The Working Closet
with Susan Wagner
The Working Closet is your source for the best of what's hip and fresh in fashion and beauty. Susan Wagner keeps you up-to-date on trends and offers tips and tricks for making everything in your closet truly work for you.
You can also catch Susan over at Working Closet.
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If I had to choose one piece of attire that has completely infiltrated my brain this season, it would most definitely be the sweater dress. I adore the versatility of sweater dresses; in fact, let me count the reasons for you.
1. You can dress them up - add opaque tights, patent Mary Jane pumps and pearls.
2. You can dress them down - add a bohemian scarf and ballet flats.
3. You can wear as a tunic - the shorter shifts look amazing with skinny jeans or wide-leg trousers.
4. Show some leg without really showing leg - you can feel more comfortable wearing shorter sweater dresses knowing that seasonal tights can cover bare legs.
5. A belt changes the silhouette completely - by adding one of this season’s highly coveted wide belts, you can totally change the shape of the dress while accenting your waist.
6. The perfect complement to boots - those highly-coveted riding boots in your closet would look fabulous with a sweater dress, I promise.
Sweater dresses are a fantastic cold weather staple, and if you haven’t noticed, are popping up all over the place. Here are some chic options for this season.
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I agree, these look great, but how do you deal with the problem of tights + sweater dress + walking = dress bunching up as you walk?
Have you tried tights with a higher lycra content? Sometimes, the lycra helps the tights to have more of a slick texture (which helps with the bunching).
Mary | November 7th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I love sweater dresses, but they always get all stretched out by the end of the day. Have there been developments in sweater dress technology to prevent this?
jana | November 7th, 2008 at 10:19 am
I love this look for the fall and winter.
BELIEVE Success!
Lisa Willard
Lisa Willard | November 7th, 2008 at 10:28 am
This is a great fashion… for young, skinny women. I’m not seeing this working for women over age 30 or 35.
ms four | November 7th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Well, I think that’s a matter of opinion. I’m 34 and I love sweater dresses. And while some of the shorter, more narrow sweater dresses (shifts) might not be the best look for fuller-figured women, there are definitely ones that are designed to look appropriate for different body types.
http://tinyurl.com/622xg9
Sarah James | November 7th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I’m 31 and have the dress from JC Penny and it fits and looks great! Thanks for this list - I’m loving the sweater dress!
FK | November 7th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Mary-If I’m going to wear a sweater dress or a knit skirt with tights, I spray Static Guard on my tights and inside of my dress/skirt, and wear a slip. It seems to do the trick for me!
Also, I’m almost thirty, and love sweater dresses. I work in NYC, and I see tons of women of all ages wearing them to work this season.
metalia | November 7th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I just bought my first one today (the purple J.Crew Soho, in fact). I think sweater dresses are a great way to look put together, classy and conservative… that said, the look is still cute and sexy.
(This, coming from a girl who is constantly two years behind in her wardrobe.)
Ooooh! I want that Old Navy one now!
LVGurl | November 7th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
i am too lumpy for sweater dresses. *sigh*
but i wish i could wear them. they are awesome!
ali | November 7th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I’m still in my 20s but I do not plan on giving up my sweater dresses in my 30s.
slynnro | November 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I have a great bell-sleeved sweater dress I scored from Target last season in burgundy, and I *love* it. A couple weekends ago, I paired it with some slate gray metallic ballet flats for a day of shopping with Mom, and this week, I wore it with dark tights and suede mary janes to the office.
Love, love, love!
Oh, and my Mom, who is 5′10″ and anything but model-skinny has this sweater dress from Alfani, and loves it: http://tinyurl.com/5bjlzp
Darcey | November 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
There is nothing skinny about me. Really. And, I too was skeptical of the sweater dress, at first. Invest in a really good pair of very opaque, control top tights or even leggings, and you will feel better about the sweater dress. (I ususally look for something a little longer than some of those about, but that is true for most of my skirts/dresses, not just the sweater ones.)
I am 31.
MKateP | November 7th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Pah! Sweater dresses are appropriate for ANY age, it just depends on the style, cut, length, etc. I’m 40, and I have two of them that I’ve started wearing this year. They’re approximately knee length, not too tight, and look fabulous with my dark tights and maryjane pumps or slingbacks!
Groovymarlin | November 7th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I’m so bummed that I’m always just a little bit too quick on these trends. I looked for sweater dresses everywhere for the last two years. Last year I found a couple and bought them. Now they’re everywhere and I’m getting tired of them. Oh well, a couple chunkier ones to wear with riding boots and I’ll feel on trend again.
mj | November 7th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
The sweater dresses that I have tried on (so far) have been a *little* too short, but I have not stopped looking. They look so cute and cozy!
I’m glad that I am not too old to wear them at 33…
Angella | November 7th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I have the red JCrew one, only in the charcoal grey color. It is very cute on. And I am almost 40.
I think the length matters more than the fact that it is a sweater dress.
chrisjordan | November 7th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Hey, I’m glad I’m wrong. I think I was reacting in part to the short lengths of most of the dresses shown.
Perhaps, Sarah, you could consider showing at least one photo per week of a plus-sized woman?
ms four | November 7th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
That is a fantastic idea. Consider it done!
Sarah James | November 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Hey my favorite on your list is one of the cheapest!!! That almost never happens! I LOVE the cream turtle-neck one from Old Navy. It’s my birthday tomorrow, and I think I’m going to go try it on!
joyce | November 8th, 2008 at 7:52 am
I’ve never bought from Forever 21 before. Are their sizes pretty accurate or do they tend to run too small or too big? I looked at the charcoal dress for $24.80 and its available in taupe. I want that one!
Wendy | November 8th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Honestly, the sizing at Forever 21 is all over the place, with an emphasis on running small, BUT I’ve heard that dress actually runs a little big.
Sarah James | November 8th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
[...] to Work It, Mom!!! We rock. Surf around a while. You’ll like it. If only to see what kind of sweater dress and tights Sarah says you should be wearing this season!! I think we could all use a little fashion advice [...]
Gearing up for the big game - Mommy Needs a Business - Work It, Mom! | November 12th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Great suggestions. Um, these look so yummily comfy.
ali - try a flattering empire waist top or dress. That might work for you.
Yes, please do show larger sized models if you can. I’m not plus sized, but I’m so not skin & bones like these models all are.
Diane | November 13th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I’ve been waiting for this post! I ADORE the look of a sweater dress, tights, and boots. However I work from home so there are few dress-up opps in my life.
I tried on an awesome $400 dress at Holt Renfrew (pricey Canadian dept store) and now I wish I had bought it…it looked fab while other dresses I have tried on since then elsewhere made me look like Baby Jane (from the old movie with Bette Davis…anyone?), an old woman trying to look younger and it was *not* the look I was after.
I’m over 40 and I agree, there ARE sweater dresses that look wonderful but many styles just aren’t going to work for me. Like with anything, really.
For me, the red J. Crew looks like my style—simple and clean. I also tried a great one that I wish I had bought at Banana Republic. But it looks like it’s not yet too late, yay! Thanks for this post.
Karen Murphy | November 13th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I’ve been loving them, too. Target had a bunch of good short-sleeve options, but I haven’t had great luck with finding LS ones. That are under $100. Or $50. I’m cheap.
Carrie | November 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I’m nearing 40, definitely curvy and wear sweater dresses all the time right now. For the office I pair it up with dark control top tights (spanx or assets - the target version of spanx- suck in everything) and either heels or heeled boots. If I’m worried about it being too clingy, a light cardigan works well too. On the weekends, it works over leggings or even jeans. They are so comfortable.
tamm | November 15th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
i just got one almost like the one from old navy can it be worn with boots with a chunky 1/4 inch heel
kim | December 26th, 2008 at 5:02 pm