I’m a huge fan of Trashy Diva, even though I’m on the cusp of fitting into about half of their dresses. (The current selection goes up to an 18. Some 18s I fit into, and some I don’t.) When their sale items were marked Final Sale, and there were no 18s left to try… well, I was a little bummed.
My best friend Mallory happens to work there, and she encouraged me to try on the Dorothy dress in a size 14. It has an elastic paneled back, and she wondered if it couldn’t possibly work. Not only was I surprised when it worked, but consider me more surprised that I had to go down to a size 12! The elastic panel and empire waist create an easy silhouette to wear that’s comfortable and a lot more flexible with sizing.
Since buying it (a steal at $49!), I’ve pretty much taken every opportunity to wear it. The rayon is great in humid weather because the wrinkles fall out of easily. It’s perfect for work when paired with a cardigan or light blazer. While the weather already “feels like” 97 outside, a dress that’s easy to wear is essential. No muss & no fuss.
It just goes to show you that you can’t judge clothes on the size alone– sometimes you just need to take a chance and try it on.
What I Wore:
Trashy Diva Dorothy Dress
Jeffrey Campbell Kelly Stud shoes
Wendy Brandes Little Woolf necklace
Michael Kors Runway Watch
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Love it! Looks nice on you!
Thank you, Janice!
I wear everything from a size 6 to 12. It all depends on the cut and brand.
Absolutely, Lindsay! I think it’s hard because many women get turned off by the number, rather than finding what will fit. It’s like dating… ya gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find the right fit!
Pretty dress. And you’re right, sometimes you just have to try it on. I have clothes in my closet ranging from S to 2X, and they all fit!
Ashe,
I am glad you decided to try a 14 and then a 12 because the dress looks fabulous on you. I like rayon, too. I especially like the way it takes color.
Thank you, Chris! I’m a big fan of their rayon dresses, too. They take color beautifully and have the perfect texture and weight for our hot & humid summers!
That’s really pretty and colorful. Is the dress long since it hits you below the knee. The Trashy Diva website doesn’t give the length…just wondering.
Hey Prettypink!
All of the dresses are vintage reproductions, so they do tend to fit on the longer side. I’m just a hair under 5’7 if that helps. That being said, a lot of times the length also depends on the size of the dress as well (because of scaling… most dresses may add half an inch to inch as it goes up every few sizes).
Ashe I am so glad you tried it on; a darling dress!
xoxo
Karena
Giveaway from The Enchanted Home!
I love this dress on you. I, too, have discovered numbers on tags mean very little. I have everything from a 4 to 14 in my closet. You look wonderful.
Thank you, Sara! It’s really amazing how much variety and range clothes can have, depending on cut, fabric, where they’re from…
Sometimes it feels like sizes are pointless and arbitrary, especially where I work in a charity shop. Once I realized that I stopped caring so much what size I fit into. 🙂
Absolutely! Not caring just makes it so much easier. “Does it fit? Does it look how I want it to?” Then keep or return (to store or rack). Makes shopping much more fulfilling than obsessing over sizes.
That’s a beautiful dress Ashe! I was recently quite surprised by a few dresses that thanks to the way they were cut, I could easily fit into the straight sizes (without even having to go for the largest sizes).
Karoliina, yes, this was definitely a surprising one, too! I’m glad it worked out, but I would have never considered it if my super knowledgeable friend hadn’t suggested it first.
I too am just on the cusp of fitting into Trashy Diva’s dresses…if there’s any stretch in them, I can get them on, but not stretch is no go. I bought the Trixie dress in the atomic pattern when visiting New Orleans in April, and I adore it. Just gotta wait for the southern summer to roll around…
Size and style variations are what makes it so hard to buy some things online. There can be so much difference from one item to another within a brand…I don’t care what the label says, I just want it to fit!
“I don’t care what the label says, I just want it to fit!”
I understand that, Thursday! I’ve become a self-made expert on Trashy Diva, so if you ever need help with sizing or what may fit, please let me know. (We even have a Trashy Diva fan group on Facebook where we do nothing but fan girl, geek out over new prints, sell/buy old pieces AND help each other figure out which will fit.)
I do most of my shopping online, and it’s taken a while to figure out the “patterns” everywhere… 2X at Modcloth, 16 at ASOS…. and not everyone has or WANTS to spend that time on shopping online!
That is awesome to know! Also great to have first hand help when shopping at a distance:) I somehow neglected to try on the Honey whilst there so I’ll need some advice on that one 😉
I also meant to say, you look great in the Dorothy! Love the colours.
That dress is too cute, you look lovely!
I have figured out that the numbers on the clothes don’t really mean much. I bought a strapless dress from Old Navy last week in a 14. It had an elastic back so it fit me where most dresses in a regular 14 would not. I can wear a 16 in their jeans, but their dress pants don’t even come close to fitting me in a 16.
So, yeah, numbers don’t really matter. They all vary. If pants went by waist/hip measurement, I’d still be a 22. (But, of course, being apple-shaped, these would only fit me in the waist but be like Hammer pants in the legs and butt.)
Very pretty! I am loving this flora dress trend.
Melissa
Love the print – looks amazing on you!