The perfect summer dresses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thighs touch which is why I rarely wear dresses. Anyone else have a fix?

Based on this forum, I believe some people wear shorts under dresses to address this.

Yes, I wear slip shorts. There are a lot of brands out there. I think the ones I like the most are by Jockey. I also sometimes wear Spanx knockoffs or bike shorts.

[Anonymous]

I like the boden dress. I am 5'3", about 120 and small on top as well. Do you recommend a petite and does the dress run large or small? I would like the dress to come to around the knee.

You would probably want this dress in a petite. I think it runs a little smaller than most Amercan brands. I have some Boden in a 4. I have the dress I posted in a 6 and a 6P (which hits me around the knee). The petite is definitely cut smaller all over and just fits my broad shoulders. I wear a 34A or 36A.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've just bought this one from J Crew Factory and will report back after I try it on. I'm 46 y/o, 5'7 and 130 lbs., hourglass with big boobs. I hope the strap is thick enough for bra - I can't go without a bra. I need defined waist, otherwise I look pregnant.

NP. I also have big boobs and these dresses make me look pregnant. I need a dress with a waistband that hits an inch or two below my natural waist - anything close to natural or empire waist gets swallowed by my boobs and my waist disappears. The Lands End one is not bad but when I got it to fit my boobs, the rest of the dress (shoulders, waist, etc) was too large. Any suggestions?

PP here. I know those LE dresses and I sized them by waist and wear a camisole underneath for boob spillage. This is why I love wrap dresses so much, they work for my body type. In another lifetime I used to buy dresses to fit my chest and then tailor them for waist and hips. Lands End used to make these amazing short sleeved wrap dresses in solid colors and 100% soft cotton and of course they don't make them anymore. They were like $20 on sale too. I also ordered the Quince Washable Stretch Silk Wrap Dress too to see how it fits.

I love wrap dresses! Please report back on the Quince silk wrap. I have been eying that one up for awhile but haven't purchased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I like the boden dress. I am 5'3", about 120 and small on top as well. Do you recommend a petite and does the dress run large or small? I would like the dress to come to around the knee.

You would probably want this dress in a petite. I think it runs a little smaller than most Amercan brands. I have some Boden in a 4. I have the dress I posted in a 6 and a 6P (which hits me around the knee). The petite is definitely cut smaller all over and just fits my broad shoulders. I wear a 34A or 36A.

I'm almost exactly you - I'm 5'3", 122 lbs, and very small/narrow from the waist up. If a Boden dress comes in petite, I always opt for it. I don't have that particular dress, but I have several Boden dresses and the 4P is almost always a very good fit. Like PP said, the petite is not just shorter, but -- as should be -- cut smaller all over.

[Anonymous]

I hate every dress in this thread. I don't know what I want. Ugh clothes are so hard.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have a summer dress recommendation for skinny legs but a big stomach? Too clingy and I look pregnant, too flowy and there's no break between my boobs and my stomach so I look like a house.

[Anonymous]

I have this dress in a few prints (they usually have different prints each year), and it is extremely comfortable and flattering on my 5'2" 155 lb, generous B-cup almost 50 YO self. I have worn it with sneakers and a denim jacket for a casual get-together, but also with heels and a linen blazer to the office (back when we were still going to the office). Compliments every time.

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/122071?page=womens-summer-knit-dress-short-sleeve-print-misses&bc=12-27-506213&feat=506213-GN3&csp=f&pos=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I like the boden dress. I am 5'3", about 120 and small on top as well. Do you recommend a petite and does the dress run large or small? I would like the dress to come to around the knee.

You would probably want this dress in a petite. I think it runs a little smaller than most Amercan brands. I have some Boden in a 4. I have the dress I posted in a 6 and a 6P (which hits me around the knee). The petite is definitely cut smaller all over and just fits my broad shoulders. I wear a 34A or 36A.

I'm almost exactly you - I'm 5'3", 122 lbs, and very small/narrow from the waist up. If a Boden dress comes in petite, I always opt for it. I don't have that particular dress, but I have several Boden dresses and the 4P is almost always a very good fit. Like PP said, the petite is not just shorter, but -- as should be -- cut smaller all over.

Thank you for all the replies. Now I have to wait for a petite in my size to become available. How can I read all of the product reviews on the Boden site. I can only see 10. Am I missing something...

[Anonymous]

I just ordered this in the black and cream colors -- it looks like it hits that sweet spot for me where I can wear it on it's own with sandals as a "it's hot and I want to be wearing as little as possible" option, but could also easily dress up with a belt, cute shoes, and other accessories for a comfortable date night dress. I'm hoping it will look cute with a cropped leather or denim jacket as well.

https://www.nordstromrack.com/s/west-kei-solid-racerback-maxi-dress/6044771?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FAll%20Results&color=001

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm 42. My perfect summer dress is:

1. A light, 100% woven cotton, and NOT a knit jersey that get too hot, but mustn't be too see-through. If gauzy, it has to have a cotton lining at certain areas. Linings are often not cotton, so that reduced options.
2. It has cap sleeves or similar to protect my shoulders from the sun.
3. It has a waist because that's my best feature.
4. It goes down below the knee because I don't like my knees but not too long because it gets in the way when I walk the dogs.
5. It's a nice color or pattern.

Which is why I don't have a lot of summer dresses!

Same. I don’t know why this is almost impossible to find.

“Impossible to find” poster here, and I found these at Talbots. They’re pretty traditional, but I bought one and they’re cool and comfy while looking put together. They have the first one in a couple of different prints. The third one doesn’t have sleeves, but it meets the other requirements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m short (5’1”) and I never wear dresses because I feel SWALLOWED in them. So much fabric! And they’re never slimming on me. And my thighs get sweaty in summer.

Are you a plus sized 5’1? I’m 5’2, size 2 and I live in dresses. I don’t need to be “slimmed”.

I'm 5'5 and size 0 and while I do live in dresses, a lot of those posted I think would swallow me because I don't have the height for them. ANYTHING midi is in that category. I don't think it looks good unless you're 5'9+ or you jack yourself up so high in heels it's no longer a comfortable option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m short (5’1”) and I never wear dresses because I feel SWALLOWED in them. So much fabric! And they’re never slimming on me. And my thighs get sweaty in summer.

Are you a plus sized 5’1? I’m 5’2, size 2 and I live in dresses. I don’t need to be “slimmed”.

I'm 5'5 and size 0 and while I do live in dresses, a lot of those posted I think would swallow me because I don't have the height for them. ANYTHING midi is in that category. I don't think it looks good unless you're 5'9+ or you jack yourself up so high in heels it's no longer a comfortable option.

I'm a PP who posted several maxi/midi dresses; I'm 5'8 with broad shoulders, size 8/10, so longer, flowy dresses work on me. But, I get what you're saying.

What about the Talbot ones PP just posted? Title Nine also has lots of short options for a more athletic vibe, if that's your thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bought a few Todd and Co ‘crusher’ dresses and rompers from title nine that I love.

https://www.titlenine.com/p/toad-and-co-dress-sleeveless-crusher/132569.html?utm_campaign=NB_PLA_GoalOPAllProducts_GOOG&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsdiTBhD5ARIsAIpW8CK1CqKAzxYsFoqPQIR4Rp-h0wrlo9DK3pTg2CfKTSaOreVeTTovgQgaAmtmEALw_wcB

This dress looks really cute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm 42. My perfect summer dress is:

1. A light, 100% woven cotton, and NOT a knit jersey that get too hot, but mustn't be too see-through. If gauzy, it has to have a cotton lining at certain areas. Linings are often not cotton, so that reduced options.
2. It has cap sleeves or similar to protect my shoulders from the sun.
3. It has a waist because that's my best feature.
4. It goes down below the knee because I don't like my knees but not too long because it gets in the way when I walk the dogs.
5. It's a nice color or pattern.

Which is why I don't have a lot of summer dresses!

Same. I don’t know why this is almost impossible to find.

“Impossible to find” poster here, and I found these at Talbots. They’re pretty traditional, but I bought one and they’re cool and comfy while looking put together. They have the first one in a couple of different prints. The third one doesn’t have sleeves, but it meets the other requirements.

These are dresses my grandmother would wear. Why does everyone want to look so old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m short (5’1”) and I never wear dresses because I feel SWALLOWED in them. So much fabric! And they’re never slimming on me. And my thighs get sweaty in summer.

Are you a plus sized 5’1? I’m 5’2, size 2 and I live in dresses. I don’t need to be “slimmed”.

I'm 5'5 and size 0 and while I do live in dresses, a lot of those posted I think would swallow me because I don't have the height for them. ANYTHING midi is in that category. I don't think it looks good unless you're 5'9+ or you jack yourself up so high in heels it's no longer a comfortable option.

I guess everyone is different -- I'm a smidge shorter than you and a size 0/2 and love midi and maxi dresses. I sometimes hem them if I think they are overwhelming me, but in the summer I actually love an oversized maxi for running errands. I have this in a few colors/patterns that I bought for a beach coverup, but I find myself grabbing them in July in DC and wearing with sandals to run errands or meet someone for coffee. They are much shorter on me than on the model but still voluminous and I find the extra fabric feels liberating (nothing to suck in, don't have to worry about panty lines or anything) and kind of cools me off because of the way it moves around when I walk. I get why people in desert climates often wear loose caftans and long skirts -- it keeps the sun off your skin and is much more cooling than something more fitted or shorter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WDF255G