Problems with summer dresses in the shops right now

[Clotheswoe]

I've been trying to find some nice summer dresses to buy. I'm a size 12, mid/late 30s.

I'm struggling find any that suit me and that I'm comfortable wearing.

Main issues are:

• Many are wrap dresses and don't feel secure, especially when it's windy

• I would like a waist line where my waist actually is - and I can't find dresses like this

• Dresses seem to either cling in all the wrong places, or the opposite and they drown me.

Anyone else having issues with summer dresses?

Why are wraps always recommended if you're busty? They always gape and make one boob (the one that the tie goes under) look way bigger than the other!

Ooh good idea. What kind of sleeves do they become? More kimono - ish?

Agreed! And I'm not spending ££ on a dress to then have to faff about pinning it.

Yes! So many issues.
I also struggle with length, they either seem to be flashing my bum or midi/maxi which just drown me as I'm only short.
I would love a skater style/ fit and flare knee length dress that is a decent material.

They are like angel sleeves, I thought about putting new elastic in or a tuck at the hem, but I think they look fine as they are.

It’s nice but too short( for me, anyway)

I have a beautiful hot squash chiffon wrap dress I LOVE. I can't wear full wrap dresses as the waist always seems to be in the wrong place but the hot squash ones are fab. I got mine from Vinted for a fraction of the cost of new ones.

I agree about the material - I don't want polyester!!

Will there be a revolution next year & nobody will wear ‘pretty’ summer dresses. We’ll be back to plain?

Yes! Also - what the hell is going on with sleeves at the moment??

I willl lead it. Viva la revolution! Down with the "pretty girly" dresses. I even found myself tempted by the minimalism of Muji recently. At least their dresses are in cotton and without puff sleeves.

No. I make my own. This way I get what I want and they fit properly.

"My issue: lack of bust darts"

This! I'm a size 16 - I have boobs! It would be nice if this was taken into account!

I just want a nice plain black or navy or dark green dress - no tiers or scratchy material or ugly arse patterns. Everything in the shops at the moment seems to make me look like a medieval peasant!

It's because they're all shit.
I bought myself one. Looked lovely in the pictures. I try it on, it's got added ties on the puff sleeves that I didn't see in the pictures and I look like a milk maid/ Kellnerin beer girl from Germany. On me, that's not a good look.
I might stick to flowy skirts with a fitted vest and hope for the best.

All I want is a cotton dress with a waist and normal sleeves, and a neckline that doesn't make me look like I'm being strangled. Oh and pockets.

Enough tiers, enough puff sleeves, enough shirring, enough oversized midi dresses, and above all enough shit, thin, plasticky, horrible material.

Why are so many things made of viscose nowadays? I see some really lovely blouses, dresses etc but all made of viscose! I’ve found, in the past, viscose is impossible to wash! It always shrinks no matter what I do - low temp machine/low temp hand wash, it always shrinks!

I’m so glad I found this thread ! I’m 5,6 but most of the dresses I’ve seen would hit the floor on me . I also can’t bear ruched fronts .

It shrinks, it's difficult to reshape, it goes baggy, it fades and it gets tiny holes in.
No thank you!

THis has a very high waist- effectively under bust, but it is really flattering. The smocking isn't squishy at all. I ordered a 2nd in a different colour:

https://thisisunfolded.com/products/sam-shirred-puff-sleeve-dress-black

I am really struggling with the flouncy sleeves , I’m peri menopausal with a small bust and no waist , so nothing looks right , but flounces are a no go !

everthing seems to be the wrong length on me. I'm 5ft 6 which I would have thought is fairly average, but apparently not!

Sorry but that dress recommended above ticks just about every box that has been complained about on this thread

I love the idea of Unfolded and the dress does look good quality compared to much of the high street, but I hate those sleeves. And while I can see the smocking is better quality than most, I've just had enough of it.

Hopefully this will be the last summer of the same old styles? I really thought we'd reached the end last summer.

Even if you were a milkmaid, you wouldn’t be wearing a big puffy floral meringue dotted with ditsy flowers to do the milking, you’d be in a pair of practical overalls and wellies and carrying a big bucket.

I have loved Zara cotton shirt dresses in previous years. This year the ones they have fit oddly (skinny arms or seams that don't sit straight) there's a tiered (I know!) green leaf one but the tiers aren't even straight - why on earth would diagonal/asymmetric tiers be a good idea?!

Other horrors in other places are the obsession with round/high necks (soooo unflattering) or square necks - ditto.)

OMG the tiers. If I like a pattern, I'd like to see it in the skirt of the dress, not 4 layers/levels/tiers of mismatched cropped pattern.