Dress: Asos
Shoes: Milu
I bought this dress months and months ago, and this is the first time it’s been hot enough to wear it!
Usually I like to wear a new item STRAIGHT AWAY (I was one of those kids who wore my new shoes home from the shoe shop) and if I don’t delayed buyers remorse sets in, and I end up NEVER wearing my new dress/skirt/shoes/etc and eventually handing it down or selling it on eBay.
Thank goodness I still like this Asos dress, so it’s not quite a ridiculous waste of money. I like the striped red, white and blue print and the way the dress plays with angles by using the stripes on differing axis. The horizontal stripes on the front, coupled with the diagonal stripes on the side creates the illusion of slenderness, and I love the way the skirt gathers on the hips though I thought it was pockets when I saw it online, and was surprised to find it wasn’t.
Like every Asos item I’ve ever bought the dress is not without its flaws: The fabric’s quite stiff and vaguely canvassy, and the zipper is not only one of those scratchy metal ones, but it’s exposed too (Exposed zips. A trend I’ll never understand.)
Most annoying is that fact that the dress seems to have been designed specifically for small-boobed, non bra-wearing types. It’s cut so oddly at the armholes that it flashes a whopping great triangle of bra.
I tried it with every bra in my collection, but I didn’t have a single one that came in that far at the sides. I suppose if you were small enough to go bra-less it would show a tantalising flash of side-boob, but for me all I could do was wear something non-beige and hope for the best.
Meanwhile, I’m thrilled to have a pair of navy shoes to wear with all my red/white/blue ensembles:
shoes: Milu
The scalloped edges are scrumptious, and they’re pretty excellently comfortable. You can probably tell they’ve had a bit of a workout already, and they didn’t survive the rainstorm they got caught in last week unscathed, but it’s all character, right?
I’ve also tossed out my old “Bumpits” after seeing my friend Yue’s velcro hair volumiser and buying a set for myself off Shopensave on eBay
They give a much more rounded, natural beehive, and you don’t have to tease or use hairspray.
I have this dress and while I love the pattern, the top of the dress makes it a cardi only dress for me (not to mention it’s quite thick and Sydney doesn’t have real winters). Mine has pockets, though!! I don’t understand why they would be any different?!
So strange, I’ve got no idea! Everyone else seemed to score pockets!
I feel bad because you asked me in a comment yonks ago how the dress was and j never responded. Because I’m on the end of the sizing scale of asos I’m happy for any nice dress even if it does have it’s downfalls (I’m also six foot so it will always be different on me).
I have this dress too, and mine has pockets like Kat’s. How strange that some have pockets and some don’t!
I’m sad! Apparently I got the only non-pocket version out there!
Too funny.. I have that dress too! I have pockets and it doesnt show bra on me at all … Im VERY booby (about 20 DD/E so not sure why thats happening to you… although its much tighter across my bust than on yours so perhaps its made for taller people? Im 5. 10
Lucky you! I’m an F-cup, but it’s not THAT tight across the bust. Maybe I got the wrong size…?
I’m only a D, but they’re heavy and big (can’t even imagine what size I’d be at your size…I’m a 24) and it’s tight across my chest…kinda flattening. But it definitely have the side bra problem and I wear those cup bras that don’t have much side action like the ones you’re wearing, Frocks.
Oh! I want a velco behive now too!!! And I just saw the prices on Ebay so maybe I’ll buy one right now!
DO IT! No, seriously, they’re pretty great. And there’s two in a packet 🙂
OMG! That velcro hair thing is going to change my life! Who knew?!
I love the dress and think even despite the boob issue, it looks great.
Thanks Lauren. I love my velcro bumpits. They’re awesome 🙂
Love the dress. It looks so summer. Maybe you could unpick the strap where it meets the bodice, undo the gathers and spread it out a bit to be more bra friendly.
The straps aren’t gathered unfortunately – I might try and find some suitable fabric though 🙂 Thanks for the suggestion!
I looked and looked and looked at this dress, but alas I looked too long and missed out! The story of my life!!! It looks fab on you. I know the annoyance at big expanses of bra on show! But its not that obvious on you – especially with the blue bra. Loving the shoes too!
Thanks Claire – I hate waiting too long and missing out on something almost as much as I hate buying something and regretting it as soon as it arrives!
It’s a very cool dress.
Given the pattern and asymmetrical nature of the dress, I’d get some matching coloured fabric and patch the underarm area if it were my dress. There’s nothing that annoys me more than exposed bra!!
K xx
Me too! I might try to see if I can find some suitable fabric. Or a suitable bra!
I love your hair! I will definitely be buying one of those things, my Bump It doesn’t work very well in my hair because my hair is too fine and I have to tease too much
This one’s rather splendid. I’m so happy with it. The pack comes with one big and one small, and I’ve been wearing them non-stop since they arrived 🙂
I also have this dress, with pockets and also have the bra showing problem. Fortunately I am small boobed enough to not wear a bra with it.
Only problem is I bought it in winter like you did, about 2 weeks before I found out I was pregnant, so now that the weather is suitable the bloody things doesn’t fit me!!!
Here’s hoping it will fit before next winter starts and I will get at least one chance to wear it.
Oh, congratulations! It’s a lovely dress, and I’m sure you’ll get lots of wear out of it.
It’s so strange though, I must have got the only non-pocket version!
Besides the material being stiff and a bit of your bra showing, that dress is CUTE!!!!
Thanks Wendy – I thought so too.
that is so funny ad odd about the pockets- must make it a special dress!!!
oohh now this dress is gorgeous! Such a shame about the side bra flash. I get that in quite a few dressess too; come on designers- think about us big boobied girls why don’t you!!!!!
I think if you had a petticoat that hung out below the dress it would be more flattering. I like this dress on you w/o the petticoat.
Love the velcro hairpiece! My bumpit doesn’t really work. I can’t find the velcro thing in any other colour but black though 🙁 Any ideas?
I would suggest – to get rid of that flash of bra on the sides – this fix:
Go to a fabric store and find a plain cotton that matches the blue the best you can. Have a seamstress put triangle inserts into the gaping side. It’s mostly under your arm and no one will really notice it if done professionally with good straight seams.
But the flash of blue will just seem to be that – something that is a part of the dress. With all the lines going around that spot of blue will just disappear. More than a flash of your non-dress coloured bra will!
Good luck!
What Amanda said! That’s the ticket for sure. Also, a little blue short sleeved cardi would look smashing with it. Your taste is brilliant Lilli, love it.