Mamas, I have to give credit where credit is due, and this idea came primarily from Stylemint, whose stylists paired the Broadway Dress over a long maxi:
(photo credit: Stylemint Broadway Dress)
I saw this and thought, well, hunh. Interesting.
Interesting, because I have a problem dress. It's a t-shirt style dress, and happens to be a maxi-length. It also happens to look, according to Raines, like a nightgown. And once that thought is in your head, there's no turning back.
Buh-bye dress. Right?
Except…this damn dress is comfortable, I can nurse, and it sorta obscures any poochiness….so I find myself rescuing it from the donate box and re-hanging it in my closet. Only to try it back on, realize that it is best accessorized with slippers and a teddy (as in bear) and fling it, annoyed, back into the donate box. Repeat…49857343094872093 times.
I mostly hate this dress.
Unfortunately for me, this dress' fate is now sealed. I now love it under my little Target shift dress, which can be too short for some mom-life situations (not riding a scooter, mind you).
(wearing: Jason Wu for Target jersey dress, J.Crew Factory Striped Maxi dress – here's a much cuter one, Jessica Simpson gold sandals – similar, bracelet c/o LOFT – similar)
Now whenever I'm in the middle of a crazed closet-purge, I won't be able to part with this truly stupid dress. Instead I'll remember this outfit and be all like, "oh wait! I have that one outfit I can wear this nightgown with! Yessssssssss….success."
But seriously! This trick is a good one! It's basically an easy (and comfy) way to make a shorter, sexier dress a bit more manageable.
One final example:
(wearing: Velvet Harden Knit Mini dress, Target maxi skirt, Salt sunnies)
Almost looks like loungewear, right? Yup. Feels like it too. And what do we say when we find a respectable outfit that feels like sweats?
C'mon Mamas, say it with me: Yesssssssssss…..success.
xo,
S
DISCLAIMER: Mamas, if you own (and love) that striped J. Crew factory dress, I have no doubt that it looks much better on you than it does on me. On me, there's just something about the way it falls that screams take-me-to-bed-in-a-purely-platonic-way!!!
I was getting dressed on Saturday night to go out with my man and I put my shirt on and walked into the hall and my seven year old said “momma, do you have a baby in your tummy?”. Mind you this is the shirt that I had just finished sewing (bc I pretend I’m a seamstress).
Well goodbye new shirt. If your kid thinks you look preggers (and I’m not) then there really is no hope.
Way to rescue! Inspiring as always.
Ah, Kristen — I feel you. My oldest (now 5) likes to ask me why, if her twin bros are now 15 mos+, I’m not skinny yet.
Umm, I AM SKINNY, kiddo. Skinnier than I was BEFORE YOU WERE BORN. That “fat” you are so fond of pointing out is the POOCH YOU PEOPLE GAVE ME.
Love the looks – not sure I can pull it off. Shana- you said these hide the pooch? If they do it might work. I am tall and like the idea of something that feels like loungewear yet isn’t a pair of sweats.
Great post as always!
Love this! Took it straight to the bank (aka my closet, you know, where all my money goes) and turned 2 dresses stuck in the swimsuit coverup bucket into one work appropriate outfit! And the double layer of fabric did help with the pooch, thank you!
Kristen & Sarah – your comments cracked me up!
Beth – the strategic rushing will hide a pooch that looks roughly 3 months preggo, but not 5/6 months preggo, so it depends where you are. Or, in my case, how much I’ve eaten, lol!
Lindsay – love that!! Thanks for sharing!!