dress – Page 2 – the Spiff

dress, dress shopping, Fashion, spring, west town mall

Good News for All You Dress Shoppers

April 2, 2015 No Comments

I bopped into New York & Co. in West Town Mall earlier this week to pick up some earrings for my Easter dress and I stumbled upon (not really because I was purposefully walking in there) their gorgeous spring dress collection!

If you’ve waited till this weekend to grab your Easter dress, definitely put then on your list of places to check out.

Because not only do they have a fabulous selection, but they also have an amazing sale going on! Plus if you’re a AAA member, you can always show your card and get an additional 20% off. I truly can’t think of any more good news to bring you my friends, short of showing up at your house right now and throwing glitter everywhere…(but that would require you cleaning it up, so more good news – you don’t have to clean up glitter!).

Hide hips and bum with the first two options below; disguise a rounder mid section and thicker arms with the blue wrap dress; and with the last dress, add shape (plus a little va-va-voom) to a straight figure, or show off your figure if you’re an hourglass!

For a more in-depth guide to buying for your body type, and for some more beautiful Easter dress options, click here!

#thespiffknows, 2015, ann taylor, dress, dress shopping, Fashion, jcpenney, shopping, the limited, Uncategorized, west town mall

The Guide to a Figure-Flattering Easter Dress

March 20, 2015 No Comments

The trick to writing a guide of any sort is research. And if there’s ever been an Easter where I’ve done extensive dress research, it’s this one.

I will be 5 months pregnant by the time Easter gets here, which means I don’t know what my body will look like. On top of which, I’m in the Easter program at church, which means I have to find a dress that meets a long list of standards (not to mention my own crazy self-imposed ones).

But man do I love a good clothing challenge.

I started looking for a dress in January, just to start formulating a vision. Once I knew the direction I wanted to go in, I started seriously looking in February and had my dress by early March.

Saying all of that to say, I know my stuff. I know what’s out there and I know what will look good on your body type.

So let’s dive in…

The best way to flatter a larger mid-section is by going with a dress that’s waist defining. All three of these options give the illusion that you have a tiny waist whether it be through color blocking, a change in pattern or strategic rouching. Those are the types of things you need to look for in your dress.

And if you want to add a cardigan to the mix, stay away from those that are short and boxy. Go with one that lays a few inches below where you’ve defined your waist, or better yet, choose a structured blazer to give you even more shape.

For a larger bum and hips it’s all about where you’re drawing the eye. First of all, make sure to go with an A-line shape. This shape is flattering on so many body types, but especially yours as it perfectly conceals your lower half. To carry the illusion a step further, opt for a dress that has a pattern/detail on the top half which will instantly draw the eye up.

The White House Black Market dress does a great job of drawing the eye to your neckline with that lace detail; as does the JCP dress by putting that gorgeous blue color on the top half of the dress. And of course the print overlay is just pretty all over on the Fiore dress.

If you’re looking to create a figure, you’ve got some great options as well. Look for dresses with ruffles or pleats to add volume where you need it, but stay away from anything too baggy. You want to show off your slimness while adding volume in all the right places.

The blue dress from Express gives your girls a little help with the pleats in the bust line. The middle dress from The Limited does kind of the same thing but in a cool modern way – I love the illusion of a crop top over a black dress. And by the way, this one would really do a great job showing off a gorgeous statement necklace. Finally, the navy Ann Taylor number defines your tiny waist but gives you a curvy hourglass shape with the addition of those ruffles (the dress has a tiny polka dot pattern too, which I think is so classic).

I wanted to show you that no matter your figure, there is a dress out there that will make you look your best. I purposely stayed away from using words like “flaws” and “problem areas” because you don’t have to look at your body that way. Appreciate what you’re working with, and learn to dress so that you show off what you love most!

If you have any questions or need more help, you can reach me through any of my social media outlets I’ve linked to there in the upper right.

Happy shopping!

dress, dress shopping, the limited, west town mall

From the Runway to the Real-Way

March 13, 2015 No Comments

runway looks for everyday wear, how to wear what was on the runway, badgley mischka, the limited dress, scandal dress, bisou bisou, jcpenny, fashion blog, easter dress ideas, flattering dress options, how to find a dress that flatters your figure

Sitting on the floor watching Suits the other night, I noticed that one of the female character’s legs didn’t touch. You could pass an Oxford Dictionary through the gap between her thighs. I said to my husband, “I bet that girl doesn’t eat tater tots,” then popped a tot into my mouth.

So this post is for all of us tot-eaters who don’t have the legs of a supermodel but want to dress like one.

The runway version you see here is from the Badgley Mischka Spring 2015 collection. Which in all reality was probably sent down the actual runway last fall. It’s a beautiful sheath dress with panel pattern blocking on the sides – something that really flatters a gal’s figure.

To the right, are two wildly cheaper options that are accessible here in town (at West Town Mall, in fact).

The first, is from JCPenney. It’s Bisou Bisou (place special emphasis on the “s” in those words when asked who made your dress, and even when not). The white makes it perfectly daytime appropriate, while the side paneling draws all the attention into a smaller version of yourself that the dress has carved out for you. It gives the illusion that your curves are only to be found there in the middle. Consider the black portions of the dress completely invisible. It’s a very cheap, very fast, and very much pain fre e version of liposuction.

Beside that is a dress from The Limited but instead of darker paneling they inserted lace. This is from their Scandal collection (which won’t be around forever, folks!). It too carves out a beautifully slimming mid-section with the addition of the lace and even extends into the back of the dress.

A beautiful white sheath dress like either of these options would make a great Easter dress!

dress, Fashion, styling, summer

Picnic Perfect Dress

July 2, 2014 No Comments

The glamorous part of this job is standing outside in a dress, eating a popsicle for a picture.

The not so glamorous part is the night before when you’re up at one in the morning after a long day, preparing the next days blog while your husband sleeps soundly beside you. Thank God it’s only the fun stuff you get to see in pictures though, right?

I bought this high-low blue ombre dress last year at Target, and I thought the week of the Fourth is a perfect time for it to make it’s summer 2014 debut.

As a devoted fan of maxi dresses, it’s a little less often that I wear out anything shorter than my ankles. The only problem with those long ones is you have to hold them up when you walk or a least watch where you’re going when you’re maneuvering them in the grass. Cue the high-low dress.

With this you get the coverage of a maxi, without the threat of tripping over yourself. And by paring it with wedges, I’m a lot more comfortable in a less stable terrain.

That’s why if you have any picnics or outdoor gatherings that require a little more than shorts and a t-shirt this weekend, a high-low dress like this one would be perfect. Add a belt to it to break up the blue and to define your waist; then go with some simple necklaces or big hoops like I did, and party the day away completely cute and comfortable.

dress, outfit inspiration, spring

A Clever Trick for Your Spring Dresses

May 2, 2014 No Comments

This is going to sound like something one would say before breaking out into song, but I promise there will be no singing afterwards…

Inspiration is all around us.

Particularly outfit inspiration. I am on constant watch to see how people are wearing things, so that I can tweak my own style, or add something new I may have never thought about.

While attending my 6th wedding shower of the season last weekend (it’s my own version of 27 Dresses), I obtained some major inspiration from my good friend Alicia.

Cleverly, she took one of her infinity scarves and used it as a wrap!

Let me tell you why this works on so many levels…

It keeps you warm in a comfortable way. Unlike a wrap, a larger infinity scarf like this will more easily stay in place because it’s looped around your arms rather than hanging on them (I’m sure there’s some term from physics that tells us why, but I can’t even come up with a fake one so forget it).

This also helps to reduce the amount of skin you’re showing if you’ve got say, an open back dress, or even a strapless one you may want to wear without baring it all.

I love the fresh color choice of teal against the black and white, and I especially love the fact that she did some pattern mixing by topping off the look with peacock patterned earrings.

It goes to show you, not all outfit inspiration has to come from Pinterest ;)

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