I think thats the best shape so far on you! The lace is a bit evening..but you could get away with it. The lindy bop dress is hiddeous! The other dresses are ok. Baujken [one in navy - dislike the other] are a bit clingy but would great in a bigger size so re-order it in the size up.

What about this:

www.whitestuff.com/womens/dresses/navy-spitalfields-cord-dress/

www.next.co.uk/x5512s3#478745x55

www.next.co.uk/x552830s5#943753x55

www.next.co.uk/x552830s7#830116x55

www.next.co.uk/x55830s2#713898x55

Greengardenpixie · 05/02/2015 09:04

Some inspiring clothes on here: and some hiddeous combinations

www.hobbs.co.uk/inspire-me

Greengardenpixie · 05/02/2015 09:08

www.next.co.uk/x55828s1

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 05/02/2015 13:32

just a quick tip about the flapping belt issue... buy a pack of those tiny clear hair bands from primark and slip one over the belt doubled over to make it tight then slip the belt end in when its fastened. Or but sticky backed velcro and cut a small piece to stick on each bit of the belt. also i think you look best in a straight pencil skirt style why not try a pencil skirt and jacket with a silky blouse for a change from a dress?

Nancy66 · 05/02/2015 13:56

Firstly, you are very brave doing this. Hats off.

Secondly, you have a cracking figure which means, fashion wise, the world is pretty much your oyster.

Finally, you have really bad taste in clothes and appear to have no idea what suits you (sorry!). I think you'd really benefit from booking yourself in with a style advisor at one of the big stores. In my experience the ones at Selfridges are the best. There's no pressure to buy and you could come away with a great wardrobe of non-frumpy clothes that will make you look a knock out.

For most people the hurdle to looking great in some clothes is their body shape. You have no such hurdle, you are VERY lucky

BallroomWithNoBalls · 05/02/2015 20:56

Top ten work dresses from Belinda's blog.