I just bought this dress... please help me not take it straight back!

[CheckingOutTheQuantocks]

I never usually wear maxi dresses but I really wanted something to waft around in during the hot weather, and I love the print on this. But now I'm thinking it's too long, I'm too pale, my arms are too fat, I look muttony... can I have honest opinions about whether this dress goes back to the shop??

Looks lovely! Great length, lovely colour and pattern, I particularly like the top part. Arms looks fine
Keep keep keep!

I think it looks very nice. It''s not muttony and your arms look fine. I find long, light dresses/trousers a real life saver with hot weather and office air con!

I have your colouring and figure and I'll be honest...it's not TERRIBLE at all but it's not flattering.

The waist is too fussy...it's shapeless and swamps you. The colouring is wrong for you (us!) and would look nicer on a tanned skin.

It looks lovely and pretty.

I like it! Definitely keep it, it’s perfect for the weather we’re meant to have this week.

Don't panic, not muttony at all! (And photos taken in the confines of a drab changing room when you're posing unnaturally aren't much to go by).

Length is fine for a maxi dress. Your arms look great and you most certainly do not look muttony!! ( hate that expression). HOWEVER.. I do think the pattern looks old fashioned.. a bit like curtains actually so it’s looks quite ageing. So ....I think you can definitely wear a maxi and look great but I think you can do a lot better than that particular dress.

I love it. Where’s it from?
I think it looks great

It looks fine, keep it!

It's fine, but there will be things which suit you better. If you're not 100% you'll probably wear it a few a times and then it'll sit in the wardrobe unworn and end up in a charity shop. Just take it back and spend the money on something you'll get the wear out of, I say!

Oh! Looks like I'm in the minority! Maybe take no notice of me OP!!

Does it 'spark joy' in you? I'm not getting that impression, even if everyone says it's a winner and to keep it. If it's not sparking joy, find something that does and put the money toward that.

I just think a dress with a more defined waist is more flattering. That one's ruched looking which will never show off a waist.

Could you wear it with a belt? The pattern is pretty and your figure is absolutely nothing to worry about. You just need more flattering definition around the middle - it’s the dress not you.

It’s not bad but it’s not flattering either

It's a bit dowdy, to be honest. I think it would look much nicer in brighter, maybe tropical colours. You look fine it though, as far as your arms and skin colour go. Don't worry about not being tanned, lots of people don't go brown and there's nothing wrong with that.

wow.how can a woman think that of herself!even if it were true swing with what you got lovely and wear what you love on it!
but no no no no .you actually dont look any of those things and i saw the photo first before i read your post and thought "ooo that look so nice"
realy does.perfect length print and other stuff.
KEEP.wear alllll the time :)

I don't think it flatters you.

OK, thanks for the opinions. It's going back! I shouldn't have bought it really, I'm too short for maxis and I don't have a waist to speak of so separates are probably better on me.

NOOOOO! You absolutely can wear maxis, you're not too short, and you do have a waist. The problem is that specific dress.

I’m short and I wear maxis - you just have to look for more flattering styles, eg with your dress, a more fitted top half as it has such a wide/flared hem, or a maxi dress that is more fitted at the bottom half in general.

It's fine. You have a lovely figure (and arms!) and could probably do better than "fine", but if I saw you in the street I would think nothing other than "that dress is nice and floaty".

I agree that the dress isn’t bad and doesn’t look strange, you’ll look absolutely fine wearing it out, however there are so many better options on the market right now so there’s no reason to settle really

Your body is definitely not the problem here! You can wear maxis and I actually think your waist is nicely defined by that dress. It's just not that amazing a dress!

Ah that’s a shame op I think it looks fab but previous posters are right if you don’t love it don’t keep it.
@CheckingOutTheQuantocks I’d love to know where it’s from though it’s exactly what I’m looking for!