Want to wear more dresses. Have no idea what would suit me.

[BigButtons]

Here I am 56- 5’ 4”- pretty flat chested and boxy in shape.
love dresses on other people- especially the floaty type that can be dressed down.
I am scared I will look like I am wearing a nightie. Would love change from trousers though very now and again.
if you are kind of my shape and height what style do you choose? What shops are good?
🙂

No idea but following as I am the same shape and height and not far behind in age... bump!

Oh goodness - this could be a long list!

I am a similar age (smidgen older), similar height and build, though broad shouldered with a waist. I look for contemporary design in the best quality I can afford - often in the sales. I don’t mind vintage / pre-owned skirts or jackets but would only buy dresses new. Luckily they’re one area where really cheap can be surprisingly fun.

In the last few years I’ve bought or considered buying dresses from:

& Other Stories
Acne Studios
Alemais
Alexandra Golovanoff
American Vintage
Batsheva
Bode
Casey Casey
Cawley Studio
Cecilie Bahnsen
Co (not Cos)
Colenimo
Christian Wijnants
Eat Dust Clothing
Gabriela Hearst
Giuliva Heritage
Horror Vacui
Jil Sander
Karolina Ozolinsiute
Kim Hekim
Klements
Kowtow
La Double J
Le Kasha
Loulou Studio
Maison Margiela
Margaret Howell
MaxMara
Miista
Petar Petrov
Plumo
Raey @ Matches
Realisation
RUS
Sister Jane
Teurn Studios
Zara
Zimmermann

Probably missed a few! I mostly wear dresses with ankle or knee high boots, or Marni Fussbett type sandals. And prefer a big tweedy full length coat or tweed jacket. (Very unlikely to ever wear a denim or leather jacket.) I like a mix of high and low and a variety of textures in an outfit.

(I cannot stand to see or hear the words ‘Bombshell’ or ‘nice tea dress’.)

My main criteria are always

‘Dress is breathtaking’ - in terms of design, craft, ‘newness’, texture, fabric.

’Works for relevant activity’ - weather, mode of transport, likelihood of ending up a sweaty mess, etc. Equally happy with ‘sack’ shapes or form-fitting, though ‘flattering my waist’ would only ever be incidental, not a primary consideration.

I mainly just want to look like myself, and don’t give a fig for anyone else’s preconceived idea of how ‘someone like me’ ought to dress. So essentially - choose dresses you fall in love with. And don’t feel bound to rigid budget parameters - mid range brands are the worst. Make bold choices!

.

‘Dress is breathtaking’ - in terms of design, craft, ‘newness’, texture, fabric.

That's my criteria.

I would add
Palava to your (ProperSleep's) list. Probably not your (ProperSleep's) thing but they're so well made and not really like anything else.

Cabbages and Roses (I'm wearing this to the office today with flat laced, mill girl boots)
Cabbages and Roses

Oska

Samantha Sung just because they last forever.

Ganni
NRBY
Pink City Prints
Stine Goya
Egg

Thanks all.
i was thinking about what sort of style. Obvs nothing crossover as i have no bust to cross anything over. 🤔

That looks scary to me. I am so bad at knowing what would actually suit my small frame.

I'm 5"3 and have an athletic build. My favourite dresses are high neck (no boobs either) midi ones. I like something flowy (e.g. pleats) as I feel that this softens my features.

Something like this silhouette - asos midi dress (although not keen on the belt of this particular one).

OP would you post a link or two to the sort of dress you'd like to wear? Then we can find similar ones that suit your shape.

In general, I think a good dress has to fit around the shoulders properly or it can look droopy or make you look massive or out of proportion. It should show off your best features and skim your worst ones, so not tight around the stomach if that's where you carry weight.

Flat chests look fantastic in some pinafore styles and boho dresses - both of which can look more matronly if you have a big chest, but hang beautifully if you don't

So essentially - choose dresses you fall in love with.

Honestly I would just go with this advice and not fret about it.

I feel utterly crushed.

Sorry, @BigButtons - genuinely thought you wanted suggestions for shops and brands to explore! Is that how you usually choose clothes - deciding on a style first and then going to look for it?

If it's of any comfort, these 2 from your suggestion Co are fabulous.

Co dress 1

Co dress 2

I more or less live in dresses. I love my dresses. And you don’t have to decide which top goes with which bottoms.

l would say try on, try on and try on. Maybe take a patient friend?

l tend to avoid going for one style and go for lots if different ones, it makes a fun start to the day to have on something very different. For that reason mine come from multiple different shops. I quite like some in John Lewis and the “Damsel in a Dress” brand.

I am sorry!!
yes. I think about the style and then go and see what’s on offer. I thought most people did that?!😮
I would look ridiculous in some of the things I think are beautiful.
There is a woman I work with who wears a dress that really suits her. I think it looks so beautiful. She is way way taller than me though and I am basically wanting to look like her😂
I have almost no waist- not because of extra weight but because I have long legs and a pretty short torso.
I do know that empire line type styles suit me for example.

Ooh- I do like that one. I love halter necks- they suit me. Thanks!

I think about the style and then go and see what’s on offer. I thought most people did that?!

I don't know. I don't and ProperSleep obviously doesn't.

Try Fat Face Jersey dresses -

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle love the name- I gave up on the book. It was so depressing!
@ProperSleep I will take your advice and just go and explore. I am rebooting areas of my life anyway so it will be good to try new ways of thinking about clothing too. This month seems to be lasting longer than any January in my whole life and I am keen to find a beautiful dress I can wear during the day rather than the normal trousers.

I can't recommend dresses particularly, but I would agree with 'go explore'. Try on anything that catches your eye, even if you initially think it won't suit you.

When I felt in a rut I turned to Instagram for inspiration - found some people whose style I liked and it helped me transform my wardrobe. @stylebyclairlopez is quite petite, so might be a useful starting point given your height? Her overall look isn't quite me, but I do find some of her suggestions about how to wear things useful.

Well @ProperSleep gave you a big old list there so I’m not sure you need anymore suggestions to look but just in case you do….I think it’s a great idea to switch up your style a bit. I don’t wear many dresses myself so I don’t know why I’m getting involved 😀

First off I am waiting to buy something from this brand Aligne. They have some new denim dresses that don’t have the gathered sleeves which may be more my thing. But I liked this rusty colour.

I have just bought some trousers in the sale at Me + Em and Im in love with them. Possibly a bit ladylike as a brand for me but very classic and refined looking. They do this red one in a black I think but they have a few I like

Im also waiting to buy something from Soeur and while I mostly don’t like their dresses I did like this one…. Especially layered over the sweater.

There is another brand that’s a bit more affordable but can I remember it? Hell no! I’ll have to come back with it.

I can't pitch in with helping to identify what suits you, but I wholly support the wearing of dresses! I spent decades in trousers. Then about 5 years ago a colleague commented one summer how I never wore dresses. I'd admired them on others but somehow never considered them for myself. I think I thought they were the dressing up version of another lifestyle then my own. I now own 20 wonderful dresses and wear them all the time. It took a while to get used to me feeling too dressed up. The lovely smart women in my neighbourhood all look after themselves and/but wear trousers and I felt like I might as well have been shouting "look at me everybody!", but I love my dresses now.

Yes @dudsville that’s part of the problem for me too. I have a couple of nice dresses including a lively cashmere one but I haven’t reached for it all winter. ( very poor cost per wear on that purchase )

The other brand I couldn’t remember is Albaray. Not incredibly trend led I don’t think but Im trying to move away from that. I like that this denim dress is fitted at the waist.

There is no “most people” when it comes to shopping. Some people are planners and some people are adventurers who just find what they find.

Sorry- yes, budget.
i am not after spending silly money- especially since I don’t yet know if I will slip back into my trouser habit.
@dudsville that is exactly it. I love dresses on other women but have always worried I would look too dressed up in them. I need to stop doing that
@Divebar2021 that is so funny.🤣 I do really appreciate you chipping in even though you are not a dress person!
I also love jumpsuits- except when I need the loo- then it’s no so funny🤔