After a massive clear-out, I realized there are 8 types of summer dresses that women should avoid buying. They might look glamorous, but they’re a waste of money.
1. Bodycon Dresses: Beautiful but Not Easy to Wear
Bodycon dresses, popularized by Kim Kardashian, have been a summer staple in recent years. The stretchy fabric hugs the body, accentuating curves while providing a cool and comfortable feel.
However, the seamless design without waist definition or slits can be challenging. The wide sleeves and plunging neckline can make one feel overexposed if not styled carefully. After a few washes, the dress tends to stretch and lengthen, resulting in up to a 10 cm difference from its original length. With each wear, it continues to ‘drop’ lower.
For petite women, this style can emphasize the lack of curves. Conversely, it can accentuate flaws in the stomach, hips, or buttocks for those with fuller figures.
2. Celebrity-Inspired Floral Dresses: Can Look Tacky
Floral dresses are a summer essential. Celebrity-endorsed styles often evoke a romantic, ethereal vibe. However, many women who wear similar dresses end up with a less-than-desirable outcome: a lack of refinement, even appearing ‘tacky.’
Besides body shape and attitude, the most significant difference lies in product quality. While sharing the same design as a celebrity’s dress, the price you pay might be a tenth of theirs. This results in noticeable disparities in fabric quality, drape, shape retention, and finishing details. An ill-made dress with poor fabric, sloppy seams, or a lack of structure can affect the overall appearance.
Reality shows that wearing a celebrity-inspired dress doesn’t guarantee a similar image. Thus, careful consideration is necessary to avoid a ‘trying-too-hard’ situation.
How to style a floral skirt.
3. Tulle Ruffle Dresses: Hard to Pull Off for Regular Women
Tulle ruffle dresses with a voile base are often associated with romantic, whimsical ‘fairy-like’ imagery due to their soft, dreamy aesthetic. However, they are impractical for everyday wear.
These dresses are characterized by their light, airy feel, best suited for outdoor events, fairy-tale-like settings, or professional photoshoots. Additionally, body shape plays a crucial role. The multiple tulle layers can make the waist and upper body appear larger unless one has a slim, model-like figure. On fuller figures, the dress can look bulky and disproportionate.
Skin tone is another factor to consider. Darker or dull complexions can make the overall look less luminous, diminishing the ‘fairy’ effect that the dress aims to achieve. To attain the social media-worthy image, one often needs meticulous makeup, ideal lighting, and photo editing to conceal flaws.
4. Linen Dresses: Cool but Prone to Wrinkling
Linen dresses are favored for their breathability and cool feel, earning the nickname ‘mobile air conditioners’ for summer.
However, their biggest drawback is their propensity to wrinkle. Even a short sitting session can leave noticeable creases. This makes the dress look less polished, especially during travel or photoshoots, giving off a disheveled impression. Linen dresses also struggle to achieve the required formality in a professional setting.
5. Satin Dresses: Elegant but Demanding of a Perfect Figure
Satin dresses stand out with their soft, smooth fabric, providing a comfortable fit. The premium construction exudes elegance and luxury at first glance.
However, satin dresses are a challenge for many due to their figure-hugging nature. They unforgivingly showcase body contours, especially any excess fat. Additionally, satin dresses are not inexpensive, leading many owners to wear them once and then carefully store them away, reluctant to use them frequently.
6. Ultra-Short Pleated Skirts: Risque and Not Ideal for Women Over 30
Current fashion trends favor ultra-short skirts, with hemlines as high as 10-20 cm from the waist. However, this style comes with the risk of overexposure, especially when moving, climbing stairs, or turning around.
For petite women with a sweet style, these skirts can be paired with safety shorts for added security. However, they may not achieve the desired youthful, dynamic look on fuller figures, instead emphasizing problem areas. Therefore, ultra-short pleated skirts are not a suitable choice for women over 30.
7. Tiered Skirts: Can Look Unflattering and Untidy if Not Suited to Your Body Shape
Tiered skirts, also known as ‘cake skirts,’ were once a dream item for many women due to their fluffy, feminine appearance. However, there is a significant gap between the dreamy image and reality.
For those with uneven body shapes, such as short legs, thick thighs, wide hips, or a petite stature, this style can accentuate flaws. The multiple layers can make the lower body appear heavier and the overall silhouette shorter and less graceful.
Moreover, many tiered skirts on the market are made from inexpensive materials like synthetic fibers or thin tulle, causing discomfort and heat. Longer styles made from these fabrics tend to lose their shape quickly, resulting in a sloppy, untidy look that detracts from the romantic image they aim to convey.
8. Oversized Nightgown-Style Dresses: Can Make You Look Pregnant
Oversized nightgown-style dresses aim to provide a cool, comfortable feel in summer while hiding body flaws. However, they come with aesthetic risks.
These dresses are typically devoid of waist definition, with a straight, baggy cut that can obscure body contours. Ironically, they can make the wearer appear larger. In some cases, they may even evoke associations with pregnancy.
Additionally, some designs feature puffed sleeves, ruffles, or tiered hems. While intended to enhance femininity, these details can sometimes backfire, making the overall look overly fussy and adding visual bulk.
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