You can’t make a whole video about a single dress, can you? Because I almost did. This video idea came to me when I discovered the perfect dress. And we all know that’s like finding the fabled needle in a haystack.
I kind of pride myself on finding needles-in-haystacks, from truly comfortable heels to well-priced high-quality bags. It’s kind of my thing.
And so when I found this dress, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I found THE dress!!
Now, a dress can’t be perfect in general. It needs to be perfect in specific. In other words, it needs to be the perfect dress for an area of your life.
This magical dress is the perfect EVERYDAY dress for me. I have dressier dresses and more statement-y dresses and date-night dresses, but this is my absolutely current favorite everyday dress. It checks all the boxes:
- It’s woven, not knit, so it doesn’t cling to lumps and bumps and won’t show underwear lines
- It doesn’t wrinkle easily.
- It’s comfortable!
- It’s light and breezy but has sleeves for a little coverage and warmth indoors.
- Most of all, it’s SO CUTE! I feel adorable wearing it!
This post is dedicated to dresses just like that: Easy effortless everyday dresses that also happen to be cute! And you can find them all here.
So what’s the magical mystical dress…? Read on to find out. Today, I share 5 tricky, less-than-flattering dresses and 3 chic and comfortable options to try instead!
First, let’s start with the dicey dresses.
The PICS below are linked for easy shopping!!
5 Tricky Dresses
These dresses aren’t all bad. They’re just, for the most part, hard. And who needs hard? I want my casual everyday dresses to be easy and comfortable, the kind of thing I can throw on without a second thought.
- The Jersey Dress: Jersey dresses, especially jersey maxis, can be a little unforgiving. The problem is that many of them use very thin flimsy fabric that shows all the lumps and bumps and forces you to go commando to avoid panty lines. Plus, depending on the style and the pattern, they can look dated. You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
Skip These:
And Try These
The Too-Sweet Dress
Babydolls are back, and buyer beware. While a touch of sweetness is fine, and I’m all for feminine styles, when a dress is short and frilly and pink and floral and ruffled and… In order to get the sophisticated look we want, skip the super-sweet styles and stick with something a little more balanced.
You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
The Shapeless Dress
Shapeless shrouds have been marketed at women over 40 for ever, with the idea that more fabric hides more cheesecake. This is not only false, but it’s also wildly unflattering. If you want to go for a flowy and shapeless style, keep it short for balance and flattery.
Dated Ruching
Ruching is magical when done correctly, but it can also look dated and like you’re trying to hide behind layers of extra fabric. You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
The High Low Dress
The problem with a high-low dress is not that it’s dated, because it is not. It’s currently really trendy. It’s just kind of hard to pull off, especially for petites. If you love this style, keep the front above the knee and the back not that long for balance.
You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
3 Dresses That Work For Every Woman
Yes, I know that’s a bold claim. And I’m prepared to stand behind it. With few exceptions, there’s a dress here for almost every woman, and these dress styles, in general, are more or less universally flattering.
Let the comments begin! 🙂
Seriously, though, as far as casual everyday warm-weather dresses go, this roundup is chic, flattering, and pretty timeless.
You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
The Shirtdress
From easy and relaxed to crisp and polished, this style comes in an unlimited number or styles, options, and fabrics. A shirtdress is a classic style that buttons up the front, with or without waist definition.
Here, some of my fave shirtdresses of spring 2023, in no particular order.
You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
The Swing Dress
Characterized by its shorter, flowy shape, the swing dress can have sleeves or not, be tiered or plain, and solid or patterned. It’s main characteristic is a flowy silhouette that starts just under the bust or in some cases at the waist. It’s generally breezy and easy and super comfortable.
You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
The Tunic Dress
This is the dress that start it at all. A breezy linen, cotton, or blend tunic in a straight shape at a length that flatters you is easy, comfortable and chic. Pair it with flat sandals or espadrilles and be prepared to enjoy summer. This is the magic dress I referred to in the beginning of this post, and here it is!
This is the Freesia dress from Splendid, and I picked it up at Marshall’s. It is still available in limited places, like Ebay and Outlet stores, and I’m obsessed. If you don’t love this black/white color, it’s also available in olive.
You can find all of these here. Pics of the good dresses are also linked.
If you think you want to give this tunic-style dress a try, here are some other options:
What did you think of this roundup of dresses? And did you find a new summer favorite? Let me know in the comments!
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