The Flirty and Sensual Lace Dress

Whenever I’m thinking of making a purchase for a special occasion — and it’s usually a dress — I want that dress to do more for my wardrobe than be the star of only that special occasion. And you’re lucky, the flirty and sensual lace dress is not only one of this season’s hottest trends, it’s a timeless dress. . Whether your style is demure and ladylike or edgy rock chic, there many different styles of lace dresses available And with the tips in this article we’ll show you how you wear the dress in any season and how to dress it up or down for the fancy ball to a casual girls night out, and yes, even to the office. So read on as this dress will capture your imagination and bring out the girly and feminine side of you.

Some Basic Guidelines

Keep It Classic

For day wear it’s important to keep it classic with lace, by that we mean opting for basic silhouettes like sheath dresses, or pencil skirts. Lace is an already intricate design, so keep it clean especially at the office.

Enhance Your Shape

According to celebrity fashion stylist Anthony Henderson, there’s no fabric that will flaunt curves quite like lace. “It’s not just for your grandmother’s coffee table, the curtains, or the living room,” he says. “When wearing lace, you want it to accentuate your hottest assets. You should be confident that it will make you feel fabulous.” Henderson advises making sure the lace is strategically placed on your favorite feature to flaunt it.

Dare To Be Sexy

Follow the French and make sure the look stays effortlessly sexy, not overtly. If your bold enough to bare it all, do it in flowy feminine shapes versus others that leave little to the imagination.

Go Bright

Replace your traditional lingerie shades — nude, black and light pink with bold brights. Whether it’s a dress or a top, sticking to one shade of colored lace is key to keep from looking cheap and cheeky.

Sexy and Colorful

Short on Time?

If you’re in a hurry, lace can help solve your what-do-I-wear woes because the hair and accessories should be kept as minimal as possible. “Hair and accessories should be no fuss,” says Kennedy. “You don’t want to take away from the sex appeal of the lace, so keep it sleek and easy with the rest of your look.”

See a Seamstress

Before you wear a lace dress, it’s important to first visit a seamstress and ensure that it’s not only the right fit for your frame, but also the correct length. “If the dress is too long, the lace may give an effect of excessive weight,” says celebrity stylist Ali Levine. “Whereas if your dress is too short, it can look cheap.”

Those Special Tips

There are a number of different factors at play when looking at how to wear lace dresses. From casual shifts to glamorous gowns, the following are just a few tips on how to wear lace dresses this season

Colored Lace

A big trend this season is colored lace so you may want to stray from black and white lace dresses and head for bright reds and pinks. Stylists insist that when it comes to wearing lace, you should invest in an array of bright, bold hues. “This will keep you looking young and fresh As colored lace makes quite a statement, team these dresses with neutral accessories. It makes you glow whether you chose turquoise, tangerine, or classic red. Don’t be afraid to experiment

Casual Wear

When thinking about how to wear lace dresses, look to the quality of the fabric. Lower quality lace is better for carrying off casual, day-to-day looks. Heavier lace fabrics are also better for creating that casual appearance. Choose a shorter length lace dress in neutral colors. Top it off with tan leather accessories for a fun, casual look.

Evening Wear

Better quality lace is more suited for evening wear and special occasions. Longer length dresses and gowns can be quite elegant. Black lace is great for creating drama, but don’t be afraid to try white or cream lace either. If you are worried about white lace being a bit too bridal, team it with colorful accessories or add some colorful trims.

Sheer Lace

Make the lace the focal point of your outfit. A sheer sheath dress is an easy way to do this. Daring individuals might opt to wear them without a slip underneath, but if you’re more modest then a slip is a smart option. Balance out the revealing nature of sheer lace by choosing a more relaxed cut or a longer hem.

Heavy Lace

This season it’s less about stretchy lace and more about structured, heavier lace. These types of lace are better for keeping structure and creating a defined silhouette — think shift dresses and full-skirted tea dresses. These types of dresses are much easier to style when it comes to how to wear lace dresses. Sturdier lace fabrics with wider nets and more unique patterns are what you should be looking out for this season.

Metallic Lace

Vintage-type lace is all well and good, but if you want something a little more contemporary you can’t go past metallic lace. The metallic lace dress is perfect for a party occasion. For a fun evening look, team a metallic lace dress in a flirty shift style with some patent accessories and metallic jewelry.

Metallic Dress — Lace with Leather

With Contrasting Textures

If the lace look is too full-on for your personal taste, mix it up with contrasting textures. If you are unsure of how to wear lace dresses, add a leather jacket for a tougher look or play down the lace with jerseys and knits. For an eclectic gothic-inspired look, try teaming your lace dresses with faux fur and velvet.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with lace. Hopefully these tips on how to wear lace dresses will have you feeling more confident about the fabric. Whether it is a staple part of your wardrobe or for special occasions only, lace is an elegant and on-trend choice of fabric.

From Day To Evening

Next Nikki Parkinson gives us some tips on how to take your lace dress from day to evening with just a few changes. Starting with this new Blue Illusion Cross Over Lace Dress, Nikki says it very much fits that bill. Why?
• The fit and flare design is one that will work on most women. It’s all about the drape and shape but with comfort.
• The platinum grey (with steel blue undertones) stretch floral lace skims the bits you want skimmed and nips you in at the upper waist. And that cross-over neckline? Works a treat no matter what your bust size
• The sheer lace on the sleeves and the swish-ability of the flared skirt.
• The length is perfect for her height (5-5.5 or 166 cm) just hitting at the top of the knee. The dress is an XL.

Looks for Evening – Casual – Office

Evening

On its own, this dress just speaks for itself. Lace is such a wardrobe classic. It is feminine, fun and a little flirty. For an evening look, you can’t go past simply teaming with a pair of black patent heels and a little bling. Add a small clutch and you’re good to go.

Day — casual/brunch
As the seasons change and the weather cools down, pop on a long-line cardigan and a pair of ballet flats (even adding in leggings for winter) to create an easy weekend look that will take you to brunch in comfort and style.

Day — office/lunch

The dress works for a daytime occasion, the office or a lunch out with the girls. Simply add a jacket and scarf and the tone of the outfit is changed again. The lace is a sideline feature this time but beautiful all the same.

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Summer To Winter

Then turning to Karen, known as Mrs Looking Good, here are her tips for wearing the casual lace dress in summer and converting it to a winter look when the weather turns cool.
• Wear a statement necklace — a necklace gives the eyes something to look at and focus on. Since you all know I smile a lot, it also draws people to my face. If you wear a chunky one and attention grabbing one, it elevates your look immediately.
• Put a belt on it — although one can do away with a belt, I feel I needed it to complete my look. I’ve always had a boxy shape and the thin belt gives me a better shape and highlights the fit and flare silhouette of the dress.
• Add more accessories — I skipped this but I know some women prefer arm parties. I decided not to as I don’t want anything to compete with the necklace I’m wearing.
• Choose your shoes wisely — I went for a nude pair of flats but I know gladiator or strappy sandals would work well with this look too. Heels and wedges would look great too.

For Fall and Winter, I would suggest adding on some of these:
• Scarf
• Tights
• Vest or Denim Jacket
• Booties or Boots

Then here are some further tips on  How to Wear Summer Dresses in the Winter 

Now I know you are just so ready to run out the door to buy your perfect lace dress, but finding the perfect one is not all that easy. That’s why you want to shop the Sister House stores, but Izilady, in particular, has some great selections. Still want more selection, then try these vendors and don’t forget your shoes. Sensational Soles specializes in sizes 11-14 in all styles

Izalady lace dress creations

Izilady   Modcloth   Lane Bryant   Unique Vintage   Nordstrom     Suddenly Femme    Sensational Soles

And finally, just want to look and dream, check out Sister House on Pinterest, Why I Love Lace

And visit Tasi’s blog, The Fashionable TG Woman for more great fashion articles

Resource:  All Womans Talk

Tags: fashion, guidelines, lace dress, style tips

Category: Style, Transgender Fashion