&Other Stories Dress (SS15), Primark Sandals (SS12)
Last year, I bought the infamous &Other Stories Porcelain midi shirt dress. I loved the sharp blue colour with the white porcelain print and I also loved the relaxed shirt style. However, I didn't think it actually worked on me. The fit was okay and I know it was more maxi than midi on me but even with a couple of inches off the hem, I still had that niggle that it wouldn't be right but I couldn't put my finger on it. This is how it looked.
July 2015
I dragged it out again recently with the intention of Ebaying it but I thought I'd try it once more just to make sure that I wanted to get rid. So I pinned up the hem by a couple of inches and looked in the mirror and thought - yup - it still doesn't look right. And then I thought I'd try something a little different and decided to pin it up by about another foot so it was above the knee and I found I liked it. Infact I liked it a lot lot more (infact I thought it had a touch of Sezane about it). Suddenly I wasn't overwhelmed by a mass of bright printed fabric for my frame so I took it to the dress alterer's and got it hemmed.
Aubin & Wills Tote, Primark Sandals
Short and sweet and nothing that hacking a foot off the hem won't fix!
So what do you think about my drastic cut? I know one thing, it's much easier to wear now and I've actually worn it.
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Last Note :
- I never tie the drawstring tight - I find it uncomfortable and this way it kind of skims the natural contours of my gently undulating belly.
- I don't really like tie waist dresses where you have a removable belt. I much prefer a drawstring one where the tie is incorporated in to the dress as this stops the fabric shifting out of place (no tugging up and down). I can't do with the fiddling - life's too short.
- I don't run the risk of stepping on the front hem of the dress when I go upstairs now.
Good to see you wearing colour again Sue-must be spring! Love that blue and I think the dress looks fab both in the before and after. Wish I could shop at & other stories (I visited last time I was in London)!
ReplyDeleteI think you're right Sara, it must be spring getting to me and making me do the colour thing. And I have to shop at &Other Stories online as well - we don't have any stores where I am. I always have to visit the one in London too!
DeleteGorgeous Sue. Great alteration ;) Sue xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue. I think it needed it chopping down for me. Put it this way, the young uns didn't bat an eyelid at me wearing it and they usually pass judgement if I'm not in jeans. Now if it had been full length, I think it would have caught their eye and they would have had something to say like "I'm not sure that's really you, Mummy. You look weird".
DeleteI agree about hacking those extra inches off, the mass of blue/maxi length was overwhelming before but it looks just right after the alteration - good work! What are you going to make out of your spare fabric? I always think I'll do something fab, but never get round to it!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to do nothing with the spare fabric. There's nothing much I can do with it. It was quite scary when I was at the alterers when I said I wanted it taking up to the knee. I was stood in my dress before the lady and she took a pair of scissors and took a whacking 10 inches or so off to make it easier to pin. I nearly fainted.
DeleteWow - what a difference. You nailed it!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It only took me a year to get round to sorting it out!
DeleteThat looks so much better on you. Midi dresses can be very flattering, but it makes all the difference for the hem to hit the right spot on your legs. It looks so much more you like that.
ReplyDeleteThis midi wasn't even a midi on me, it was a maxi. I just didn't feel I was pulling it off convincingly much as I liked the idea of having a longer length dress. I just think there was too much going on for me. It does feel much more like me though with it being the shorter length now.
DeleteSo, so much better Sue...I'm vertically challenged like you and sometimes a mass of print can just take you over! We can definitely wear longer lengths
ReplyDeletelengths...your pleated skirt is perfect on you...but not print, volume and length...just all too nightie looking! The new length is a triumph, and that colour is stunning on you ...One of my favourite colours too! You know your style so well!
Helen xx
Thank you Helen - that means a lot as I think you have your style nailed really well too and I think it comes down to understanding what does and doesn't work for your own proportions. It was a bit much before and I know there will be people thinking, I could have bought that dress off her in the length it was but hey ho, you have to try these things sometimes. It was worth the gamble!
DeleteOh Sue! You have worked wonders here! Lopping off the dress to the knee makes it so perfect for you. Love it! I'm off to London Town tomorrow so looking forward to a mooch around & Other Stories :0) Let me know if you want me to check anything out for you! ;0) xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle! I think I did the right thing - let's hope I get a few more wears out of this summer providing the weather plays ball! And a trip to London town - lucky girl!
DeleteOh, and those Primark sandals are lovely too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tanya. They're kind of classic and have now been going four years. And there's still lots of wear to be had out of them!
DeleteSue, how much did she charge you for that type of alteration? I know we've got a currency difference but a ballpark figure works.
ReplyDeleteI love the different colors and patterns in your flat lay (first picture) up top. I want that wrapping paper!
It's about £10 over here for a hem but that depends probably on where you live in the UK. I didn't want to risk it and my sis wasn't going to Hong Kong for a while or normally I give her some alterations to take over there as it's so much cheaper and then she brings them back for me but as she's not going till October, I wasn't going to get to wear it this year so I just went with it!
DeleteAnd that wrapping paper? Primark's finest. £1 a roll :)