J.Crew Boucle Dress-Up

I recently acquired this dress in size regular 00 during the 30% off craziness after Thanksgiving.  Not surprisingly, it was unacceptably loose on my torso (no pics of this spectacle exist, sorry). Conversely, it fit so perfectly through the waist and hips and was so awesomely tweedlicious, that I decided to permanently maim (alter) it, sabotaging any attempts Reasonable Quyen could have made to return it.  "But I've never owned a boucle dress before," rationalized I.  Then I proceeded to take up the shoulders by 1.25 inches.  I wish I took photos of the whole gory process where the innards of those shoulder straps were vulnerably exposed.

Finished product:

Hey, not too bad for a simpleton.

After alterations:

While the torso of the dress is still too wide, imagine how awkward it was with an extra 1.25 inches of shoulder strap billowing ridiculously about. Perhaps the petite 00 would fit better on my curiously narrow torso.  On the other hand, I purposely ordered the dress in regular sizing instead of petite because I did not want the hem too short, reminiscent of the debacle with the pencil skirts.  And of course, look at how this hem hit above my knees...I shudder to speculate that a petite dress may have hit mid-thigh! Hem hem. Despite the hem hitting above the knee, I do believe the proportions look appropriate on me, given that I am only 5'4" and not 6'4" like the J.Crew models.  Though, I can't help but wonder why the dress is so much slimmer and longer on the model in the stock photo. Did they make her a special long, skinny, and tapered dress?



Loose torsos aside, this dress is lovingly constructed and portends numerous layering and accessorizing possibilities.  Here are a few ideas:

I wouldn't have been able to layer all those shirts beneath if the torso of the dress weren't loose!

1. Sweater: Valerie Stevens Cashmere | Boots: Etienne Aigner
2. Shirt: Limited | Belt: Forever 21 | Shoes: from Vietnam
3. Dress by itself | Shoes: Etienne Aigner

1. Dress looks fine on its own as long as I hold my arms down!
2. Top: Sisley | Belt: J.Crew | Boots: Etienne Aigner
3. Shirt: from Vietnam | necklace: Target | Shoes: Urban Outfitters

1. Jacket: Talbots | Belt: Express | Shoes: Sears
2. Repeat outfit #3 above
3. Shirt: H&M | Necklace: UO | Belt: J.Crew | Boots: from Madrid

Future experiments:
- layering with navy or wearing navy accents
- cardigan
- layering with short-sleeved blouses

The possibilities are endless when you have a solid boucle dress!