Dithering about this dress. Would you buy and if so how/where would you wear it?

[Failingbettereverytime]

Boden Pussy Bow dresss I really love this and I have a £25 voucher which would take the price down to £64 buy I gave nothing big upcoming that would justify the purchase. On the other hand having lost 5 stone recently and sold most of my wardrobe on Vinted I don't have a lot of smart options left as I've focused on replacing my everyday clothes. So would it be versatile enough to style for daytime use and if so how. I am 5 ft 5 size 12 and can't do heels.

If you're 5'5 you'll have to get a huge amount cut off the bottom, so unless you can do that yourself you need to factor in the cost of the alterations

I love it. Beautiful colour. You could wear it to parties over the Christmas season with heels or flats (but appreciate you said you don’t wear heels.) Could easily wear it to work too, possibly with biker boots to toughen it up a bit.

Sadly for me, pussy bow necklines really don’t suit me. Do get it OP, hope it suits you and you enjoy wearing it!

If you live in Gilead

I'm not a fan of the neckline but I do love a dress, especially a maxi in autumn and winter. I would wear it anywhere, with almost any footwear, boots, flats, heels. I don't wear trainers but some smart trainers would work as well.

I think a nice long dress is worth the money in the cold months, so easy to wear but you look smart.

I think it's a bit droopy and frumpy. Sorry.

If you’re dithering don’t buy it. Wait for a dress that doesn't need a dither.

Agreed. Corduroy or poplin or seersucker or that lovely crunchy, rustly paper cotton. And as not a day dress, cotton velvet or taffetta (silk or non silk)

Dress is fine, but not in that material.

Wow quite the range of opinions there! I thought the pussy bow neckline had a kind of cool 70s vibe but now I can't unsee Gilead. I retired last month so no work clothes required and I guess I'm struggling with who I am clothes wise now. I'm living in jeans and jumpers at the moment and I used to be a complete dress person. So if anyone has any suggestions for a nice dress up or down dress I could buy I would be very grateful for suggestions. Think cinema, theatre, meals out sort of occasions where I just want to feel a bit more special than usual.

I think it could look good with boots. I also think the style would look nicer on someone a bit fatter than the model. I think it's definitely worth getting and seeing how it looks.

It's a beautiful colour but I dislike the fussy pussybow neckline.
It would look great with boots

Love this and so true! 😊

I like the pussy bow. It's the material that's the problem. These are more expensive but the material will be much better. They don't really do sales but you might find them on ebay or Vinted.

https://colenimo.com/collections/dresses-made-in-england

https://faithrowanleeves.com/

https://palava.co/collections/collections-womens-dresses

https://www.plumo.com/collections/dresses?page=1#e4a16ce3b7f2795861f75228fd21570d

Op pretty much any red(dish) dress with a high neck and sleeves attracts 'Gilead'/ 'religious cult' comments on here (even when it's the wrong shade or red). I wouldn't give them any space in your head whatsoever.

I think it's interesting that you mention being recently retired. I remember having similar thoughts myself and, nearly 4 years on, my wardrobe is still evolving. In fact so far, it's not so very different from pre-retirement because my workplace was painfully casual anyway. But one change is that more of my activities and socialising now happen during the daytime, e.g. meals out tend to be lunches, the pub has morphed into the coffee shop and I've even become a matinee fan. (Get home before the rush hour, what's not to like!). It does mean I have less call for 'going out-out' clothes. So I think it depends on what category that dress would fall into for you. And of course your retirement might be very different to mine in which case please ignore everything I say.

Congratulations on your weight loss @Failingbettereverytime but I can't see that dress as flattering anyone. It looks too big and shapeless even on the model, and if a model and photographer can't make it look good, it seems doubtful us ordinary mortals can. There is just too much material there - it would swamp you.

After such a big weight loss, you presumably have changed shape a little, and possibly could be unsure of what suits you anymore.
Why not book a session with a personal shopper at somewhere like John Lewis ? They genuinely don't make you buy things, but will help you find styles and colours that suit you that you potentially might not think to try yourself.

Or do you have a good friend or a sister who will go shopping with you and be honest with you ?

I don't like shopping, but, before a big occasion recently I got a friend to take me and she picked all sorts of things up that I wouldn't have looked at, and she was a brilliant combination of ruthless, honesty, love and support to get me trying things on but with no pressure to buy any of them. It was really good for me and helped me a lot.

Fat face has got some nice dresses at the moment - the come in regular, and short as well as petite. It's worth going to see them in store because the one I bought looks great in real life but doesn't show up well in photos, the texture of the material just doesn't come across at all.

I'm not quite at retirement age yet but a big fan of wearing long skirts or dresses when out and about - it's lovely to swish around when you can get away with it.

I'm sorry but i think it's hideous.

If you are now a slim 5ft 5 woman I think this dress would be lovely taken up to midi length with some nice boots and tights. With a nice cardigan or jacket over the top to dress up or down.

I think it is currently too long for day wear for 6ft 5 height, personally.

I really like the dress, and think it’s quite versatile, but it dies look a long dress.

What about the Fatface ‘Adele’ dress which comes in two necklines and various colours?

If you love it..buy it.
I love a bow.
May need altered for height..

It comes in regular and petite, you should be able to buy one that's the right length.

It’s a no from me. Ankle length with a high neckline makes it look a bit Amish to me.

That was my first thought.
Style it with a large white bonnet, a flat red shoe and a sense of repression.

I like the colour but the style feels too covered up and frumpy. It makes me feel a bit claustrophobic. The colour is beautiful though.

I think it would be nicer if it was a bit shorter, had shorter sleeves or a different neckline.

No
I too think it is frumpy and shapeless.

Lovely. I’d wear to theatre, Christmas evening events etc.