FASHION // Forever 21 Dress Diversity Pt. 2
Again, just re-iterating that I am not a fashion blogger but while on my trip to Florida, I discovered a lot things about myself in terms of clothing. For example, I used to hate wearing dresses and believed that if I had to buy one it had to be form fitting and tight. You know those clubbing kind of dresses. Those never suited me because I never felt good wearing them. But as I've gotten older, I've become more comfortable with my body and my height and have learned that you can do lots with illusions especially in terms of apparel. The whole reason I went to Florida was for a former co-worker's destination wedding. Turns out, I've never been to a beachside casual wedding. Not really knowing where to start, I went shopping for awhile searching and put on several dresses. Lots of close ones but nothing that seemed just right. Then days before the flight, I panicked. I headed straight to Forever 21 because I didn't have time to search for a nice piece. I think XXI is like your clothing convenient store. It's all decent pieces at decent prices. This blue number included.
The goal with this pose (photo above) was to exude confidence and a bit of sass instead of the normal "I don't care, I woke up like this" waif-like mantra. Without fancy patterns or bold jewelry - I think you kind of have to give the dress oomph.
So this dress did great things for me. It gave me a long line of height. I felt pretty tall. The long side slits also helped too. I realized it's about finding pieces that give more attention to what you do feel good about...like my shoulders not hiding what you dislike. This dress cost about $25 not on sale but I found that it was extremely rewarding to wear and it was really something I could change up with other elements like my hair or makeup. I didn't add much jewelry because I like to keep things simple.
There is a flaw with this dress. WRINKLES - so many and so easy to create new ones. Sure, you can get rid of them with some steaming but they are pretty much inevitable. I at first wanted to edit the photos because they bothered me. I just felt as a regular clothing shopper to another - you should see the dress in both good and bad terms. However, there are more pluses so its worth it. The dress has adjustable straps, washer/dryer friendly, and of course a price you can't beat. To show you just how diversified this dress is - I created another photoshoot with a different backdrop. You'll find it here.
Creative Direction // Esther Huynh Photography // Lionel Park