How would you style this dress?

[margaritasbythesea]

DH bought me this for my birthday last year. It really suits me but I find it really hard to style. I think it is the length of the skirt and the fact the material has a sheen to it. It's also a bit brighter than navy, which it looks in the photo.

It isn't as floaty as it looks there. It is much more 1940s style in RL.

Blue dress

I love the dress but really struggle to wear it.

It’s lovely! Simple necklace and earrings and shoes not boots. It’s a classic dress and very elegant does not need much it speaks for itself

Thanks. It's nice to know! I always feel a bit frumpy in it. I think it is because it hits mid calf. Do you think I shoudl have it taken up? I usually suit this length but I am not sure it works.

How about flat pointed shoes? I saw a dress styled like that recently and thought it was a good mix of modern but smart.

I think an open toe wedged shoes would look best with this dress.

Styled it awfully in the JL picture though!

I'm also not keen on the styling JL have chosen. I do think, if it's a year old, that probably looked really cool with the chunky boots. I think that look is less cool now tbh! Although I still like it, but I just feel it might be the very beginning of the very slow end of chunky boots with every dress...until next time . This is why I almost never get rid of shoes completely.

Aaaaanyway, I also think this would look better with shoes rather than boots. I'd probably go ballet flats, (which I think are making a come back), or pointed flats. I'd also keep jewellery simple.

It's a lovely dress and I love that brand! Have tried a few things from there and find the quality great.

I think that length of dress can be hard to wear with flats without looking frumpy. Heeled sandals or wedges would be good, bur ideally without an ankle strap to avoid another line across your legs.

It could work with heeled boots, but knee high ones that are covered by the hem, nothing that cuts across your leg.

The JL styling is terrible.

Can I be honest? I don’t really like the dress. I’m not sure what occasion it’s trying to appeal to.

Either wear trainers and sunglasses for day wear

Or heeled sandals at night

But again, there’s so many nicer dresses out there that aren’t as difficult to work with

Thanks for your advice. I do think a peep toe or a pointed flat would be good but I also do agree with wingsnthat - it does just fall a bit betwixt and between occasions. It's a bit polite but then not dressed up enough for special occasions. I think I might take it up which would take it definitely into smart smart.

The JL stying is awful, when when boots went with everything.

I think it's a lovely dress. But as everyone else has said the styling of that on the website is dreadful. I bought a Somerset by Alice Temperley dress a few years ago from them - similar cut, but long sleeves and button up collar. They styled it with the same chunky boots. It looked awful. But I wore a high heeled court shoe in a matching colour which made it look elegant enough for me to wear it to Royal Ascot.

For that dress you could do many options. Nude pumps or strappy heeled sandals, black, navy, or even red. You could also pair with a heeled knee high boot as someone else suggested which would look really nice. Normally boots are quite autumnal / wintery but if you wanted to invest in a cream heeled boot (very on trend at the moment) you could get away with that during the spring and summer months if not too hot). Gold jewellery would look amazing with that. A nice dainty gold necklace and pendant. Pearls are very on trend now as well and pearls look really nice with navy.

I think that the dress just in general is a more elegant style so would be hard to pair with a flat shoe without looking frumpy. It really depends on your height and where the dress falls as well. You want to avoid the hem sitting at the widest part of your calf.

That's a good point about the calf. It might be just a tweak. Thank you for your tips.

Something orange would go really well with that dress! Some nice strappy orange heels perhaps? Or a chunky orange belt 😊

Nude or tan loafers would look nice.
I have very muscular calves, I am struggling with these midi lengths.

Don’t make the shoe too polite unless you want a very ladylike look ..... I’m not sure it’s the right length for flats because it’s not long enough. ( well on the model anyway ). I would love some peep toes slightly stacked heels and ramp up the vintage style a bit. I’ve never worn Terry de Havilland shoes but they always look like they’re off to a party. Maybe a leopard print ?

Yes those sort of shoes sound good Divebar

Brown suede knee boots and a brown leather belt, with a denim jacket would look good, though I don’t know anything about fashion and just read these posts to look for tips 😊

I would style it casually with a pair of pumps & a leather jacket. (By pumps I mean plimpsoles)

Thanks. I think I will c ertainly be able to wear it more after this.

Not sure if this helps, but I bought it in black for a funeral. Beautifully made, and I loved that it wasn’t a true wrap around. Though the V was very deep, so needed a cami underneath.
Wore it with heels.
Would happily wear it out to dinner, no cami, and red lipstick.

OMG, I love it!! I'd wear it with flattish high boots and a chunky necklace ... but then that's my 'uniform'... :)

Thank you for all your ideas.