How can anyone take us seriously in these dimity florals and huge shoulder ruffles?

[Anonymous]

They are clown clothes. Wear them anywhere but for a Sunday stroll or grocery pick up and many of us, men included, are side eyeing you.

I remember a decade or so ago the post tried to start a local style section and they featured an early 30s woman in exactly one of these kinds of dresses. The comments were comedy gold and I think the section faded away.

These little girl dresses are always the first idea fashionistas come up with as an antidote to the mythical DC drone wardrobe. The assumption is we are all awful at fashion. It isn't quite true and it isn't really different from other large cities. Walk through Manhattan or London at rush you will see a sea of black particularly in Fall and Winter.

Face it, these are dresses you shouldn't wear anywhere that matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One more thought — I often watch Mexican TV shows and the Mexican businesswomen in the TV shows have awesome outfits that are both feminine but look like real power clothes. I’m sure they are super expensive but I would love to see mid price versions of a lot of those outfits.

Also, a few years dated but the Jane Fonda on Frankie and Grace had awesome fitted floral button downs that were here signature look. I loved them so much I googled and found a story saying basically the designer made them by hand specially for the character as she couldn’t find anything quite right from stores.

So there are ways to do feminine and florals and pretty colors without just adding a bunch of flounces to a shapeless floral dress..

This is 100% my jam. If a button down has a pattern that should be on someone's grandma's couch, I'm there for it. I should just get a toile tattoo on my upper body. So hard though to find anything other than a 3/4 sleeve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m old. These styles are just a re-do of the 70’s. Today’s designers are never original.

I'm older. These are a redo of the 60s. I pulled out pics of some I wore back then. Girls dresses in the 50s would also be like that and have pinafores. I actually had lace pinafores to wear over my smocked dresses with puffy sleeves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post some photos, please? I'm not sure what you all are talking about.

https://tnuck.com/products/lemon-blanca-midi-dress

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/the-peregrine-square-neck-midi-dress?category=dresses-midi&color=030&type=STANDARD&quantity=1

https://www.hillhousehome.com/collections/nap-dress-shop/products/the-ellie-nap-dress-farmers-market?variant=41363556728875

You’d want to be “taken seriously” in an office environment, a professional conference, an interview, a meeting at your kid’s school. These dresses are for wedding guests, parties, fun events, vacation, going out, date nights … I agree women’s professional office wear kind of sucks these days, but Anthro and Hill House were never selling clothes for the office.

Agreed. I don’t wear office clothes to country clubs/garden parties and vice versa. Is it really so hard to figure out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's an incredibly misogynist statement, OP.

You are saying that women who dress in these clothes, are somehow worth less than women who dress in other clothes?

Are you a proponent of looking like a man to be more respected? Donning apparel reminiscent of the military? Sharp edges, clean cut lines, no pink or baby blue? Trousers at all times?

DP

I think both genders should look respectable. Men don't show this much flesh and textile in one outfit - why should we. If men started to wear something equally absurd, like a superman cape, my reaction would be the same.

That would be a freaking awesome trend though. Let's start wearing capes instead of jackets and bold patterns with images like Super Woman would be so cool. I'm in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Here you go, OP: https://www.reiss.com/us/en/shop/gender-women-productaffiliation-suitsandtailoring-0?p=5#325.9375


This is my go to for work clothing. I too hate those dresses you mention--but also they aren't really intended for the office.

Are you transgender? Those are manly

Tell us you're a trad wife on a compound in Arkansas without telling us...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All clothes are costume. You get to choose what you want to put on and if it sends the message you want to send.

There does seem to be a lot of ridiculous stuff out there these days. I'm content to ignore most of it.

I feel like most of the clothing in major stores is sighing “I’m here in the office because we need the money, but I really want to be skipping through a meadow with my five kids under 10 and our schnauzerpoo while DH takes care of me.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One more thought — I often watch Mexican TV shows and the Mexican businesswomen in the TV shows have awesome outfits that are both feminine but look like real power clothes. I’m sure they are super expensive but I would love to see mid price versions of a lot of those outfits.

Also, a few years dated but the Jane Fonda on Frankie and Grace had awesome fitted floral button downs that were here signature look. I loved them so much I googled and found a story saying basically the designer made them by hand specially for the character as she couldn’t find anything quite right from stores.

So there are ways to do feminine and florals and pretty colors without just adding a bunch of flounces to a shapeless floral dress..

Can you link or post pix of some of these TV Mexican businesswomen? I'm so curious.

I’m not good at posting pics and am having trouble finding good still but one show I was thinking of is Daughter from Anither Mother or Madre Solo Hay Dos — the blonde mom is always impeccably dressed. In season 1, she’s like a major power broker and is more conservative but then leaves that job in subsequent seasons and has a slightly more casual look. (The other mom is supposed to be young and boho — also well done by the costume designers but not what I’d want for my office look really.)

There are some other shows too … I’ll try to think of some. Maybe South American shows also.

[Anonymous]

I don't like the puffy sleeve look. I have bought one or two that are not gigantic because I liked the print or design. But many if the puffs are just too big and it's all you notice.

The problem with dresses right now is that they are either minis that are too short above the knee or they are midi but with voluminous, full skirts and often paired with ruffles or puffy sleeves. Clothes that wear you. The long ones are just too much material and you swim in them and the mini dresses are not enough material. I prefer right above the knee or right below or a more body-con midi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post some photos, please? I'm not sure what you all are talking about.

https://tnuck.com/products/lemon-blanca-midi-dress

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/the-peregrine-square-neck-midi-dress?category=dresses-midi&color=030&type=STANDARD&quantity=1

https://www.hillhousehome.com/collections/nap-dress-shop/products/the-ellie-nap-dress-farmers-market?variant=41363556728875

You’d want to be “taken seriously” in an office environment, a professional conference, an interview, a meeting at your kid’s school. These dresses are for wedding guests, parties, fun events, vacation, going out, date nights … I agree women’s professional office wear kind of sucks these days, but Anthro and Hill House were never selling clothes for the office.

Agreed. I don’t wear office clothes to country clubs/garden parties and vice versa. Is it really so hard to figure out?

There has been a bleed over and it’s getting harder to find officewear that isn’t aping this horrible prairie trad wife style.

[Anonymous]

Puffy/voluminous sleeves can also be tough to layer with. When will this trend die?

[Anonymous]

I’m from Georgia but haven’t lived there in over 15 years. Went to a wedding in Savannah last week and these are ALL the women there wear. Smocked square top, big sleeves, tiered skirts. I never see these here, it was jarring. I’m 5’1 so I can’t wear them or I’ll look like I’m trying to be a preschooler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m from Georgia but haven’t lived there in over 15 years. Went to a wedding in Savannah last week and these are ALL the women there wear. Smocked square top, big sleeves, tiered skirts. I never see these here, it was jarring. I’m 5’1 so I can’t wear them or I’ll look like I’m trying to be a preschooler.

That's what i said above; i'm in florida and these ugly dresses are everywhere. But not amongst the super trendy. It's the most basic UMC housewife outfit here. Women who were wearing Lululemon leggings 4 years ago (but not to the gym, just around town) are now just wearing floral dresses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post some photos, please? I'm not sure what you all are talking about.

https://tnuck.com/products/lemon-blanca-midi-dress

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/the-peregrine-square-neck-midi-dress?category=dresses-midi&color=030&type=STANDARD&quantity=1

https://www.hillhousehome.com/collections/nap-dress-shop/products/the-ellie-nap-dress-farmers-market?variant=41363556728875

This type of sleeve is not flattering on me so I wouldn't wear them. But, they are very pretty dresses, imo. LOVE the lemons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are clown clothes. Wear them anywhere but for a Sunday stroll or grocery pick up and many of us, men included, are side eyeing you.

I remember a decade or so ago the post tried to start a local style section and they featured an early 30s woman in exactly one of these kinds of dresses. The comments were comedy gold and I think the section faded away.

These little girl dresses are always the first idea fashionistas come up with as an antidote to the mythical DC drone wardrobe. The assumption is we are all awful at fashion. It isn't quite true and it isn't really different from other large cities. Walk through Manhattan or London at rush you will see a sea of black particularly in Fall and Winter.

Face it, these are dresses you shouldn't wear anywhere that matters.

Why should I care that people in Manhattan and London are wearing all black in fall and winter. That sounds depressing to me. And irrelevant to summer in DC.