The dreaded day dress
June 27th, 2008Frocks are fabulous. They are the quintessential girly garment and make a statement on their own. But the statement needn’t be a dressy one. A dress can look as casual as a walk shorts and knit top ensemble. It’s all in the style, fabric and cut of the dress, and the items you pair it with.
I generally have a hard time getting clients to wear day dresses. Most of them feel the look is fussy, too dressed up, inappropriate, impractical and uncomfortable. Granted, you’ll get better coverage in a pair of pants if you spend your day rock climbing or playing on the floor with your children. But other than that, day dresses are a great casual alternative. They are perfect for a laid back brunch, a walk in the park, a stroll on the beach, relaxed social gatherings, informal site seeing and vacation pursuits, or any other day-to-day casual activity.
Here’s how to achieve the casual day dress look:
- Select a comfortable A-line, knee-length silhouette that allows movement. Pass on styles that are tight and restrictive.
- Opt for cotton rich fabrics and poly blends in knits and wovens. Stay away from shiny, luxurious fabrics and styles that give you a “naked feeling” (insufficient coverage).
- Pair the dress with casual flats, espadrilles, casual wedges, thong sandals or gladiators. Stay away from dressy flats and heels unless you’re after a smart casual or business casual look.
- Add a denim jacket, a string of casual beads or casual earrings.
- A straw tote does wonders dressing down a day dress. Add this to the equation and you’re ready to picnic at Hyde Park.
Day dresses keep you cool and are perfect for hot weather. They are an easy option because it’s only one item of clothing to think about.
If you wear day dresses, help me to encourage others! Share your reasons for wearing them. If you’re still against the day dress look, share those feelings too. I hope to change your mind by the end of this season.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Love the Alison dress in the middle. Very cute!
I have a few summer dresses and I like them but I don’t tend to wear them frequently. I find that I tend to feel overdressed no matter how casual the dress or the accessories. Also, I do not see many solid dresses and feel that my patterned ones are not that versitile. I am a very girly-girl, but most of what is available make me feel like I should be going to a party instead of the playground, work, etc.
Another issue I have is most seem to be dry clean only due to the shell or lining content. I guess if I found more simple washable cotton sheaths like my mom wore back in the ’60s I might gravitate more toward dresses.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:31 am
I’m a big fan of day dresses! (Especially in jersey fabrics with empire waists.) I have a denim blazer and a white Elie Tahari cargo jacket that I tend to pair them with to deal with air conditioning.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Hi Angie,
I absolutely LOVE day dresses!!! Why? Because they are feminine,pretty and comfortable, especially in the summer time when it’s hot.They can be appropriate for almost any situation{except rock climbing and the like}and I always feel put together.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I love day dresses, and try to wear them at least once a week in the summer. I’d love to wear them more often, but in the lab people tend to wonder why you are so dressed up. Even a very casual dress spells dressy to them.
Having said that, my favorite styles for work are wrap-dresses in jersey material and cotton shirtdresses. I tend to pair them mostly with low, casual wedges. I do not like wearing flats with skirts/dresses, I feel it makes my short legs even shorter.
I love them because they make the dressing easy ( one-piece) and are very cool in the heat. And I love the third, BCBG navy one you posted!
I do need some more casual, weekend sundresses, but that shall wait for the next summer. If i didn’t get strange looks, I’d wear dresses almost every day!
June 27th, 2008 at 7:42 am
How timely! Yesterday for the first time EVER I wore a day dress. I’ve been thinking about it for ages since I am struggling with how to deal with this awful heat and still look reasonably pulled together. Since I had no idea how I would feel living in a dress for my day to day activities, I went to Target. They had a nice looking one in ink blue made of t-shirt material with a subtle drawstring at the waist. It is VERY casual. So I grabbed it…both as a way to get more blue into my wardrobe and as a cheap way to try out a new form of clothing.
http://www.target.com/Merona-S.....amp;page=1
Result? Its a winner! I felt comfortable all day long. It was appropriate for all my daily activities and stood up well to all the in-and-out I do in the car.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:48 am
I would love to wear day dresses, but I have a hard time finding ones that are sufficiently casual and that fit. I’m slender and somewhat petite, and the average shirtdress, for example, overwhelms my figure. I’m also looking forward to whenever the current voluminous trends go out of style! I like dresses to have a well-defined shape.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Hi, I’m new! I don’t get why people find casual cotton dresses too dressy, but that may be because I wear skirts almost every single day. (Shopping for trousers, let alone jeans, that fit my body well is nothing but misery, and even when I can find them, wearing jeans when it’s over 68 degrees or so makes me want to die.) I would love to wear more dresses as well, but I find that SO many casual summer dresses are too skimpy on top for a regular bra, and I just do not feel happy and carefree in a strapless one. (Going without is a complete non-starter.) Also, while I am not so busty that people stare on the street, I have trouble fitting my chest into the designated area of those empire-waist styles that are everywhere. And I guess wearing skirts with a knit top that I can throw into the wash does seem easier overall.
Now I’m craving a dress, though.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Love day dresses and think they are the coolest things to wear in really hot weather. My only problem is that I am less than in love with my upper arms - too chubby - and it is harder to find summer dresses with some kind of sleeve.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:18 am
I love day dresses, but this is a new love for me (encouraged by Angie, natch). I have been on a day dress kick this Spring and Summer. I break my day dresses into two categories: ones that I can wear only to casual affairs, and ones that I can dress up slightly. It is already hot, hot and sticky in my neck of the woods, and nothing keeps me cooler. I do need to look smart-casual for my everyday appearance, and I feel a day dress paired with high-heel wedges or heels does the trick. Otherwise, it’s flat sandals for me. Oh yeah, and since I go from walking in the heat to the freezing air, I always carry a cardigan with (usually in bright green or pink, since my dresses tend towards blue, black, or other neutral colors).
I have a lunch meeting today, and I was reaching into the closet this morning to grab my dark jeans, and I thought to myself “why, in the world, on a day when it will be in the upper 80’s and humid, would I wear jeans?” Instead, I threw on a cotton day dress, and I’m sitting pretty.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:19 am
I love wearing dresses in summer, but I prefer linen and cotton. Not a big fan of jersey or polyester. Currently I am having trouble finding ones that are washable and provide enough coverage.
I am surprised that many people are reluctant to wear dresses - I always thought it’s the easiest outfit option and never felt too dressy.
I really like the dress on the right!
June 27th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Susan, I’m pretty short and petite, as well, and I have not had too much trouble finding day dresses. Check out Ann Taylor Loft for comfortable dresses at low-cost. (You will probably have to have them altered. Even the smallest size is a little roomy on me).
June 27th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I absolutely LOVE day dresses. They are a spring and summer must-have.
I feel so amazingly girly and feminine in them. In fact, I wear them to work at least 3 days a week and on the weekend (depending on the activities that I have planned).
June 27th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I have to say, I am the queen of the day dresses. I guess I tend to get overheated pretty easily, so dresses have been a life-saver for me in the summers. I buy at least 2-3 v-neck jersey cotton dresses every summer, and then practically live in them.
I must wear them at least 3 out of 5 works days. I work in a lab also, but perhaps because I dress them down, just as Angie mentioned with flat sandal or espadrilles and because they are usually cotton, people don’t seem to think that they are too “dressy”. In fact, sometimes I feel like the dresses are almost too casual!
They are amazing, everyone should buy at least a couple for the warm months!!
June 27th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I love day dresses! I wear them often in the summer. As you said, it’s one piece dressing, and I’m all about easily looking put together. Even when I add a jacket or cardigan, to combat air-conditioning and cool evenings, it’s not very difficult to plan the outfit. I wear dresses with all sorts of shoes, from nearly-flat wedge sandals to pumps, and I like that I can make the same dress look more casual or more formal by changing shoes, purse, and jewelry. I think they’re the most comfortable ‘real’ clothes I own–as I think about it, a jersey dress would be a good choice for an upcoming flight! Most of my dresses are stretchy, and even when they fit closely to the body they don’t bind like jeans do. I never have to worry about hemlines being perfect for the shoes with dresses (or skirts, for that matter) as I do with trousers. Many of my dresses have some synthetic material for stretch, so they hardly ever wrinkle and don’t easily stain. It tends to be easier for me to find flattering dresses than it is for me to find anything else. I wear mostly 3/4 sleeve and elbow-sleeve wrap and pull-on styles. I don’t have as much luck with shirtdresses, since they tend to either pull at the buttons in some places or be too baggy in others, and I’m not crazy about voluminous empire waist styles, but there are enough other dresses in the world that that doesn’t cause me much grief.
I do wish dresses and skirts weren’t perceived as extra-dressy or fussy, since I don’t like to be singled out as inappropriately formal or high-maintenance in casual environments. But I’m usually pretty happy with the smart casual kind of look I get with dresses, and that works for a number of situations in my life in the summer.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I have an old denim sleeveless dress from the Gap that is still getting a summer workout. It’s perfect because of the casual styling and comfort. I wish I’d bought at least one duplicate. I have an REI cotton/linen/nylon blend dress that’s casual but needs to be shortened for the most flattering look. This post has inspired me to take it to the tailor.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:52 am
I love wearing day dresses, especially in the summer. They are cool and require little effort.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:03 am
I love day dresses! I try to wear one at least once a week, but more often if I can. I do get comments a lot like, “My, you’re awfully dressed up today.” (These comments baffle me, because I feel very dressed down. Aren’t “dressy” outfits supposed to feel slightly uncomfortable?)
I used to get a lot of my day dresses from the Gap, but lately their selection is about 90% ill-fitting or awkward.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I love dresses, but I haven’t been able to find any that fit me or look good on me. It is very discouraging at times.
June 27th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Hello everyone!
Thank goodness day dresses are back! They are perfect for a million reasons:
Very feminine.
Perfect for dressing up or down.
Very cool for unbearable heat. Who can wear pants in the summer anyway?
Summer demands them (at least in my part of the world!)
And like Angie said, only one item of clothing to think about in the morning haze!
Ladies, forget the comments about a “dress being dressy”, who cares anyway? And bring out those dresses, the point is, after all, to look fab right?
June 27th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I’m also a big fan of day dresses! They’re a great way to dress in the hot weather. I like jersey day dresses best because they do feel more casual and they work with simple leather flip flops or my comfy Gizeh Birkenstocks. I do have crisp cotton day dresses but I do tend to feel too dressed up in them and save these for dressier occasions other than running around with the kids.
Plus, I always advocate for packing a versatile day dress when traveling-they’re awesome you can wear it casual during the day and for evening add a cardigan a few accessories maybe a wedge heel and you’re in business.
I too am baffled by people that think dress=dressed up. It’s the easiest thing in the world to throw on a dress and some sandals.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I *would* love to wear dresses.
But the same once-piece-ness that makes them easy to wear makes them hard to fit!
Plus, I had an epiphany when you mentioned the body categories that just look better in pants. It’s not that I look terrible in them, but it make it that much harder to find a flattering one!
I think I need to find a good seamstress…
June 27th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I must have dresses on the brain lately. I just bought one (still deciding whether to keep it) and I was trying on others in my closet last night. I usually wear them about once a week in the summer for work. I still have a little one nursing which makes them a bit more challenging at home but I was actually scheming last night as to how to get access from deep v. (hee hee) I do love dresses, but as a rectangle, jeans probably suit me better. I do always feel a bit more dressy in a dress but my stretchy blend dresses are go to.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I have always been a big fan of day dresses. The temperature around here goes up to 100 humid degrees in the summer, so cotton or jersey dresses are the most comfortable things to wear. One summer I made myself 5 machine washable cotton day dresses after a simple shift pattern and wore them over the next year or so until they wore out. Got lots of compliments on them. I haven’t had anyone tell me I was too dressed up, but if someone does, it would not bother me. I’d rather be too dressed up than too casual.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’m impressed. Other than Lissie so far, we have a day dress fan club. I did not expect this reaction. Thanks for sharing your love of day dresses with us.
Marlene, I’m glad you found a day dress that works and hope you find more. It’s a great outfit for your neck of the woods.
Patience, I did a happy waddle for your dress on the forum. Well done!
For those of you that haven’t found dresses that fit, have them altered. It’s the only way. The skimpiness of dresses is a concern. A certain amount of coverage is important which makes cardigans and boleros a life saver.
I’d wear day dresses more if I lived in a warmer place. It has to be 85 degrees plus for me to wear a dress and those days are few and far between in Seattle. I too do not do many dresses justice because I’m not curvy and look better in pants and jeans. The dresses that look best on my body type are straight sheaths because they create curves. But these styles tend to look dressier and I therefore reserve them for smarter occasions.
But the fact remains that I LOVE day dresses and wear them every opportunity I get.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I think they’re really cute, but they just don’t fit me. I rarely wear dresses for any occasion because 99.9% of the ones I try on are made for women with longer torsos mine, so if the dress has a fitted waist, they rarely fit me at the shoulders and the zipper bulges out in the back. I find that two-piece outfits are much better for my body type. I’ve tried jersey dresses that aren’t so fitted, but then they’re just too clingy and show the little lumps nobody needs to see! I’d rather not have to wear fat-squishers under a dress when it’s hot outside!
I also have the problem with freezing to death in air conditioned places. I’d rather wear pants so nobody can see how blue and blotchy my legs get when they’re cold! If I had fabulous legs, I might be more willing to expose them! *G* But I’ll only wear skirts to the office in the winter time when I can cover my legs with tights!
June 27th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I love day dresses, but am so limited because I do not like to show my arms, or elbows, from the elbow up. Not a pretty area for me. 3/4 sleeve is good, but hot and hard to find and can be awfully conservative looking. If I have to wear a short-sleeve or sleeveless dress, then I have to wear a jacket or sweater, then the whole idea of simplicity is gone. Do you, Angie, or anyone else, have any suggestions of dresses that fit Angie’s criteria above, BUT, have coverage to or just below the elbow? Thanks!
June 27th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I love day dresses! They make 50% of my summer wardrobe
(the other 50% belong to fine cotton cargo pants). I’m not much into sweet & feminine, the kind with ruffles and floral patterns, so mine are kinda minimalist - simple dresses in solid colors like the red one in the middle. I also love shirt dresses (safari style) and exotic looking tunic-like dresses. Another great thing about dresses is that (unlike skirts) they don’t have to have fitted waist. It’s so comfortable. As you can see, I’m not into belted dresses save for an occasional shirtdress. I like the ones that sort of skim over my body without clinging - sheaths, babydolls, sack dresses, some A-line dresses look good too. As long as it’s not a classic 1950s belted type of dress, it’s very easy for me to find a fitting one. No extra shoulder detail (my shoulders are wide enough as they are), knee length, nice color - and I’m all set. 
I like silk - I adore silk, but it’s kinda high maitenance, so there is also fine cotton (so-called rumpled cotton is cool, you don’t have to iron it, like, never, because it’s meant to look severely wrinkled), and fine jersey, and linen\cotton mix.
June 27th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Yes! Ever since finding the right sundress, I’ve had the compulsion to want to wear it all the time. It’s just a cotton dress with a tie around the waist in a bright geometric print, so I never feel overdressed (but happily, don’t feel underdressed either). I’ve worn it for a variety of occasions: casual bridal shower, cottaging, and even just to tutoring and to get a beer with a friend when it was too hot to deal with jeans. I had to shop a lot and try on a LOT of dresses to find the right one (probably about 25-30, seriously) but all that work paid off. Every time I wear it, people say how cute it is. I’ve always been the girl that lives in jeans, so it feels like such a refreshing change to just throw on one piece and feel immediately stylish. Once I have some paycheques coming in, I’d like to add another to my wardrobe.
June 27th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I’m so happy for all of you who have found ‘your’ day dress and seem so happy. I love dresses too. I am a rectangle and often feel like a ‘boy wearing a dress’. I’m working on my style self image though.
Yesterday we went to friends house for pizza and I tempted myself to wear a summer dress but instead went back to the safety net of clam diggers and top and flip flops.
Today after reading this post I went to the grocery store and there was a gal wearing a beautiful day dress so I had to take a second look. It’s funny she was wearing spike heal sandals with it so took it to a whole other level.
June 27th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I’d love to try this look, but Bay Area summers, like Seattle’s, are much too cold to go bare-legged. (It was in the low 60s today, and windy. Air conditioning? Never heard of it!) In general, I’m more apt to wear a skirt than a dress–more versatile and easier to fit on my long-waisted body. Funny that Amy has trouble with dresses for the opposite reason!
June 27th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I’m new to the forum, but I absoloutely had to respond to this thread!
I love day dresses, and in the summer months, I probably wear them 5/6 days out of the week.
I’m a curvey gal, with a smaller waist; most day dresses are very flattering to my frame.
And I don’t have to worry about ensuring I have the right restraints on underneath either!
We are hdg on vacation for the next 10 days, and I just added two more daydresses to my collection.
June 27th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I mostly wear dresses due to my a) laziness b) curvy figure. I love them. I own two brown and one grey and dress them up with colorful accessories. Yay, dresses!
June 28th, 2008 at 2:26 am
I am also a huge fan of day dresses, they hide a multitude of sins and look great on a womanly figure.
June 28th, 2008 at 5:18 am
I just bought one in Portugal and am looking forward to trying it out next week. I am a little scared about it. For example, I have to remember to sit like a lady and I’m so used to wearing jeans and trousers and walk shorts that I will have to consciously remember this!
June 28th, 2008 at 6:28 am
I have a red polo style cotton dress that is very casual and appropriate for wearing out and about. Since I tend to gravitate to dramatic and glamorous, my dresses tend not to be casual. Unfortunately I don’t really have reasons to be dressing up that much! So I think that I need to concentrate on buying a few more casual dresses.
June 28th, 2008 at 8:06 am
I struggle with this. I always feel that dresses are fussy and inappropriate for running around town. I admire those who can pull it off, but I tend to stick to pants or walking shorts. I like your tips though. makes me want to give the day dress a try.
June 28th, 2008 at 8:53 am
We are finally have gorgeous summer here in Seattle…the perfect dress weather. I’ll admit I only own a couple of dresses! Yesterday I went to put one on, but it felt like too much fabric compared to what I usually wear, and like San I opted for some lovely brown walking shorts (and flats) instead…but shorts, yay…we haven’t worn too many of them yet either…maybe today, I’ll go for that dress. As a rectangle, I’d probably do better to find a dress with less volume and then it would feel better, and look better. I often notice that curvy women look so great in dresses…I don’t seem to fill them out very well.
June 28th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Angie, whatever ever happened to the women who sewed? I have had one pattern with 4 different options that I have been making for years. It is a semi-fitted little “shift” dress that you pull on over your head. Every spring I buy a fashionable fabric, usually one that compliments my current summer bag, and it takes about an hour to make. This summer’s fabric is a cocoa linen type with large lighter dots that are woven into it. I live in these from May to September.
June 28th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I’m curious what body types all you day dress fans are. Being an inveterted triangle, finding dresses of any kind has been such a challenge, requiring major alterations. I’m afraid I can’t always see the dress it could become with alterations.
Those of you who love dresses, do they fit you right off the rack? And are you fairly proportionate?
June 28th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Nicole, I’m relatively proportionate, tough my waist is a size or two smaller then the rest of me, which is the main reason that I love wrap dresses, jersey dresses, or dresses with belt. Those fit me off the rack.
However, I love sheath dresses- but can never find one of the rack that works because in addition to it always being to big at the waist, I am also very-long waisted so the waist on the dress hits me at the wrong spot. So in general I struggle with tailored styles made of non stretchy fabric with a lot of waist definition. They require a lot of tailoring.
June 28th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I am working on adding more dresses to my wardrobe and have gone all out this season. I agree with everything you’ve said and have a hard time getting myself to wear them. Getting the length right is half the battle, so all my dresses are knee length or shorter. The problem seems to be the feeling that no one else is wearing a dress, for example on a casual day off, etc. Dresses for me are an ideal solution because I don’t like putting things together and want to be able to pull myself together quickly. But then once I land somewhere like an outdoor shopping place and everyone else has on capris, clam diggers or shorts then I feel like I went to a lot of trouble, even if I really didn’t.
June 29th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Nicole,
I asked for my body type on the forum, and I was told I’m an hourglass that tends towards an inverted triangle.
I can’t find a fitting ‘winter’ (long sleeved & structured) dress right off the rack, because the shoulders-bust-waist ratio is often off - the ones that look good on the upper body are too loose below waist. But it’s much easier with summer dresses and jersey dresses and sack dresses in general because they are meant to be somewhat voluminous down there
June 29th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Nicole,
I am an hourglass tending towards straight (I don’t have that significant of a waist). The problem I have with dresses off the rack is that they *always* fit too big right under the bust and around the ribs. Yesterday, i tried on a gorgeous BCBG dress that I will probably buy, but even in the smallest size it slips a little around the ribs (slips down just the slightest bit). I will buy it and vow to get it altered, but I know I never. I have a collection of suits and dress pants that have been waiting years for alterations.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:03 am
I love day dresses =)
they are comfy and cute
You can look casual in them too..
you just have to work on them with your bag and accesories
to avoid looking dressy..
ohh and I loved the first dress…
really cute =)
Congrats for this blog..
it’s the first time I leave a comment here
but I’m becoming a fan =)
greets from Mexico
June 29th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Louise, you are fortunate to have found a foolproof pattern for your figure. I’ve wasted so much time and money trying to sew that I’ve given up and do better shopping sales.
Nichole, I’m an inverted triangle/rectangle and look best in a sheath dress, but I find that if I pay attention to fit in the shoulders, with wrap styles worn over a cami you can adjust the waist to fit. A pull-on straight dress is also an easy, inexpensive alteration to have side seams taken in for a better fit. Adding any kind of belt gives even more definition. Knits of this style are more likely to fit off the rack than woven fabrics.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I love day dresses! Oh, I wish I can wear them more often. It hardly gets over 85 in the summer here in San Francisco. I agree with all your tips on making the dress more casual. For me, I like to layer a fitted tee under the dresses that are too revealing. Take your pattern dress in the example, I have one in denim that has the same shape/cut. I layer it with a tee in summer, and thin knit cashmere and tights in winter. It is possibly the most versatile piece in the closet ever.
Although I think silky shiny fabric can be worn casually, too… One (or two) of my favorite outfit(s) involves a silk empire waist, speghetti strap, printed dress from Gap (maternity department. I got it for the extra flowiness.) I’ve worn it with patent leather belt and black tights + heels to a winter wedding. With a plain tee + belted cargo jacket (contrast to the femininity) + wool legging + knee-high low heel boots + slouchy bag for a errand running day this past weekend….which was quite chilly. I guess that would be a autumn outfit for everyone else.
I hope you can convince more of your clients to wear day dresses. =)
July 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I love day dresses! They are so comfy and I don’t have to worry about another part of the outfit. I put it on and I’m done. I want to get more - and I’m eyeing the Macy’s strappy dress you’ve posted. So pretty!
July 7th, 2008 at 10:42 am
I have a jersey wrap dress that I love now, but in order to ensure adequate coverage, I added velcro where the sides come together from the bust to the waist.