I know I bang on about this stuff all the time, but these are not identical dresses at all! They’re different colors, obviously, and also different shades of those colors; but more importantly, based on these photos they're cut differently: the proportions of bodice to skirt and how long/adjustable the straps are; how structured/rigid the bodice is, how roomy/constricted the skirt and its lining are; and thus they will look good on some people and horrible on others based on various factors: how long your torso is, your bust size/spacing, where your waist is (especially for this general style), where your hips are and how much/how quickly they widen, height to a lesser extent (since hemming is relatively easy)…
idk, I know I’m super particular about clothes, but I feel like a useful life skill to buy less clothing and reduce clothing waste1 is to take your measurements; determine what styles look really good on you, which are ok, and which will never work; and then rule out everything but the first category unless you absolutely need something ASAP and can’t hold out for “really good.” thus, you can rule out 90% of what’s in stores and what’s immediately trendy on sight, and probably end up buying secondhand because that’s where the 10% is more likely to be. a lot of the clothing discourse is focused on brands, price, and quality, but a dress can be an immaculately constructed bespoke $700 item yet a complete waste of money for some people, even if they can afford it, and will likely never get worn and end up in a landfill.
(example: the rightmost dress here would look AWFUL on me, like catastrophically bad. meanwhile one of my favorite dresses is this ‘80s maxi, shoulder pads and all, that I paid like $20 for on eBay in college, and while I’m pretty sure it was an unremarkable mall brand and looks like nothing special on the hanger, it fits me perfectly and even though it’s a synthetic fabric was apparently high enough quality that it held up for over a decade, not counting however much it was worn back then. I’m only now trying to replace it and honestly it doesn’t NEED to be replaced, it’s still very wearable.)
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assuming of course that you have the disposable income to be regularly shopping for clothes
idk, I know I’m super particular about clothes, but I feel like a useful life skill to buy less clothing and reduce clothing waste is to take your measurements; determine what styles look really good on you, which are ok, and which will never work; and then rule out everything but the first category
Agree. Also useful: measure (and write down the measurements of) your favorite clothing items. Know not just your torso length, know how long your favorite shirt is, because not all shirts that fit you will create the same silhouette, and you want to know the length that you love on you.
Know your shoulder measurement but also the shoulder length of that jacket that gives you the perfect slouchy fit. What length of skirt/dresses do you like best? What's the inseam on those shorts you love? Where do you like your boots to reach on your calf?
Etc etc
And don't buy any item that doesn't include measurements. It's not worth it.
