What can I wear under

[Mamalicious16]

A bright green dress that's a smidgen too small but was reduced to £30 in the Next sale from £150.00 due to a tiny fault.

I'm 38e and size 18 ( the dress is a 16 ).
I can ( with shapewear.) just about fasten it, but am concerned of it gaping slightly when I'm sat down. And the shapewear is nude colour.

I'd really like to wear it this weekend so I have 2 days ( well 1 really as it's NYD tomorrow).

Any tips appreciated

Thanks

Anything you wear under it would just make it tighter, surely, and therefore more likely to gape?

It's this one

Sew it up with tiny stitches, I think that is the only way. Do it at the very edge to give maximum room.

I once bought an amazing tweed strapless dress with shimmer running through it from Oasis in the sale (it was around 2003, don't judge!) which was slightly too small. I never wore it as it didn't fit. Either take the dress back or sell it on vented and buy something else which fits you. You will never feel comfortable or confident wearing something that doesn't fit.

It’s very summery!!

I can ( with shapewear.) just about fasten it, but am concerned of it gaping slightly when I'm sat down.
The buttons will probably ping off when you sit down. Wear something that fits instead.

Unpick buttons off carefully and move them closer to the edge but not too near , just far enough to still cover the little holes left behind by the removed buttons. I've done this on so many clothes as lm a 12 but always gape at the bust slightly. A 14 is too big everywhere else. I sometimes sew a little pressstud in between the two buttons where the gape is. If you sew it, (or a couple) inside the button edging make sure your thread only goes through the inside layer of fabric so the stitching can't be seen on front of dress . Just fasten the buttons then press the stud(s) together and voila no gape.

Does that matter?

Yes. It's a day dress for warmer weather.

Are you able to move the buttons across at all ?? Personally think you're mad to buy something too small just cause it was in a sale but that's your choice. I hope it doesnt rip.

That doesn't matter unless OP is going to a black tie event, which I assume she isn't. People on here are very prescriptive about dress but the world doesn't work that way any more and hasn't for about forty years.

It doesn't fit anyway. It's Christmas and a summery day dress isn't really seasonal.

OP can wear what she likes, obviously, but I would look in my wardrobe for something more suitable.

The not fitting is an issue, I agree, although OP may be able to find a workaround. The 'seasonal' thing is irrelevant.

Well it would to me most definitely. I wouldn’t wear a cotton dress with short sleeves in a bright green, spring like colour in December.

I’d wear sandals or espadrilles with that, neither of which are suitable for the artic weather we are having in the next 24 hrs.

Be fine for an Easter Egg hunt in the village hall though.

@Mamalicious16 it’s a summer dress. It’s perfectly nice but you’re going to look silly wearing it in January (assuming you’re in the UK?). Part of dressing stylishly (and I think this is S&B?) is wearing clothes appropriate to the season. Why would you want to wear a too small summer dress to a winter event?

Put it away for now and consider whether you want to have it altered to fit you, or alter yourself to fit it.

Since I had DD (4), I'm in a constant state of sweat so every day is me dressed for warmer weather.

Love the dress OP 😊

That is a very old fashioned approach.
There is nothing to say that OP can't wear tights with that dress. I agree that the sizing is an issue, but honestly this place is the last place I'd come for style advice, most people seem stuck in the middle of last century!

From experience - you've bought the wrong size purely because it was on sale. It's not the bargain it seems like. You won't be comfortable in it and will sit unworn in your wardrobe. Return it.

This whole post is stuck in the 1960s. 'Spring like colours'? 'Easter egg hunt at the village hall'? It's 2026!!

I’d prob wear a white or black vest under (depending on what else you were wearing) and have the top buttons undone but would have to try it first to see how it looked.

I wasn't born in the 1960s. Every spring the shop windows have light green dresses in the windows. That's not the case in late December.

Press studs on the inside are quite useful to stop gaping at bust and give extra security

I don't buy into the seasonal colours argument - that dress is a great colour no matter what time of year it is.

However, it's a short sleeved, lightweight dress which the OP is planning to wear on a freezing cold weekend. I'd be pairing it with thick tights and boots, plus a jumper over the top. That way the gaping bust won't be noticeable.

It's still a very boring and prescriptive way at looking at style.

Exactly. I can understand the argument about temperature, but about colour? No. It's like the US 'no white after Labor Day' rule. Very very old fashioned.