Dresses For Hippos

I have been living in jeans for the last two years. I used to wear more skirts and dresses but I have been working from home a lot and my current office has a very casual dress code, so denim only seems a natural choice. Plus, its so easy, you slide into a pair of skinny jeans, throw on a floaty top and voila, you are ready to go!

But sometimes a girl wants a dress... A new dress. I have mentioned that I have gained some weight and nowhere it was showing more than in the dress department. They all seemed to shrunk somehow...

Well,  good or bad, it was an excuse to shop for something new. So far so good, right?  Unfortunately, shopping when you gain weight can be a torture. Everything was just wrong. After trying on 15 dresses I was feeling like a bloated hippo and pretty much ready to give up. Resign myself to the fact that nothing will ever look good simply because I don't.  But you know what? I am stubborn. I was convinced there is a dress out there for a woman of any size and proportions, I must have been trying on the wrong styles. So did a quick inventory of what works and what doesn't. My biggest problem area is my waist, or the lack of one. On the other hand, my legs are probably my favorite feature, that's why I have been loving all those skinny jeans. I needed a dress that is fitted on top and flows from my chest skimming over the belly and stops few inches over my knees. It has to be more structured and made from fabric that is not too clingy. I love the color and pattern but nothing beats dark solids when you want to look size smaller than you are. Say yes to the black leather dress!

J.Crew clutch and Vince's shoes



This dress from Halogen ($59.99 at Nordstrom Rack) did not wow me on the hanger but once I put it on it, I felt less of a dancing hippo and more of a rock 'n' roll, what more can you ask?

See the dress here on lovely Pink Peonies (she styled it with leopard and pink as well!)





At first I was worrying that this dress is not exactly spring appropriate but nothing than some accessories and hot pink nail polish can't fix. I was hoping for a cooler, cloudy day and of course we got a blast of 80 degrees but you know what? Air conditioning saves the day!

What do you think? Do you ever feel like a hippo when shopping for a special occasion dress? Do you believe it is all a matter of choosing the right style and proportions?



Lured and (possibly) betrayed - Joie Emolient Flower Top

Every year, emerging from the depths of long dreary season, tired of wearing mostly blacks, I have been obsessing about bold flower prints. Best rendered in floaty silks and soft jerseys, they immediately signal a warmer, sunnier outlook and make me dream of vacations and travelling to happy places. However, I know from the experience that bold flower prints can be tricky when you are not a one of those willowy young things, perfectly positioned by pristine pools in exotic locales.

Like this one...

I do adore those floaty, dreamy dresses that make you think of strolling, basket in hand, in the colorful countryside. They magically make me simultaneously look for the straw hat and an electronic wallet. But burned by numerous hard crashes with the merciless reality of a full size mirror, I come to think that a little flower top may be a safer option for me.

Jeans True Religion,  sweater J.Crew

This little flower number by Joie is sheer perfection, albeit not actually sheer, which is great (and rare!).  I am no seamstress, mind you, but it looks beautifully made and the print itself is gorgeous and makes even the YouTube kittens jealous of attention. The V-neck is not too deep but it does create a leaner, sexier silhouette and the elastic at the bottom makes it stay put while camouflaging my, ahem,  not so flat, stomach.

bag Marc by Marc Jacobs, Shoes Sam Edelman

I feel like I am often lured and then quickly betrayed by those bold colorful designs, as they can look great on models and in the magazines but often end up looking frumpy and visually add pounds and inches when worn by mere mortals, aka yours truly. There is a fine line here between a fresh feminine charm and something better left in grandma's closet or worse yet, best suited for some prepubescent hippie Lolitas.  I want to think it works here but I have been wrong before and got pictures to prove it.

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How about you? Are you attracted to all this flower power or does it leave you cold and shaking your head? Do you think those prints can be wrapped over chests and hips or better left hanging around windows or draping the tables?