Dresses – someone help the less fashion-ate. (1 Viewer)

[Jill Hives]

Hey girls (or fashion minded boys) of thumped can you help me out? My best friend is getting married at the end of August in Boston. The wedding is late in the day on the roof of a museum in a sculpture park with the afters below in the gallery. End of August, Boston, night, rooftop so I’m guessing mid 20’s for temperature. She has a 40’s design scheme going on so I’m thinking something vintage or vintage inspired would be cool. She’s very non-traditional and covered in tattoos so really nothing is too out of bounds. I’m pretty shit when it comes to shopping so if anyone sees anything that would fit the bill please post it. Things to consider: dark hair, pale skin, kind of thick in the middle (5 foot 5 -- US 8/10 Ireland 12/14) and I like to cover my arms. Someone be my personal shopper! There could be baked goods in it for you.

 

[Sufi]

plenty of Ideas here for something to go for.
http://www.wikihow.com/Dress-in-the-American-1940's-Fashion

 

[jane]

I will totally take you dress shopping if you want. Also will keep in mind that even though you want to cover your arms, you're going to want to cover them in a way that is okay for summer and will not make you sweaty during the warmer part of the day.

 

[Jill Hives]

I will totally take you dress shopping if you want. Also will keep in mind that even though you want to cover your arms, you're going to want to cover them in a way that is okay for summer and will not make you sweaty during the warmer part of the day.

Oh, I know about the warmth thing but to have a jacket or wrap of some kind will make me feel more comfortable. I haven't been shopping in ages. Seriously I would have no idea where to even begin to look around here.

 

[Squiggle]

I've been wanting to take a trip up to this place for ages, want to come with me?

Also, I've been shopping with Jane before, she knows the places to go.

You could also visit the Design Loft in Powerscourt. Lots of young designers there who make made-to-order stuff at not totally off the wall prices.

 

[ann post]

this should be turned into a poll, once you've got it down to 3-4 dresses.

 

[Jill Hives]

I've been wanting to take a trip up to this place for ages, want to come with me?

Also, I've been shopping with Jane before, she knows the places to go.

You could also visit the Design Loft in Powerscourt. Lots of young designers there who make made-to-order stuff at not totally off the wall prices.

Wow. If one of those dresses was not ivory I would totally buy it. Granted I would need to lose about 7 pounds. I'm in! Girls shopping trip is in order. Maybe actually shopping with people would work better? Normally I pick things out, go into a room, put it on, sigh and put it back out on the rack. Having an honest opinion from someone I know would be better than some tiny sales girl saying, "oh that looks great on you" when clearly it doesn't.

 

[Squiggle]

Wow. If one of those dresses was not ivory I would totally buy it. Granted I would need to lose about 7 pounds. I'm in! Girls shopping trip is in order. Maybe actually shopping with people would work better? Normally I pick things out, go into a room, put it on, sigh and put it back out on the rack. Having an honest opinion from someone I know would be better than some tiny sales girl saying, "oh that looks great on you" when clearly it doesn't.

Yeay! Anywone else want to come? The woman who owns the shop is lovely, I've bought a few dresses off her (online) and I believe that she has a lot of stock that isn't on the website.

 

[frona]

Unique Vintage is a lovely shop. And (IMHO) the best dresses on that site are to be found by clicking the link "pinup dresses" and then going to the brand "Stop Staring". They sound like they fit the bill of what you're talking about too, apart from the fact that a lot of them are sleeveless. I think they are very flattering shapes though, with lovely necklines and you'd get away with a bared arms.

For example:

 

[frona]

Ahh, I'd buy them all. But I never go anywhere requiring dresses.

 

[Jill Hives]

I like those (very cute) but I fear they look a bit to costume-y for a wedding. Hard to tell on the material of them. I bought a leopard print 50's wiggle dress online last year because I though it was adorable. I still haven't worn it. Every time I put it on I feel like I'm playing dress up.

 

[krystal]

among the hideous, EU Satin Lake style garments, Debenhams can often come up trumps for dresses, especially prom-style ones, that you can then 'team' with your own accessories.

 

[therealjohnny]

sigh.. i wish i was a lady so i could wear those pretty dresses

 

[sweetoblivion]

I know Topshop is a pain in the arse sometimes but I got a lovely vintage-style dress there for a wedding a few weeks ago - it hasn't got long sleeves but they're sort of flow-y and cover the top half of your arms. It's a 40's style. Surprisingly, the sizing wasn't absolutely tiny for a change. It's on my facebook pics if you want to see.
Might be worth checking Topshop as they do have a few really nice pieces in at the mo. Might even give you a few ideas.

You can get Stop Staring dresses in Retro, I think.

What about a halter-neck dress from Retro (say, a Vivienne of Holloway one?) teamed with a contrasting coloured cardigan that ties at the front? Would give you a lovely shape plus covers arms.

You could visit this shop in Fairview: www.quackanddirk.com
Really reasonable prices and you'll get a unique outfit!

 

[broken arm]

among the hideous, EU Satin Lake style garments, Debenhams can often come up trumps for dresses, especially prom-style ones, that you can then 'team' with your own accessories.

in the past Debenhams have had some nice Betty Jackson stuff. you'd have to use your imagination 40's them up but they are cheap......

Not sure what they holding at the moment.

 

[sweetoblivion]

Yeah Debenhams can have some lovely stuff....we did a shoot for them for work and there were some really nice dresses - none of them had sleeves but could be worn with a shrug/wrap/pashmina.

 

[jillface]

I know what you mean about feeling like you're playing dress-up. I've only recently started buying nice dresses and things but I only get to wear them in the changing rooms or in my bedroom when I get home. I actually bought a beautiful Stop Staring! dress a couple of weeks ago and I'm basically waiting for any friend of mine to have a 40's themed wedding just so I can wear it.

Do you know anyone who's handy with a needle and thread? I'm lucky enough to have a seamstress for a mother and if I pay for all the materials and take her our for lunch she can usually whip me up something amazing.
It's an idea worth keeping in mind because at least you know the dress will fit you comfortably since it's made specifically for you. Also, you can buy lots of vintage 40's and 50's style dress patterns and attempt it yourself, which is my current hobby.

This is just an example of all the different patterns out there, I'm sure you can find more.
http://www.oldpatterns.com/dresses.html
Depending on the material used, you could end up with something really classy and beautiful!

 

[Jill Hives]

I wish I knew someone who could make clothes. I am loving this dress but I'd never fit into it. 40in bust and 28in waist, sweet jesus!

http://www.vintageclothing.ie/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=225

 

[jane]

Girls' shopping trip YES PLEASE. I actually might have to go up to Sligo anyway, so I'm absolutely on for the vintage place.

The Loft in Powerscourt is great, and there's some other stuff happening as well. I'm kind of involved with a possible new thing to do with local designers/craftspeople/creative sorts so I will continue to ask around. The best thing about a lot of the small designers I've met is that they genuinely want their clothes to look good on normal people.

Some good charity shops around as well, and while Dublin's vintage shops are a bit expensive, you can pick up some good-quality stuff.

When Costume has a sale, they *really* have a sale. I've picked up amazing stuff in there for about 50 quid. I got a Temperley top marked down from about 500 and a bunch of Milly stuff, which I love and which is both tough to find and pricey, for about 50 quid a piece. The full-price stuff is crazy expensive, so it seems off-putting to even go in, but it's worth a look if there's a sale sign in the window.

 

[jane]

I wish I knew someone who could make clothes. I am loving this dress but I'd never fit into it. 40in bust and 28in waist, sweet jesus!

http://www.vintageclothing.ie/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=225

Probably the top is meant to be a bit blousey? Because 40 inches?!

BTW, keep in mind that until a couple of decades ago, women still wore a lot of corsetry and waist-cinching stuff. So a lot of the measurements of 50s dresses seem to suggest that everyone had a tiny waist, or they seem too hourglass for modern proportions. Yes, a lot of women were slimmer, but these were also dresses frequently worn by women much younger than us, and they were being held in as well as boosted up. Our bones are heavier and we generally have broader shoulders. That's why it can be hard to find vintage stuff that fits.

This is what I tell myself. Sigh.