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?
🙂

I am scared I will look like I am wearing a nightie.

Obvs nothing crossover as i have no bust to cross anything over.

I am so bad at knowing what would actually suit my small frame.

I would look ridiculous in some of the things I think are beautiful.

She is way way taller than me though and I am basically wanting to look like her

I have almost no waist …

@BigButtons - you seriously carry all this disparagement of yourself to every encounter with potential new clothes? How do you ever manage to buy anything at all?

It is a very different mindset to mine … I scarcely think about my body at all when I’m browsing clothes - it’s the garments themselves that enthral and excite me. Browsing a website (or in the 20th century stepping into a clothes shop) is like opening the first page of an unbelievably absorbing novel - stimulating imagination and opening up new worlds. At that point it’s entirely abstract.

If I see something I adore …

Is it the right price? Am I willing / able to pay what it costs right now or should I wait to see if it arrives at a better price eventually? Is it just fantasy?

Does it fit even remotely into my life?

Can I live without it?

Will it suit me? trails far, far behind. I order a thing; if it fits and looks good (or can be satisfactorily altered) and seems worth the money I keep it. If not, I don’t.

Your big mistake was not mentioning your budget. More affordable options …

Well, @TheClutcherOfPearls (well chosen!) two of the brands in my list are inherently cheap - the rest can probably all be bought either reduced in sales or pre-owned at a tiny fraction of their original price.

However. I’m over 60 years old. I’m not wasting my time looking at New Look because frankly, at this advanced end of late middle age - I deserve better. And like nice clothes.

I quite like this guide to choosing which silhouette for your body type:

https://theconceptwardrobe.com/build-a-wardrobe/how-to-dress-the-rectangle-body-shape

@ProperSleep yes - when you lay it all out like that it IS very self deprecating.
I have most likely been very influenced over the years by articles which discuss dressing for certain body shapes.
I don’t think I have ever just considered buying something ( other than jumpers) which I just love the look of.
It’s helpful to be given a different mindset to consider and I am always keen to explore different perspectives- thank you 🙂

I bought this dress recently and I love it, perfect, comfortable, casual every day kind of a dress. The size comes up big.

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/heartfelt-dress?cm_mmc=AWIN--referral--affiliate-_-affiliate&utm_source=AWIN&utm_medium=referral&utm_id=78888%7CSkimlinks%7Cwww.mumsnet.com&sv_campaign_id=78888&sv_tax1=affiliate&sv_tax2=379837&sv_tax3=Skimlinks&sv_tax4=mumsnet.com&sv_affiliate_id=78888&awc=7548_1706352823_9c95df1c911fb7b898cb04700cd3f2a4

I used to wear dresses quite a bit, and still sometimes do in summer. But in winter I've really got no footwear that works with them.

love the name- I gave up on the book. It was so depressing!

Me too. Such a sad book.

I can't do the "does this suit my body type" thing so I don't know what you're looking for other than a dress. It's not the way I shop.

This dress has been mentioned before - some posters hate , others, including me , love it. It's now reduced to £39. I don't own it but I'm very tempted. If you like the look of it could you give it a go?

That Nobody's Child dress

(I'm curious - what was scary about the Cabbages and Roses dress?)

What do you wear on your feet in winter?

I don’t mind the look of that dress. What I immediately see is the cut where the breasts are. You would need something to fill that out. I have had dresses with that styling before and the fact that I didn’t have enough to fill it out made it look , well not great.
I would fear the cabbage and rose one would swamp me. But I have no idea until I get myself to some shops and try stuff on. I might be pleasantly surprised.
I also shy away from patterns but am also prepared to try new things!🙂

It's a shame so many brands are either only online or only a small number of stock in real shops. Although almost everything I buy is now online. Everything was bought on the "omg- that looks wonderful" principles ProperSleep has suggested.In the last 4 years I've returned 2 dresses and only because they were too small.

But definitely going to a shop and picking out what catches your eye rather than starting from "will this suit me" might surprise you. You've nothing to lose except at worst, wasted time.

Do you have any reasonable shops near you?

Op I would have a look at Marks & Spencer, they have really upped their game & the prices are reasonable if you're not sure you will take to dresses and their returns policy is still quite good!

https://www.marksandspencer.com/printed-tie-neck-mini-relaxed-dress/p/clp60633648?intid=mobileappppdpshare

https://www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-funnel-neck-mini-skater-dress/p/clp60633665?intid=mobileappppdpshare

Or if you're used to wearing jeans/ trousers then why not try a skirt? You can still wear your normal tops.
This cargo skirt looks great

https://www.marksandspencer.com/midi-cargo-skirt/p/clp60638029?intid=mobileappppdpshare

Or a slip skirt with a jumper could also be something to try?

Oh that is surprising! I like those🙂
I remember when so many threads on here were about how absolutely awful M&S clothing had become. A trip into town next weekend for sure!

I would agree with M&S just for trying different shapes of dresses.

Is there an Anthropologie near you OP?

Anthropologie

I my town we do have a lot of boutique dress shops with more unique ( and more expensive) dresses. I will check those out too. Also Brighton is down the road so lots of choice there.
🙂

I think you need to get to shops and try different shapes of dress on. Obviously some people can ‘fall in love’ with a dress from a photo but I think clothes can look dramatically different, both better and worse, when they’re on me.
I wouldn’t have said I was particularly interested in clothes until a few years ago when I started regularly visiting some good local charity shops, and trying on a whole range of stuff I’d not usually think of. I stopped limiting myself to what I’d always worn or getting frustrated because high street shops didn’t have what I was looking for and started thinking of clothes more as something to have fun with, even if not too way out there or wacky. Now I mainly buy on Vinted.
I know you mentioned floaty dresses, and this is the opposite, but I wear short jumper dresses or short skirts quite often, with knitted tights (school tights from Next) and ankle boots, usually DMs. I find them comfortable for working from home.

If you don't like the Little House on the Prairie trend, and if you don't like big poufy dresses with frills and massive principal boy puff sleeves, it's quite hard.Or florals.

Do at least take a bit of time to browse all the other sites people have listed on the thread before your M&S trip, @BigButtons - then at least you’ll have a broad view of the field of play, so to speak. Even if that includes things you wouldn’t want to pay for or can’t imagine wearing - just look.

Have a look at Albaray. Less floufy, if that is a word, than others. Though not sure if you are looking for less floufy. I certainly am.

Depends how proportionate you are (if you took a full length pic of yourself with nothing in it for scale, would you look short or tall?) and how good your arms/shoulders are

I think column/shift dresses look good on boyish figures

There are loads of independent shops in Brighton, some of which stock some of the suggestions listed.

I'd take a day there. Plot every single one, (excluding bridal and chains you can get anywhere) on a map and work my through them on a dress campaign. Go and look and try on.

I wouldn't take the approach above. It's so limiting.

This is Unfolded have a similar one, but in a cotton fabric in their sale..

It would help if you specify a budget as you are getting suggestions ranging from £25 to £1000. What is "silly money" for you?

Most of my dresses are from charity shops as I don't like much in the shops these days.

What kind of patterns are you looking for, or do you want plain? I’m sligh.Ty shorter than you with a pretty flat chest and a kind of boyish figure. I’ve finally found dresses for daywear/work that suit and actually fit me! I used to pooh pooh Seasalt but I did their size finder thing and it worked out just right. I bought a couple of dresses in the sale to try and now I’m bloody addicted because they’re so easy. I’ve bought everything from them online and everything has fitted. I go for Petite dresses or regular size Long Tunics. Some of mine are lovely and I don’t often say that about clothes on me because I’m so petite/flat/shapeless.

The photos on their website aren’t very inspiring IMO, so I just look at the cut and the pattern rather than the person wearing it and the styling thing they do.

I’m an 8 Petite BTW.

I'm similarly flatchested and a little boxy in shape. I find dresses in crisp fabric with a bit of structure work best for me e.g. corduroy, denim, etc. As for shape: shirt dresses, pinafore styles and shifts feel most like "me". Anything that's supposed to drape slinkily over my non-existent curves looks a little incongruous. Cos and Arket are often worth a look.