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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Susan is looking for a cocktail dress — one designed for a real person, not a model. She writes, “I do NOT want something so short my crotch is going to show (seems to be popular). I do NOT want to wear something drapey/flowey/grandmotherly. I had my fifth baby 9 months ago and just got my body back (thank goodness!), so I want something that fits, but doesn’t squeeze.”
Done! Here are ten options, in various styles — none of which will expose Susan’s crotch or cause her to be mistaken for a grandmother. And all of them are available at Nordstrom.
Maggie London, $158
Petra, $138
Maggy London, $118
Eliza J, $138
Adrianna Papell, $178
Suzi Chin Maggy Boutique, $118
Eliza J. $118
Alex Evenings, $128
Adrianna Papell, $198
Aidan Mattox, $370
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Oh, I’m pretty sure I will be purchasing the navy Eliza J dress for a bat mitzvah in a couple months. How pretty! Thanks for rounding these up!
suzie | January 24th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Hi Susan — I was first introduced to you via Mir at WantNot, just revisited there and clicked on over.
These are all lovely, lovely dresses. I recently (as in the last few weeks) found myself needing to buy two such dresses for two evenings, back to back.
While I wish I had seen some of these options (when did the shorts get so … mini, and isn’t there anything with some sort of sleeve, even a cap one?) so that I might have been braver with color — both of my dresses are black. Lovely, but one is black and the other is well, primarily black.
So, here’s my question — (and it’s embarassingly causing a bit of stress while I try to figure out the answer — after all, there are bigger issues in the world to stress about).
What, for the love of all things fashion-forward and fashion-proper, do I wear on my legs?!?!
I’ve seen the debates about nylons being woefully out of style while others swear by them. Are nude nylons (never a look or feel I’ve liked) as out as it seems? If I go with black, isn’t that a lot of black? Off black? Sheer as sheer could be? Then there’s the camp that says nylons are a no-no and cocktail dresses can be worn with bare legs. Ack! What’s a girl to do?
The parties are this weekend in NYC. My black cocktail dresses are to the knee. I had hoped to wear an adorable black peep-toe shoe that really works with the dresses, but then that’s adding in another layer of doubt as far as the nylons and toes go. Cue the vapors.
Susan, can you help? Anyone else? What’s the vote on this? I just want to have a good time at two events with my husband, feeling good and looking good. A night out has been a long time coming. The sitter is hired. The dresses are purchased. My peep-toe shoes are vying for my attention. My legs, however, are less than sure how to attend.
Help!
-R.
Rachel | January 30th, 2011 at 5:48 am
My fashion savvy friends across the country have informed me that unless you are in the deep south, NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER FOR ANY REASON, EVER WEAR NYLONS, EVER. Spend the money on a great pedicure, wear your peep-toes. Rub some self-tanner on your legs if you’re really worried and go. But absolutely don’t wear nylons. Here’s a secret women won’t tell you - we all find some fault somewhere on our legs. Just go to the party have a good time. Not one person in the room is going to go home that night and talk about your legs!
Tricia | February 1st, 2011 at 8:52 pm