Am I nuts to have splurged on this?

[Peppermintcreamz]

Have loved this Self Portrait dress for a while and saw it went 25% off today. It was reduced to €390/£335. I have no formal enough occasion coming up this year for it but I’d love to save it for the next wedding or something appropriate. I’m trying to save a bit more at the moment (for nothing specific) so I can cover it if I dip in to those. There was 1 left in my size and I couldn’t resist. If it fits should I keep it? 😅

Or consider having at adjusted. WWKMD?

If you like it, treat yourself. Life is too short. We all have different tastes, take no notice of what others say. If it makes you happy, go for it....

I think it looks lovely. Is it all one piece or can the jacket be separated from the skirt?

It suits you!

Too tight under the arms is an issue … Can you raise your arms in it? If there’s any spare material at the seams a skilled dressmaker could probably alter it to give more room. And at the same time perhaps move a buttonhole on the hidden placket so it fits more accurately at the front. These are perfectly normal adjustments - off the peg clothes can’t be expected to fit every single person perfectly.

But obviously such alterations will add to the price, and you may not think it’s worth it. It sounds as if a larger size might also need adjustment, although it might sit differently if looser around the armscye.

Difficult … 😄

There is polyester and polyester. These dresses are polyester and are between 8x's to almost10x's the price of the OP'salbeit 2 of them are lined in silk.

Erdem dress 1
Erdem dress 2
Erdem dress 3.

To buy the OP's outfit in silk you would be looking at £3-£5,000.

I agree with the others. The buttons are sitting strangely which suggests it's a bit snug (having said that, the one on the model looks way too big). I'm also not loving how rippled the skirt seams look.

Imo any outfit which is a splurge item, you should feel completely comfortable in right away.

If you already feel it's tight in places, will be honestly get repeat wears from it?

Something looks a bit off in the fit in your photo. I do like the outfit, but something isn't fitting right. Sorry.

You clearly have a beautiful figure and that pale blue is lovely with your skin tone and hair colour, but I genuinely don't think this is a nice dress.

It looks badly made, stitching and cut is weird, the fabric looks cheap and doesn't hang well, it's clearly too tight around the back/chest/arm area and the sleeve length is too long.

I seriously don't think this dress is worth that price tag. And generally speaking, I really like Self Portrait stuff. But this looks like Primark has had a crack at a cheap dupe of a high end label.... except this is the high end label.

I think your figure could pull off something much much nicer.

I think it’s lovely. You need a different bra to prevent the gaping any the chest and as the sleeves are a bit too long for you I’d consider making them bracelet sleeves? A good seamstress should be able to find the allowance on the seam under the arms to make it more comfortable for you. I’d also press the seams on the skirt to flatten them.

Hope you enjoyed unboxing and dressing up!

I think it looks really lovely on you!

Don't buy something that you do not have an occasion to wear. It may stay in your wardrobe, unworn, until it's no longer in fashion/you don't like it anymore. I say this as someone who does this with shoes. 😬

Looks really lovely OP.

It looks lovely and I can feel my inner Grace Kelly breaking out.

I rarely notice fit issues on other people but I’m always very conscious of them on myself so, if they’re niggling at you already, they probably need sorting. A vintage dress would have a decent seam allowance to let out but I doubt this one does. If you sized up, it would need more extensive alterations but taking in is more do-able than letting out and you’d end up with a dress that fitted you perfectly. However the cost might well swallow up any savings you’ve made by buying in the sake.

Tricky, but you’ve clearly got good taste so I’d trust your instincts.

Adding to this, I was recently in a wedding where the alterations to my dress weren't finished in time and I ended up wearing a dress I've had for a long time (an Oscar de la Renta) made out of heavy silk with no give or stretch, that is now tight around my upper arms/armpits. It looks fine in the photos, but it drove me absolutely mad all night. Do make sure you won't feel the same. You don't want to look at a significant purchase hanging in your wardrobe and not look forward to wearing it.

Or in my case get too big to wear. I’m a 14 but I have a wardrobe full of size tens that I can’t wear nowadays. I have started a new eating regime (again) but I fear I am too old for quite a lot of the clothes now.

If I’m being honest it looks like something from Debenhams own brand section. I think there is too much skirt and the fabric doesn’t look good quality, but I think you really suit the colour, have a great figure and would look fantastic in something similar but better cut.

Yes! There’s too much skirt, that’s what it is. OP, it looked fine in the pics where you were posing with your ankles crossed to give it shape, but the one where you were standing face on…it was shapeless and swamped you.

I think the idea is better than the execution.

I disagree.

I don't know which photo you're even referring to where it was shapeless and swamped you.

It’s the one I said. Where she isn’t posing as such, just standing straight on.

Nope, I can see the fit issues if I look closely enough but I love the full skirt! Like I've said already, that could be my inner Grace Kelly taking over but, for me, that's the whole point of the dress!

I know what you said. I can't see what you're on about. It's photographs of a full skirt.

I think it looks bulky and shapeless at that angle and drowns the OP’s frame 🤷‍♀️

Still don't know what you're on about.

Ok, well all the words I’ve used are really simple ones so…guess I’ll have to leave you to it.

Nothing to do with words. I don't see anything in the photos which
was shapeless and swamped you.