November 02, 2009

Figuring out how to wear a slightly too long dress

I really like my new By Malene Birger Liane dress that I posted about a few weeks back but I haven't yet figured out how to wear it. It is slightly too long and I am loath to hem it because I fear it would be too complicated a fix.

The fabric seems so delicate. And the interior hem in reinforced and lined with a different fabric. It would be labor intensive to replicate how it is done currently.

I need to decide if I should just deal with the length (and the stumpiness it produces on my 5'3 silhouette) or if I can find a creative, and sartorially acceptable solution.

I started playing dress up with it today and the results are mixed.

My first thought was: add a cardigan. For example, when I added a cardigan to my outfit of the day, it made a slightly tented dress shorter by making it hug the body tighter.

Despite the blurriness of the photo, it gathered the empire waistline in to hug my entire mid section.

There is SO MUCH fabric in the pleated skirt of this dress, that I thought perhaps it would be less overwhelming to gather it.


That gave it the effect of a bubble hem. But I definitely like it more from the front than the side.

I wanted to try a pencil shape and had enough fabric to tie the two sides together in the back.

Again the front view is a lot more palatable than the back. The back looks like a big puffy mess. I guess the best way of wearing it will be with the cardigan and a pair of higher heels so the length is less noticeable. What do you think? Are there any other options I could try?

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