I know, I KNOW, Anthropologie is a load of wafty overpriced shit BUT

[YoureBreakingMyHeartCecilia]

I’ve just bought this dress in the sale

www.anthropologie.com/en-gb/shop/second-female-mulle-dress?category=sale-dresses&color=095&type=REGULAR&quantity=1

It’s not for everyone, I recognise that. But I bloody LOVE paisley, I LOVE sack-style dresses (I’m tall and slim so they work well for me) and I LOVE balloon-y sleeves that give nice armpit circulation. 🤗 I also like a bit of pale orange which works with my colouring ! Honestly I know it’s probably going to make most people run a mile but it’s just my cup of tea.

At full price it’s obviously wtf but at Warehouse/Oasis price in the sale it’s one I just couldn’t resist.

BUT... can I wear it in autumn/winter or do I need to wait for spring/early summer? Summer styling is obvious, trainers or flat sandals. In winter I would need tights obviously and I have a bit of a horror of any non-black opaques. But black opaques would be weird with the dress, right? Even if I wore tan or brown boots almost up to the knee so you couldn’t see much of the tights?? Would a textured cable knit work in a different (gulp) colour (and by ‘colour’ I mean grey, cream, faun...?)

Basically, is there any way of making it work in colder weather with a chunky cardi etc?

Please don’t tell me if you loathe the dress!! I really do know it’s an ahem unusual one. But I love the look of it and I am SO SICK of wearing boring ‘at home’ clothes and/or buying safe stuff that I kind of like well enough but don’t get a rush of enjoyment from. 2020 has been shit and I JUST WANT TO WEAR A DRESS I LOVE ASAP.

Any styling advice (unless it’s ‘send it straight back, it’s hideous and looks like 1970s curtains’) would be much appreciated.

PS I also recognise that the 25 year old stunner of a model is making it look a lot less like 1970s curtains than it would on me. If the curtain effect is TOO foul on me I will send it back (or only wear it at home which let’s face it is where I’m going to be spending the first few months of 2021 anyway)

I love it

Cream chunky cardigan, not sure on shoes! Maybe suede or leather brown boots like you said! Maybe look on pinterest for ideas

Pale grey or cream polo neck underneath and tan boots?

(I imagine that is what Erica Davies would suggest)

Sorry, I won't be fighting you for that one.
I'm sure there's plenty of paisley that isn't baby poo brown hey, life would be boring if we like the same stuff

Second Female is a lovely Scandi brand, decent quality usually. That's a lovely dress, wouldn't work on me at all but sounds like it will be lovely in you.

You could wear it now over jeans, with a pink or burgundy roll-neck underneath perhaps? Definitely not black tights as you say, but burgundy (again) would look great.

The fabric is just like my parents dining room curtains in the 1970s ( sorry op I'm sure you didn't want to read this!).

Too many lovelies there! Gah. But you get the gist.

Erica Davies just did a whole thing about burgundy tights. That would look nice with tall boots. I’d be tempted to add a chunky cardigan, leaving towards a darker shade, to avoid it being too bottom-heavy.

I love a bit of Anthropologie, but as I'm short and dumpy I am not the target market. How about high 70s tan boots with a block heel? And a longish chunky Aran knit cardi. Thing is, by the time you've bought those it's not so much of a bargain...

Wow thank you everyone!

BeginningBridge don’t worry, I’m not at all unhappy about 70s curtain comparisons... I kind of think that’s the price you have to pay with paisley...

Ha! Plonque, I did almost describe the colour as cat sick but maybe baby poo brown is more accurate 😂 again, if it’s just too poo/sick looking it will have to be returned (but I promise to post a pic beforehand just for you) 🤪

I’m just thrilled some of you like it! And burgundy tights might really work, thank you to both of you who’ve suggested.

I have an Aran cardi and I have chunky heel (dark brown) knee boots. I also have taupe flat knee boots and tan Cuban-heel ankle boots. Might try all of those (not at once!)

I will see if I can find burgundy tights (the idea of burgundy does not fill me with dread) and start there!

Ps How have I never heard of Erica Davies before? Just googled her. I’m more out of the loop than I thought 😳

I see your point about a darker shade cardi Foldin... I have a dark brown chunky-ish long-line cardi, could be worth an experiment!

I’m very envious that you would look good in that. I’m short, dumpy and corned beef white. I’d look like one of the poor Cholmondley Warner insane and incarcerated women from the Women! Know Your Limits! sketch.

LightDrizzle 🤣

But steady on. There’s no saying I will actually look good in it. I will in all probability look like a person who wrapped herself in BeginningBridge’s parents’ curtains and then rolled in baby poo.

I’m pretty brutally honest with myself though so if I do look exactly like that I will concede defeat and return it.

OR just refuse to completely give in and inflict it on my family around the house...

Actually my bigger fear is not so much looking like I’m wearing curtains as looking like I’m wearing a HOUSECOAT.

If it has housecoat vibes it’s DEFINITELY going back.

(But if there’s any way I can make myself look a bit like Penelope Keith in The Good Life I will Keep On Trying!)

I love Anthropologie, but that dress is awful. The model looks like she is wearing a sack. If a model can't make it look good then it's a no hoper.

I'm sure you will rock it 🙂

Brown knee high boots and a chunky cardi, with a belt? Not for very cold days but should be ok in spring/autumn.

It's a lovely dress, I love Anthropologie.

I was expecting an eye assault but I really like it.

I'd second the chunky cardigan, or roll neck beneath.

And channel the 50s librarian look with woolly grey or brown tights, and brogues.

I’m delighted so many of you like it!

LOVE the idea of the 50s librarian look tea! I can channel different decades than I thought! (I lack curves, though; I feel like a 50s librarian would be curvy!)

I love it. I've just bought it. I live in a hot country so this will be perfect. Not usually an Anthropologie fan. I'm tall and slim too so hopefully can make it work.

Not black tights, definitely not. Agree with long tan boots and perhaps brown tights. Cable knot cream cardigan would also go well.

*cable knit

I love it too - off to browse the sale. One of my all time favourite tops is from anthropologie.