The Beloved Sweater Dress

Back in the 80s, United Colors of Benetton rocked the teen fashion world with their sweater dresses.  It was a sweater and a dress!  How practical and yet how original.  Everyone with any fashion sense was smitten, even my little elementary school self longed for a sweater dress.  None more so than my beautiful blonde cousin.  With her perfect perm, tapered leg jeans with little zippers and bows at the back cuffs, and her very 80s name—Heather!--- plus her collection of colorful themed sweaters, she was the epitome of 80s everything and I admired her style, envied it even, but hand-me-downs from Heather never came my way.  Except for her Strawberry Shortcake dolls which I still have and still refuse to let anyone else play with. 

The 80s came and went in a blaze of glory and for a while it seemed as though sweater dresses went with those fashion crazed years.  The 90s were all about understatement with some edgyness thrown into the mix and, maybe it's just because I felt like a lot of 90s fashion was just homage to the hippy-dippy styles of the 60s, but whatever you call it, I think we can all agree they were kind of boring by comparison.  Not much new or outstanding came along in those years unless you count chain wallets and a widespread social acceptance of tattoos and facial piercings, which I don't.  But, with the dawning of a new millennium, many interesting things have happened in the fashion world and sweater dresses have most definitely made a comeback and I'm glad they have.  

Sweaters call to mind chunky knits with body hiding bulk.  But, take a lightweight yarn, and small knit and extend that sweater into a curve hugging dress and voila!  Something stylish and sexy.  And if you're going to have a stand-out piece like a sweater dress, why not go for a stand-out color.  For my first ever sweater dress, I chose this Tara Dress in a lovely Mustard color although FemmeLuxe had several shades I had my eye on, I wanted to go bold.  For a softer, more casual look, I would probably pair this dusty pink with these faux leather leggings, ballet flats and a messy bun with natural lips and make-up a la Bridgette Bardoux. 

Today though, I'm feeling playful with my kitty tights and beret.  Paris meets whimsy?  Why not!  Yellow and black are a match made in heaven and one of my all-time favorite color combinations.  It definitely turns heads and there's nothing wrong with that when you feel like a million.  I also like a bright red lipstick when wearing this shade of yellow, but neutral lips and a simple black eyeliner and mascara make-up gives it a Paris Chic vibe which I love and often wear for running errands or for casual weekend events.

A piece like a sweater dress may seem a little daunting if you don't have the kind of body that can do all the work on its own.  I certainly don't, but that doesn't mean that I can't wear them, it just means that I need to properly accessorize.  If you're an hourglass shape, or larger on top, you can probably wear a sweater dress as is.  For a petite body type or a pear shape like mine, I like to add a thick belt at the narrowest part of my waist  to create more of an hourglass shape.  If you have an apple shape, consider adding a blazer.  And, I definitely recommend heels to lengthen the look of those legs if you don't plan on pairing your dress with jeggings/leggings or if you're dressing it up flats just won't do.  I kept the accessories limited to pearl earrings and a couple of cocktail rings.  This look doesn't need a lot of jewelry.

So, while I'm happy that some things from the 80s, like perms and high water jeans, haven't found their way back into haute couture, and fingers crossed they never will, sweater dresses are a cute and stylish trend that I'm happy to see return and to add to my own wardrobe.

Shopping info:  FemmeLuxe Mustard Side Split High Neck Ribbed Knit Dress - Tara, Sash Samba Belt, tights, and Qupid heels from ModCloth, beret is old.