I have always said that the perfect fall dress doesn’t exist. Well, here we are, diving headfirst into a post about the *chef’s kiss* of fall dresses. Let me preface this post by saying that I in no way resemble the model on which I saw this dress. My expectations were both reasonable and realistic. Over the years, I’ve grown to learn how certain things will likely fit my body. While styled like it was on the website looked God-awful on me, putting my own personal spin on it turned it into something I can’t wait to wear over and over again! Sorry in advance for the photo dump, but I simply couldn’t choose just a couple of pics to post!
This beautiful maroon (or port, as they call it) pocketed midi dress by ASOS is the perfect fall color, comfortable, quite heavy (so you won’t be freezing if you wear it outdoors) and works perfectly with a cute hat and some boots. It also won’t break the bank at a mere $40. You can also throw a denim or a leather jacket over it on those chilly autumn nights! I chose to belt it around my waist, because on my 4’10” frame I looked like I was drowning in it if I didn’t cinch it. And because it’s technically spooky season, I added a fun floppy hat from Target to channel my inner Madison Montgomery (AHS Coven is really the only season worth watching IMO) and some Herman Munster/Daria/chunky boots by Public Desire via ASOS. (Literally though, I felt like Daria or Jane Lane IRL!) Of course, my purse of choice was by Rebecca Minkoff.
On a serious note, finding the perfect items for any season isn’t always easy. In my experience I strike out a lot more than finding something I like. On average, the models you see on these websites are about a foot taller than I am and probably weigh 50 pounds less than I do. As much as I love certain trends, I have to admit reality and that not everything will look as good on me as it does on someone else. My advice for going on the hunt for the perfect anything as far as fashion goes: be gentle on yourself, be optimistic, and also realistic. Just because something may not look like the industry’s version of perfect on you, it doesn’t mean you can’t make it work, or that you won’t find something else that you like more! Bear in mind: this dress is a MIDI dress. Midi, which by definition, means the hem hits at mid-calf—halfway between the knee and ankle. Scroll up or down and see where this dress hits me. I chose to make it work for my body type and my height. We have to work with what we’re given, and make things work for ourselves.
I’m looking forward to styling this dress in a few other ways to share with you. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or a specific style you’d like to see!
Photos by Michelle Russo
Dress by ASOS // Boots by Public Desire // Hat by A New Day from Target