How to wear a wrap-dress. My favourite floral dress from summer to autumn style.

November 3, 2017

I love a floral dress, and I don’t think they’re just for summer either. Sling a shawl or cardigan over the top and team with a pair of brown leather boots and you’ve got yourself an outfit perfect for the autumn season…..

I bought this dress by Gabrielle Parker at Glastonbury Festival. I thought I was being a rubbish fashion blogger because I didn’t think there was much chance of you being able to buy the same one; particularly as Glastonbury Festival isn’t even on next year to see if you can find the stall (on the right-hand side of the road if you’re walking from the Meeting Point to the Kidz Field). However, after a little googling, I found the Gabrielle Parker website and it’s full of vintage style tea dresses that you’ll love. Or scroll down for a few similar that I found to recreate the look.

Some advice about how to wear a wrap dress: I have often heard it said that a wrap dress is a flattering style. I think this is true if you have a slim-boyish figure and are looking to add some curves. However, I think you need to approach the wrap dress with caution if you’re over size 16. For a start, you will be overlapping two pieces of fabric over your tummy – an area where you probably don’t want to be adding any bulk, so look for thin lightweight cotton material. (Not jersey – you maybe tempted by its comfiness, but thin jersey is most definitely not flattering.)
Test the bust coverage. Sooo many wrap dresses are poorly designed, particularly for larger sizes when the pattern-maker does not understand how boobs work. I have tried on so many wrap dresses that either have nowhere near enough fabric to cover them; or the extra fabric is left flapping about, still leaving your bra exposed. So unfortunately, you’re left with no option but to wear it with a vest underneath – again adding another layer.
Also, I’m not convinced by Gok Wan’s good-old theory that larger ladies should wear a belt at a point higher than the natural waistline. So I personally would check that the actual wrap ties are tying at my natural waist and not any higher. (I personally worry that the empire line makes me look pregnant, but of course, do whatever works for you.) The most flattering thing for me in a wrap dress is the fact that the natural curve of my back is emphasised by the bow tied at the point where my back is the smallest (even if it’s not necessarily where my tummy is its smallest.)

I love the dusky tones of the floral pattern in this dress because the colours mean that it fits in well with the usual autumn colour palette of most fall fashion in the shops at this time of year. It doesn’t look out of place in summer either, so it works well as one of these ‘transitional’ pieces fashion bloggers talk about! If you have a warm skin tone, or even red hair, I think these colours would look even better.

I’ve worn the dress with calf-length boots, but if the weather is a little cooler, I actually think knee-length boots look really good with light-weight dresses as well.

Here are some other wrap dresses you might like:

We took these photos in Padstow – one of our favourite places to visit in Cornwall – on our last trip at the end of summer. I’m sorry there aren’t any close-up photos or details today because it’s a cotton dress that had been screwed up in a bag in the campervan and really needed an iron! I’m wearing the dress in my Weekly Vlog, so if you’d like to see the dress in action, take a look there! And here’s the haul and try-on video of everything I bought at Glastonbury Festival: