These days I do the bulk of my shopping online. I think this is partly due to the natural progression of technology – there is a veritable ambrosia of options with the few clicks of a button. And when I lived in Australia, I struggled to find shops that had the kind of clothing I loved, so I would naturally venture cyber-ward more and more. After so many years of being used to online shopping, I developed a practiced eye for the way something might fit me – a model or blogger shot could usually reveal whether the cut would work on me.
I first saw this Janie Bryant Birdie swing dress at Unique Vintage – it was part of the first collection they produced in collaboration with Janie Bryant (all hail the great costume designer for Mad Men!). And I’ll admit, I wasn’t smitten. I didn’t get that zsa zsa zoo that I normally feel when I see a certain print or a certain silhouette. And none of the product shots wowed me. I worried the ruched panels low on the skirt would widen my hips and felt the colors were a bit too muted for my taste. And so, certain it would never work on me, I clicked on to other fashionable endeavors.
Flash forward several months to my last trip home, where my mom and I ventured to one of my hometown favorites Modern Millie. While poring over the racks, my mom reached over and handed me this dress. And although I remembered not being particularly wowed when I first saw it online, I shrugged and added it to my pile. Cause you never know until you try it on…
I think I forgot the amazing feeling of actually getting to try something on before you buy it. I’d gotten a bit cocky in my online shopping, sure that I could cast my eye over a photo and choose to drop the guillotine pretty quickly. So, ever doubtful, I slipped this weighty dress over my head, surprised by the luxurious feel of the heavy cotton. She hugged my curves as I zipped her up, hitting at that perfect spot in my waist and framing my décolletage. And as I stepped out of the dressing room and twirled in front of the mirror, I heard my mom gasp and I wondered how I had ever lived without this dress in my wardrobe…
She’s been sitting in my closet since that trip, waiting for the perfect night out. And we found it – in a bit of denial of the fall semester fast approaching, Mr. Dressed and I snapped these outfit picks at sunset before we hit the town. We met up with another fellow Professor and his wife to drown our sorrows and try out Rx Restaurant downtown, which boasts an amazing seasonally inspired farm-to-table cuisine. And I could barely walk three feet before women would stop me to compliment this dress. I realized that for how much we think we know ourselves, it’s always worth it to take a chance. To step outside of your expectations. To just try it on.
I guess the moral of this story is to never say never…
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Janie Bryant Birdie swing dress: Modern Millie
Necklace: Betsey Johnson (similar)
Handbag: Gift (similar)
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell (similar here & here)
.
instagram // twitter // facebook // pinterest
.