how do I make these summer dresses more 'decent'

[noideahowthesethingswork]

ok, they aren't 'indecent' but I dn't feel comfortable with anything low cut or sleeveless.

But I like these dresses. here

and here

So do I abandon the dresses or wear something under or over? If so what?

Or do you think they are horrible?

Or can anyone suggest any summer dresses that come under the knee are not too low cut and have at least a short sleeve?

cardigan
its a no brainer surely

you could probably put a camisole underneath but you wouldn't get away with a t-shirt under those , it would look odd. So cardigans - as mam says.

I like the black one but not the other

Cardigan. Agree with Pag - black dress is nice, first dress is not.

a little shrug would be nice, that way you can hide your arms and still have most of the dress on show.

I thought both of them were nice

Big jewellery can cover the low-cut-ness. Depending on how much jewellery you usually wear, this either draws attention to your decolletage or fills in an expanse of chest...

I would wear both of these.

ooh thanls for taking the time

thought cardigan obv but then in summer would be really hot w. cardigan & wouldn't feel comfortable whipping it off to reveal my non existant bosom and upper arms.

Anyone know any v. lightweight and cool things that are suitable for during day, so pretty casual bolero-y type thing i could wear with it? have looked to no avail.

I think this is big problem, the high street is full of sleeveless dresses and if you can't bear your arms what can you do? Cardigans are far too hot to wear all summer.

My view is that you have to look outside the high street. I was looking at a Gudrun Sjoden catalogue at a friends the other day web sit here, it's quite expensive and not to everyone's taste but there are lots of on or below the knee dresses, dresses with sleeves, not too low cut.

FWIW I think if you look at European clothing companies their clothes are less revealing.

thanks niminypiminy. I could do with finding someone who sells less revealing cloths in the 1st place. I get really hot once it gets over say 22 so can't bear thought of cardigan all summer but also don't feel comfortable having much flesh on show. also rather cover up a bit for sun protection.

can you recommend any less revealing stockists in europe that you've hinted at? Will look at the link, thanks

actually I agree with niminy

As I get older I have to spend more money and buy less IYSWIM. I need a bit more structure, I need knee length ( which can be hard to find on the high street) and I got really fed up of buying things to do only to find I felt uncomfortable.

broderie anglaise shrug

slouchy, thin knit, very versatile

also very lightweight

yes, I need at least knee length (am also v. happy w. long) I cannot have my knees on display. Yuk. v. bad legs.

It is really difficult.

the coverage on that site was good N, but was all a bit too 'ethnicy' for me iyswim, sorry.

In a way I envy the onger tunicy type tops (sorry I don't know the correct names) that muslim women wear, but again, I don't want to look like I'm dressing up in something outside my culture and then also standing out and looking weird if that makes sense?

I think that you shouldn't buy a dress that you're not happy to wear as it is.

You'll never feel completely comfortable in in.

lots of cheap shrugs here

If it's a cooler day, apparantly it's ok to wear a denim jacket over summer dresses. (There was a mn thread about it the other day, so that's how I know)

i was also wondering that muddleduck, but I can't find any that fulfill my criteria of

• at least under the knee
• not too low cut (say an inch or 2 max under collar bone is for me confortable)
• at least short sleeved.

They don't seem to exist? I'd love to be proven wrong.

Lexilicious thanks for your links. I didn't like the flouncy sleevs of the 1st. The last was quite good but only in royal blue, shame they didn't have it in white

kristina - thank you - only have fron size 18/20. aaarrrgggghhhhhhhhh

Really? I was told by a friend that denim jackets for over 27= mutton dressed as lamb? Is this true?

this and this and this are high neck/to the knee, still sleeveless though.

this is longer with cap sleeves

this fills all your criteria but i'm not mad on the print. Or this

Or a shirt dress

this is good too.

I think Debenhams is your friend in this quest - have a browse

Also I am 32 and currently wearing a denim jacket and am def NOT mutton

red shoes, I liked a lot of them, esp the 1st - really lovely. but all the reviews said how they'd bought it for a wedding /christening or some such. I guess they're all a bit fancy for everyday wear/taking kids to the playground. Is a dress with a bit of cover too much to ask for? I've a feeling I will be wearing the same boring khaki skirt every day for the next 4 months

I often wear dresses as "dressy" that to the playground - if you wear smart hair, court shoes, nice jewellery you could indeed wear them to dinner or whatever but add flat sanles/flip flops, chunky wooden bangles, messy updo hair and a denim jacket and it's fine foe the park imo.

No. Denim jackets are not muttony.
I am wearing a summer dress today with flats and putting on a nice esprit denim jacket when I go out.

There are very few things that are muttony on their own. It is nearly always a question of what you wear them with ie denim jacket over jeggings and t-shirt = mutton. denim jacket over audrey hepburnesque dress, flats =fine.
In fact , thinking about it, I only ever wear my denim jackets over summer dresses...

sandals I meant (duh)

Me too pag

No denim jackets with jeans - double denim is just wrong!

I knew I was right redshoes

I bought this dress earlier this year and have worn it with heels and jewellery to go out but with flats and said denim jacket for lunches and things.

I would rather buy good quality classic shapes that I can mess with and style up or down, than keep going around and round trying to find dresses that I then have to add a cardigan or shawl or something - or wear with tights and boots or over something because they are too short etc etc...

[old fart]

BTW - not great pictures. dress is beautiful on. I feel like Grace Kelly in it...well her mum maybe