THE COUNT: 12 DRESSES IN TOTAL

I didn’t buy as many dresses as in some other areas but I still added quite a significant numbers to my wardrobe at 12 for the year or one a month.

I also got rid of a few dresses to make room so it isn’t as though I am adding it on top of another set of dresses.

THE OVERVIEW OF DRESSES

EQUIPMENT WHITE SILK DELANY DRESS

Similar here in a cshorter cotton version, or a cool striped version if that’s your fancy.

I love shirtdresses with a passion, but they have to be slightly loose, button up the entire length and still a bit fitted.

This dress checked all the boxes and was on sale to boot! I think I paid around $175 CAD or around $131 USD for it for SILK.

I will say that I find the loose baggy look of it all wrong with the long sleeves (too bag lady chic), so I had it altered and took up the sleeves significantly so I wouldn’t have to keep rolling it up. I like it a lot more and plan on belting it hard.

I like the drape in silk and I got it in April, but then sent it in for alterations, so I haven’t tried to wear it during winter though I plan on it now.

Here are my Instagram shots of the fit of this dress, unaltered:

You can see that it looks like a midi dress on the models if you search for this, but it is actually knee length on me. They came out with a short version too, which I think is mid-thigh now.

I also tried on other shirtdresses in white, most notably from Banana Republic, but the tuxedo fit was off in the armholes and felt too stiff. See my Instagram shots of that BR dress here and here.

CASHMERE COWL NECK MIDI CHARCOAL GREY DRESS

Similar here, and here, but my version is slightly bigger.

Thrifted for $5 so I can’t say much. It smelled like moth balls though even though I’ve washed it a ton of times, I think the smell is here to stay….

I find it super soft and comfortable and a dead ringer for a designer dress I saw which I then copied as an outfit of the day.

I haven’t worn it since but it is because turtlenecks are not my default choice, but seeing as it is the right fabric for winter, I’ll give it another go this month with a belt this time.

The dress from Net-a-Porter featured below is from a brand called 1205, and cost $1265 USD originally, going on final sale for $380 USD. Mine was $5 CAD or $3.75 USD.

JAMES PERSE KHAKI GREEN SEAMED SKINNY SPLIT BODYCON DRESS

Exact here, and it is INCREDIBLE.

I scored this for a song at a big sale blowout, about $60.

It is super comfortable, flattering and soft, yet very body conscious. I got a lot of strange looks wearing this as a mother and toting a toddler. It is not any tighter than some tight yoga pants but there we are but I guess a tighter dress isn’t the same thing, although the material is not at all thin.

The dress is VERY thick cotton so you don’t see any blobs or burbles in your body lines, and surprisingly comfortable and stretchy because James Perse works wonders with cotton.

It is 100% cotton and has a bobbly effect on it which I think is why no one bought it but I don’t mind it because it adds texture.

I wore it a few times in the summer and loved the way it looked with the bangle.

YVES SAINT LAURENT YSL RESORT 2008 PAINT SPLATTERED WHITE SILK DRESS

Similar here, but nothing really comes close to this paint-splattered look of this dress to be frank. It is stunning. Worth stalking on eBay.

A MAJOR MAJOR STEAL.

Normally thousands, like $4000 USD, I got it for $100 secondhand and deeply discounted.

Love it. It is a US10 on the tag but it fits small because I don’t think I’ll even take it in. It would have fit a US8 perfectly and on me it swims just a tiny bit but I kind of like that sheath, slightly loose feel, not too tight.

Oh so perfect for work and anything formal. Really a stunning dress that I see was big in 2007 with celebrities:

I love the paint splattered effect and it is really gorgeous.

Haven’t worn it yet, it’s a work dress, really. I’d totally wear this to work with a belt or not 🙂 Needs heels. Not playground worthy.

SPORTMAX CACAO BLACK AND WHITE SCRIBBLE PRINT DRESS

Similar here and here, and you should note that the top half is black on white, but the bottom is white on black, but the black looks a bit more like a dark navy than a black for some reason. It threw me off, not seeing the same print on top and bottom but I ended up liking it.

Another serious steal for only $60!!!! It was originally a couple thousand and was deeply discounted and marked down to way below cost no doubt.

You couldn’t even find just its fabric for this price.

It is a stunning dress. I wasn’t sure of the peplum but it has grown on me. Can’t wait to bust it out at work, it is a little too formal even for me and the park. This needs heels. Or heeled boots.

I tried it on here, belted with my favourite Burberry belt taken from my beloved trench coat.

ACNE STUDIOS BEL FLUID DRESS IN WHITE

Exact here. I also want to draw your attention to the fact that is has no pockets (boo) but the seaming is great in front, it really gives you a shape when you wear it with nice curves. The white part at the top by the torso DOES SHOW but it is a design detail across the chest, and not something I found detracting.

Same amazing sale, $60 CAD for this dress when it was originally $500 or so. Anyway, it has a cool seam in front and it is a nice white sheath shape.

I bought this specifically as a replacement to my white sheath dress that I bought from Tristan years ago that has finally seen its last days. It is all grey and bobbly so I tossed it.

I haven’t worn it yet because it is too formal for park outings, it is a work dress, really.

PEA IN A POD MATERNITY MAXI PRINTED DRESS

Similar here, here and this one is plus-sized. Maternity is so underrated. I find the best maxis in maternity wear.

I thrifted this dress for $10, and I love it! The print is very pretty and exactly what I wanted in a printed maxi dress. I also love the flowy, light nature of it because it is perfect for summer.

I wore it a few times and liked it a lot. It’s the PERFECT maxi length:

OLD NAVY WHITE AND BROWN MICRODOT MAXI DRESS

(Sorry for the crap shot, I need to redo these pictures.)

Similar here, but this must be a very very old dress never worn in a closet because I can’t even find a similar photo.

Thrifted for $10 at the same time because the same person who gave that maxi dress must have given this one too. I wore it a few times but found it heavy without a belt to hold t up on my waist. It is an Old Navy medium which is a large, really, and I plan on doing a little DIY nip and tuck here and there to make it fit better, and to stop dragging down the front and giving me some wardrobe malfunctions.

I can see why it was donated, the straps keep shifting but a little sewing will fix that.

I wore it here but the belt kept slipping off because it was too large for the dress (my waist was tinier). I need a super tight cinch on this, like in an obi belt.

It’s also a little long…

SEASIDE ISLES MAXI PRINTED DRESS

Similar here and here. It looks short on this Amazonian model but it is a good 5″ longer than it should be if I were to wear flats and I am 5’6″.

Is this not the prettiest print you have ever seen in your life? Thought so.

It is super formal and pretty, it was perfect for a wedding I attended and just stunning.

I don’t even want to hem it in fear of losing the print so I just wear insanely high 4” sandals and walk as little as possible.

There is no way this can be a playground park dress unless I take it up to the knee and wear a cardigan over it.

I love it so, as a flowy maxi, and the print is just phenomenal in this viscose chiffon.

BANANA REPUBLIC GODDESS MAXI DRESS IN COBALT BLUE

Similar here, here and here and thank goodness I snagged it!

BR has nailed this colour for me. The dress is stunning and doesn’t have that ugly tiered gathering in the front of the model photo, thank goodness. It was sold out for a while but then it came back into stores with a vengeance, I suspect it is because people just loved it so much.

It has pockets, is flowy and I kept having people stop me and ask me where I got it. Stunner of a dress and totally summer park worthy, thankfully. With some heels though it would turn into a formal dress.

MODCLOTH PANSY PRINTED ‘FLOURISH YOUR DESIRES’ RETRO DRESS OR CHI CHI LONDON ALYSSA DRESS

Exact here. Similar here and here, and they do seem to come out with this dress style often but the print changes.

I bought this dress because I couldn’t decide what to wear to a wedding so I had this as my first option then saw the Seaside Isles dress, and they BOTH were stunners so I kept them.

This one is meant more for cooler weather, it is thick, has a built in padded bra (for real) and is an incredible pansy print.

AND IT HAS POCKETS.

It is called the Chi Chi London Alyssa dress, or the Modcloth Flourish Your Desires dress.

I’m a sucker for gorgeous watercolours or hand painted florals, so I should have technically returned it but couldn’t. I loved it.

I also had to size up considerably in this, to a US8 because dang it runs Small. I could have even used a US10 because the waist JUST zips comfortably.

The boat neck also breaks my inverted triangle rules but I figure it balances out with the massive skirt and pockets (!!!) with a retro feel where you don’t feel that it looks off.

Also, a formal dress. Not park worthy. Needs heels and red lips, preferably in this colour by Nars called Cruella.

I feel so retro and glam in it.

FRANCOIS BEAUREGARD NAVY JERSEY SHIFT DRESS

Similar here, and this one is plus-sized, and a jersey shift is one of my favourite dresses to wear.

I am so pleased I got this for half price. It is comfortable and I took a size up so it isn’t body conscious, it just skims.

Very comfortable and park worthy, simple and a great everyday dress.

Eventually it will replace my now almost threadbare Aritzia bodycon dresses I bought while pregnant almost 3 years ago. I’ve worn them to death!!!

STATISTICS

• Thrifted: 4
• Retailed: 8 (of those retailed, 6 of them were on a deep discounted sale up to 50% off in some cases)

MOST PROUD OF?

ARG! I hate picking a favourite but I’d have to say it is between my YSL Paint Splattered dress on a deep thrifted discount of $100…

Or… my SportMax Cacao Scribble Print Peplum dress that I scored for $60 on major discount:

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, a solid addition to my formal dress wardrobe, a replacement or two in waiting and none of these pieces left my wardrobe. I also scored a lot of the retail finds on sale, so that’s a plus and nothing to sneeze at, not to mention some nicely thrifted pieces.

I think I’m just really attracted to pretty pretty prints in dresses because all the basics I have are covered, and that’s quite true, looking back.

I don’t have many neutrals I am on the lookout for, except a shirtdress in a nice stripe (still have yet to find one I like).

I also really got into maxi dresses this year, adding 4 to my wardrobe!

Want to know what else I bought?

(So much.)

Stay tuned for the rest of my 2016 Year-end What I bought roundups. I am doing each category.