Keep or return dress - dabs eyes

[MrsChrimbo]

I bought a dress. The reviews say it can be worn in a few different ways, and they always look more fancy in the pictures. Also, it’s not a very fancy shop.

Anyway, got it home and tried it on. It fits beautifully (could do with an extra 1cm round torso but it’s fine) and it is stunning. However, it’s fancier than I expected and I’m not going anywhere I can really wear it. I’ve a few Christmas things but they’re mainly pub etc. it’s also just a Christmas dress. It’s beautiful green velvet (I bought it before Princess Kate worn hers ;) I’ve a “do” in Feb, but will green velvet work post Christmas?

Keep, or return. I fear it may just languish in my wardrobe.

agree You could change the buttons and use a different belt to switch it up

i saw another of their green velvet dresses on the site and the fabric didn’t look great so at that price point make sure you are happy with the quality

I love it and love the buttons. I’d wear it to the pub and during the day. It’s beautiful. Keep it!

@TheApocalypticiansApprentice You can't really compare velvet with needlecord, and the style is different.

Keep it and wear it all winter @MrsChrimbo

Agreed that it is a winter dress, not just for Christmas. It's more versatile than I'd imagined, and very capable of being dressed up or down.

If you feel fabulous in it, OP, absolutely keep it. And have a rummage in your wardrobe for the different styling options.

I think it’s lovely too. It’s not what I expected.

Try it on with other boots and shoes you own and decide with some plain jewellery would you feel comfortable in it to a pub meal or Christmas Day etc.

@UpMyself - watch me! The OP wants a less ‘fancy’ dress - so I have suggested one in cord, with lovely but not sparkly buttons. With a nice shape but without shiny viscose fabric.

Rather too shiny and I don't like the buttons.

Pop a pair of brown boots on with it and a bomber jacket and wear it down the pub or shopping on the weekend. You'll look and feel fab! I have a couple of velvet dresses that could be very smart with heels and handbag that I wear casually very successfully!

I like green and I like velvet. But I don't like that dress. It looks very staid (some would say classic). I imagine this in a Good Housekeeping Christmas edition but it looks drab. If you want a party dress I would go for something I felt really good in.

I love it - not too fancy for wearing afterwards - and Boden is just soo wearable and lasting.

It's lovely so I'd say keep - BUT only if you're okay with dry cleaning it

It's a keeper ❤️

All the people saying you could wear it to the pub, to work, coffee with friends - I agree you could but personally (and I recognise I am perhaps being a bit cheap/lazy here) I would not wear a dry-clean-only dress to any of those occasions. I suspect in practice, in my home, this dress would spend a lot more time waiting to go to the dry cleaners than being worn to any of those occasions, despite how suitable it would be for them.

its quite a classic cut, so I imagine it lasts years to come

This is important.
Keep it, it will last 20 years or more if you look after it, and it won't date.

It depends on your skin tone. If I wore that dress, it would look awful on me because I am pale skinned with dark hair. The lack of shape and fitting would not suit my body shape. But I am not you. Take a picture in a long mirror wearing the dress, and then decide if it looks good on you. Also consider the fabric and long term survival of washing machines etc. It looks velvet or velvet-like to me, and that doesn't last very long in my household without sagging/ looking washed out, unless it goes to the dry-cleaner (at which point it would be occasional use and not everyday wear).

Keep it and wear it

I agree. I wear my velvet dresses as often as i can get away with.

Can't say the dry clean only would upset me on a winter dress (i.e. not sweaty weather) dress that dark in colour - deodorant, spot cleaning if necessary, steam it and air it before putting away - I don't suppose it would ever darken the door of a dry cleaner.

It's a lovely dress, but I would change the buttons. And I know what it's like to feel something is too fancy to wear. Pop it on and go to the shops. No one knows you haven't just come from or are heading out to something, and it gives you practice of casually wearing nice things until you get used to it and become the best dressed lady at the pub!

I like it and bet it looks beautiful on as others have said this can be dressed up or down to suit the occasion, I’d definitely keep it.

@MrsChrimboJust read the 1 review! That lady is going to wear her snakeskin boots with hers! She also describes it as very versatile which I think it is.

If you love it keep it. It's a winter dress, if you swap those buttons to something a bit less fever dream, you could get loads of wear out it.

It's gorgeous, if it suits you and makes you feel good then keep it. I tend to do the cost per wear thing and work out how long a garment will look good for and how many wears I will get from it when thinking about buying or keeping something

Green velvet can still work after Christmas!

but if you definitely won’t wear it, I’d send it back.

I'd keep it, even if it's just to keep in the wardrobe and stroke occasionally 😁 It's lovely.