adDRESSing the Issues #fashion

A dress is my favorite article of clothing. It's easy to slide one on, dress it up or down, and move freely throughout the day. Finding the perfect dress is becoming almost as difficult as finding a perfect pair of jeans. Just as soon as I find one that flatters me in one area, I am quickly drawn to another not-so-flattering one. DRESSing up is only fun when you're two or in-shape. Anything outside of these criteria can be labeled as work.

Take a look at my dress-shopping dilemma below.

 Dress #1

• Green, Silk
• Ann Tjan for Kenar 2
• drawstring waist
• pulls over your head
• Knee length

I like this dress, but the neckline does nothing for my bust. Aging and breastfeeding have definitely played a major role in their "presentation", but a deeper cut would serve me better.

I also do not like the silk aspect. Life is messy, and so am I. I would ruin this in 0.3 seconds. Let's not mention perspiration. Getting dressed alone wears me out. This dress would be soaked. 

Dress #2

• Brown, cotton/lycra blend
• Styles to Go
• slight split in the back
• pulls over your head
• mid-calf length

This dress was a winner. Even without my Spanx on, I felt slim when I put it on. I normally stay away from clingy clothing that shows my lack-of curves in the back area, but this was flattering.

It was made of cotton, which is easy to iron and treat. The stretch made it comfortable. I could wear this several different ways.

Dress #3

• Coral, Polyester
• Moda International
• wrap dress
• step into, zipper on the side
• flowing, full skirt
• knee-length

The fact that I'm standing sideways in the picture should explain a lot. I couldn't even get this dress completely on. The bust area was tight, but the rest of the dress fit well. It was a size 8, which normally I can fit. This must of been the other size 8.

I am drawn to colors such as coral and turquoise. Once the weather gets warmer and I get my golden tan, these are the types of colors you will see me in.



Dress #4

• Blue/white polka dots, cotton
• GAP
• empire waist 
• deep V neckline
• knee-length
• pulls over your head

Cleavage is not your friend. My comfort level goes way down if I have too much of it. There was once a time when I probably would die to have my "girls" sitting pretty, but I could care less now. This neckline was cut too deep. It is more suitable for a smaller bust.

Polka dots are one of my favorite prints. There's something about them that is fun and flirty. Hey, they worked for Minnie Mouse all these years. 

Dress #5

• Red, cotton/spandex blend
• YES Clothing
• slightly above the knee
• pulls over head
• round neckline

This dress may appear to be a little risky for a thirty-year-old mother. My intentions were to pair this with a vest the same length as the dress for a more Bohemian vibe. I didn't want to frighten anyone. LOL!

There's something about shorter lengths that just don't work for me. I got rid of my mini-skirt days a long time ago because they never suited me well. If you can rock it, go for it. If you can't, hang it back up like I did this dress.

Dress #6

• Grey, cotton
• Velvet
• ruching detail
• knee-length
• pulls over head

I love this dress. Again, I did not like how my bust looked in it. I was drawn to the ruching detail, which is always fun (saying it is too). The color was a bore, but that's what brightly-colored accessories are for. 

The sleeves were flirty and I like that. This is great for women who have issues with their arms. Mine are no where near Mrs. Obama's, but I don't sweat it too much. 

Dress #7

• multi, viscose
• Dorothy Perkins
• bottom band
• above the knee
• pulls over head

Well, what can I say. This was a no-no in so many ways. First, take a look at my mid-section. I can get away with not wearing a body-shaper for certain clothing, but not this time. It highlighted everything that I didn't want it to.

The coral is pretty, but this dress screams "teenager". I'm sure I could have made it suit my needs, but nothing about it WOWed me. In fact, this may be better suited for JWOWW on Jersey Shore. Her boobs would probably look much better than mine. 

So, there you have it. I've addressed a few of the issues I have when it comes to shopping for the perfect dress. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. But, shopping for me has always been theraupuetic. I get to spend time with the one person whose opinion I value the most...ME!