This dress combines features from two of my favorite old pieces – it has the striking cerulean blue color of my Banana Republic sheath, and a flirty silhouette like my H&M; cocktail dress…
Surprise! I had the hem pinned up six inches, so please pardon the uneven hem. Just by looking at ASOS’ stock photo, I doubt many of you would consider this dress with its flapping long skirt, huge provocative slit, and flat-looking torso. However, when one is faced with limited options, developing an eye for potential is critical.
I browsed online for quite a bit, and anything “fancier” yet affordable in a potentially petite-friendly size was either too trendy, too junior prom, or bridesmaid-y. I wanted something elegant, yet modern and chic for preferably around $50 (UPDATE: I got this dress a few weeks ago at the marked-down price of $60 plus an additional discount code. When I published this post, it was still $60, but is somehow now back at the full price of $80). Here it is with the hem pinned up again:
Having ordered from ASOS before, I know that they don’t use petite models even for petite-exclusive items. The slit in the stock photo goes almost up to the model’s crotch, but I suspected it’d be more modest on me. I just needed to inspect the dress in person to see how feasible a hem job would be.
This dress is made of a medium-weight knit material and is unlined. A hem job should be fairly easy to do, or should cost around $15 to get done. The shape of this dress is reminiscent of the 2011 tailored pencil dresses that some of you are familiar with, but this one is so much more comfortable and flattering around the hips (no puffed tulip shape). The key here is a stretchy material that holds it’s structure yet still lets you breathe. My 2011 pencil dresses have no stretch, and compress my chest and ribs after meals.
For a fast fashion brand like ASOS, I’m very pleased with the fit and construction of this dress. My US Petite 1 / UK Petite 4 (smallest available) fits me like a glove and measures 11.5″ across the waist, 15″ across the chest, 14.5″ from the top of the shoulder to the waistline, and 40″ total length. As seen below, the peplum skirt is lined and stuffed with a slightly stiffer material to help keep its shape.
As much as I absolutely adore this dress, I sadly don’t need it now that I have my H&M; one (which I spent too much time altering to give up). I don’t have many occasions for rocking something like this, and my closet space is limited. If you’re looking for a dress for a spring cocktail party or wedding, I highly recommend trying this and getting it hemmed to the right length (I think this can look fab as below-the-knee too). For someone like me with no natural curves, the silhouette of this dress can do wonders and will be sure to turn heads.
I also ordered the long sleeve belted wrap dress, another petite exclusive. I’ll show some photos of it later.
Therefore glad I found your website searching for shoes.
This is great information and nice collection wonderfull dress at any given time when the internet is full
of falsehoods. Keep up the task in "Link to another good article from Allen Wright" and that i can
come back often.
cheap cocktail dresses
Thanks for sharing such kind of nice and wonderful collection……Nice post Dude keep it up.
I have appreciate with getting lot of good and reliable and legislative information with your post……
cheap sexy clothes
Keep it you look fabulous in it! 🙂 I love your clean classy style, I am not as young as you are but I am just starting to work on my style and I am learning from you!
Holy cow Jean this dress is AMAZING! YOu are such a knockout! *whistles
Check out Dorothy Perkins. They offer petite sizes and dresses very similar to this one!
The dress is adorable.
This dress looks a lot better on you than the mint dress. Everything from the cut to the colour!The belt really pulls the look together.
me too! amazing dress 🙂
http://highprofilehighexpectations.blogspot.com/
Love this look on you. And the color.
Love the colour and you're right, the slit looks super high online! I really like peplum on you and on some other petites I have seen. I don't think it will work for me however as I have wider hips and butt in proportion to the rest of my body so I think it would just make me look "hippy" :P. Also, I've never been one to be able to pull of trends very well without feeling self conscious so I will probably pass on this look 🙂
Keep it! I agree with Jane that this amazing blue ASOS dress fulfills a completely different function than the H&M; one. When you want to look gorgeous, feminine, but also hot at a cocktail party, you'll see how the H&M; piece is not quite the evening worthy stunner the blue one is. And it'll be hard to find such a glamorous, perfectly fitting cocktail dress again.
The white dress from H&M; looks good on you (now that you fixed the sleeves) but it's no substitute for this blue peplum dress. The white one is not, IMHO, a cocktail dress; it's an afternoon lady's tea dress or a suit substitute for work. But definitely not a cocktail dress. The blue is very attractive on you and a bit dressier than the white one.
Wow. The outfit is stunning! Gorgeous color.
And I hate how for petite people, we always have to get our clothes tailored even though we buy the smallest size already =(
Oh my gosh, do you have to return it? It looks so good…. too good to return…
love love love
http://www.thehautecookie.com
That dress looks great on you. Can't wait to see the long-sleeve wrap dress. Would you wear a tank top underneath it? It has quite a neckline haha.
http://ohtheendlesspossibilities.blogspot.com/
I love this dress so much. I wish it wasn't a petite "exclusive" 🙁
Wow, I love that silhouette, and that color is gorgeous on you!
Keep the dress! It's so different from the mint, & you can wear this into fall with tights and a fitted leather jacket.