What characteristics of print make the body look bigger or smaller? I have no idea, that’s why I’m doing this fashion lab!
Okay, I do have a few suspicions:
- I suspect organic shapes come off larger than geometrics;
- I suspect high contrast color schemes intensify the effect of the print;
- I suspect the size of the print will emphasize whatever it resembles in size on the wearer;
- and I favor verticals and diagonals as slimming and straight versus curved lines for moving the eye along quickly.
From Nordstrom.com, three similar silk dresses on the same model (Yay, I didn’t have to model!):
- Instantly when I spotted the first one of these, I thought it an extremely flattering print, smallish and primarily vertical.
- But look at the second one. Am I just suspicious of large prints, or does she look bigger? Definitely not big, though.
- A mid-tone solid is always good, I think; depending on the setting, dark solids can stand out just as much as lights.
Here’s another set. This time I wasn’t so fortunate to find the same model, but with these we see combining of solid and print:
Whoa baby! How gorgeous is that black and white one? Okay, what do you all think about print dresses?
I too like the first dress (only I would have to loose alot of weight to wear it!) I think the second dress, even though it has some pretty colors and it is a “pretty” dress, I do not like the POSITIONING of the floral! There is one big floral pattern on each breast, where do you think all of the eyes are going to be attracted to first????
Though some of these are a bit low cut for my opinion of modesty I do think that the V neck line is slimming!
Thanks for being willing to be the first to comment, Kristine!
Curious, I’m not sure I would ever wear the first dress, because of the spaghetti straps. I probably could, to the right event, because of my skinny shoulders and small facial features. But the right event is definitely not Costco on a 69 degree day! (Yes, I saw that this week! Not that dress, even worse – one in a black print.)
I totally agree with you on the second one. Although we as ladies can sometimes be ignorant to that kind of thing.
Doesn’t it seem like almost all dresses are too low-cut nowadays? I keep thinking about trying sewing again. I bet that black and white one could be sewn up the middle a few inches.
Then the thing with halter dresses, I think I’ve mentioned before, is if they are worn to church, like for a wedding, the wearer appears completely naked from the back! Better to wear it for an outdoor event, IMO.
I like the striped dress for its slimming features. I also noticed that the flowered dress had to big flowers on each breast. I really like the B&W dress, but would want it sewn up a bit in the front. I like the halter dress if it is not too low and has enough fabric on the sides/underarms. I have seen many sundresses with straps that look more bare than these halter-style dresses.
I like the new look of your blog Rebecca!
Thanks Jody!
An aside to other readers: if you are a homeschooling mom and you don’t know who Jody is, I HIGHLY recommend you take a look at her site (which you can access by clicking on her name).
Interesting post, Rebecca.
My favorites are the black & white, and the one beside it. The fabrics look wonderful. But if I had to pick one to wear, it would be the solid aqua blue. Yet in my wildest dreams I would own a Pucci print dress …. go figure!
I just don’t wear halters. It is too darned hard for me to find a “happy bra” in the first place, let alone a halter bra! On the other hand, a low cut dress bothers me less if it accommodates a pretty underpinning.
Nor am I big on stripes. For my physique, V, with a certain amount of endowment, the stripes just end up screaming “Look at the girls!”. Not the statement I’m looking to make!
Why not, Wendy? 😉
Pingback: The Space Between My Peers » Tips on Wearing a Halter Dress
I love these types of dresses and feel like I can be bold in my color choices. The fun patterns seem to detract from what I may be lacking figure-wise. I love the choices you pulled- VERY cute!
I love halters! (But never wear them because they never support me, and I’m not a seamstress at all and can’t sew anything into them.) They are so flirty and cute!
My least favorites were the second one in the first group (What is up with the flowers on the boobs?!?), and the third one in the second group (just too busy).
My favorites were the third in the first group (I love the solid color for some reason), and the first in the second group (love that the top is different from the bottom and it kind of divides the top and the bottom of the dress, but yet it’s still one piece).
Great fashion lab!