Firecracker's Blog

WIW: the "impractical" dress

June 7, 2016

On Angie's post about why dresses are less popular items of clothing, I wrote about the impracticality of a dress I had made this season. It has short sleeves, and I couldn't find any jackets or cardigans in my closet that would go with it. Angie suggested my blue jean jacket. Today was plenty warm for a short-sleeved dress, so I wore the dress to work. I took along my jean jacket, and sure enough, I needed it partway through the day in the air conditioning. It worked just fine (though I do prefer the dress without a jacket).

Here's the "impractical" dress, as worn to work today:
Blue rayon jacquard short-sleeved shift (made by me); pewter d'Orsay flats (Walk, Franky); medium blue jean jacket (AG, Robyn); gray backpack (Rebecca Minkoff).

Thanks for looking! Thoughts and suggestions welcome, as always.

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Posted in the What I Wore category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

30 Comments

  • kellygirl replied 7 years ago

    Gorgeous! I love the dress both with and without the jacket. It looks perfect on you. Fresh and springy!

  • Joyce B replied 7 years ago

    That's such a nice dress and it looks comfortable, too. I love the way you paired it with the shoes and backpack purse. I don't think the dress is impractical, you can get a lot of good use out of it.

  • tulle replied 7 years ago

    Home run for Angie!  And for you. A great combo.

  • JAileen replied 7 years ago

    I bet you'll wear this dress a lot now that you have a jacket to wear with it. It's a pretty dress, and I love the shoes.

  • replied 7 years ago

    I love that dress and would totally pick it out if I saw it in a store. It looks great on you.

  • rachylou replied 7 years ago

    Gosh! It looks so easy to wear...guess it's the a/c problem. You look amazing in it and the jean jacket is just right.

  • Mirjana replied 7 years ago

    The dress is fantastic and I think practical, all outfit is very nice and realy you look great.

  • replied 7 years ago

    Oh, it's a gorgeous dress! I love it both with, and without jacket. The ways you styled the whole outfit with bag, jacket and shoes is spot on.

  • Summer replied 7 years ago

    Impractical no longer.  I love the dress and the whole outfit.

  • Maneera replied 7 years ago

    That's a gorgeous dress, Sharan. Such a lovely color & print! And it looks really good with the jacket too. Your accessorizing is spot on!

  • Brooklyn replied 7 years ago

    Wow. It's a very pretty dress. Love the jacquard. And it looks great with the jacket. Maybe our seasons are too different for this but I would probably also wear this kind of dress in autumn and spring with pale coloured boots.

  • Windchime replied 7 years ago

    I love the dress--pattern and color are gorgeous! And the blue denim jacket for the win! Your outfit looks great without and with the jacket.

  • kimlee replied 7 years ago

    Wow, love the dress and the way you've styled it.  I am in awe of your sewing talent!

  • Sara L. replied 7 years ago

    I like the way you styled the dress with flat shoes.  It looks good with the denim jacket and the backpack style purse.   Do you have any cardigans that might look good over it?

  • Joy replied 7 years ago

    More awe for your skills. You must see a garment when you look at fabric like a sculptor sees the man or beast in a piece of marble and uses her skills to bring it out. You have both skill and vision.

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    Yep, This dress looks like it was made to fit you.  Wink Wink.  Wink

    You look good women

  • Jaime replied 7 years ago

    Looks fantastic with and without the jacket.

  • jill58 replied 7 years ago

    That dress looks great on you! I'm starting to love dresses again--even with my generally casual life. They're so comfortable in the summer and great with leggings in the winter--I've really come back to them. 

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 7 years ago

    Thanks, all!
    Sara, I did try it with cardigans, and wasn't crazy about any of them with it. The sleeves are a little hard to stuff inside the sleeves of a cardigan sweater. I could try a cardigan draped over my shoulders, cape-style.

    Joy, thanks for the analogy. Perhaps it is like that a little bit--I hadn't thought of sewing in that way.

    Brooklyn, maybe I should try it with boots--thanks for the idea!

  • skylurker replied 7 years ago

    I like this blue shade, the texture of the dress, and the mix with metallics here.
    I think the proportions with the denim jacket work really well.

  • RobinF replied 7 years ago

    Nice dress, I quite like it with the jean jacket and the silver shoes are great. I'm inspired by the sewers here.

  • Angie replied 7 years ago

    You nailed it all round, you gorgeous creature. 

    (Can we also quickly bless our delicious heat wave. I LOVE IT). 

  • Suz replied 7 years ago

    This is a beautiful dress. I love its simplicity. The calm colour with the subtle pattern read as cool and elegant (esp. with the metallics) and the demim jacket lends it a hint of tough. What a great outfit. 

  • Vicki replied 7 years ago

    What a pretty dress (my favorite color!) and Angie picked a winner with your denim jacket.  This is practical and fashionable and just may be a FFBO for you!

  • Elizabeth P replied 7 years ago

    The dress is gorgeous, why is it impractical?  Because you didn't have a good topper (before you discovered the denim jacket) or for some other reason?

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 7 years ago

    Yes, Elizabeth, I thought it was impractical because I didn't like it with any of my jackets on first try. And I run cold, so I always have to have some option for covering my arms.

  • Aida replied 7 years ago

    I'm surprised this dress is impractical! With the sleeve length seems like a great spring/cool summer/fall option around here. I get the trickiness with not being able to cover your arms if it's too cold somewhere though. Did you try a moto? Nice juxtaposition and we usually do get ours big enough to layer over. Not helpful with the sleeves but a vest (either long or cropped) could be fun, too. The dress is gorgeous, by the way! Color, cut, lace... and so nice with the metallic flats.

  • Ivy replied 7 years ago

    Love it! You look amazing and it's so cool that you made the dress.

  • Tanya replied 7 years ago

    Pretty dress, and you look wonderful in it.  Perfect pairing with the metallic shoes and sporty backpack.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 7 years ago

    Aida, thanks for your thoughts. There is something about the way the fabric stands away from the body rather than collapsing on it that seems to bug me with the jackets and cardigans I've tried. I didn't try it with my leather moto jacket, though--will have to do that.

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Welcome to my style blog. Dressing is something all of us do each day, but for me it is also a hobby. I like to find new ways to wear the clothes I have, make new clothes to add to my wardrobe (yes, sewing is another hobby!), shop for clothes, read and discuss fashion. Following You Look Fab has fueled my interest in taking outfit pictures to see where I've been and to get different perspectives on style. Thanks for joining me. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.