We all love the comfort and coziness of a sweater, but there are times when a sweater worn over your clothing is too cumbersome and bulky. How do you get the great sweater and cardigan look and feel without the heavy weight of too much material? I suggest the sweater dress!
A sweater is a garment intended to cover the torso and arms, and sometimes the hips and thighs. A sweater is generally either a pullover or a cardigan, distinguished in that a true cardigan opens in the front and fastens, while pullovers do not.
A dress is a garment consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice, or matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment. A dress can be any one-piece garment containing a skirt of any length.
What do you get when you combine a dress made from sweater/knitted material? One knock-out sweater dress made to look and feel your best!
Sweater Fun Fact: Sweater dresses are traditionally made from wool, but can also be made of cotton, synthetic fibers or any combination thereof. Sweater dresses are easy to maintain, often by machine washing or dry cleaning, or the use of a lint roller or pill razor.
The term ‘sweater’ is a catch-all for a variety of knit garments. Sweaters come in a variety of great designs. In addition to sweater dresses, you can also find sweater V-necks, turtlenecks and crew necks.
Dress Fun Fact: The hemlines of dresses vary depending on the whims of fashion and the modesty or personal taste of the wearer.
Popular Lengths of Dresses:
- Gown/Long Dress: A woman’s formal dress having a floor length skirt.
- Knee Length: Hemline ends at knee height.
- Maxi Dress: Ankle length, typically informal dress.
- Micro Dress: A micro dress is an extremely short version of the mini dress.
- Midi Dress: Any dress or skirt that has a hem which hits mid-calf, halfway between the knee and the ankle.
- Mini Dress: A very short dress where the hemline lands on the thigh.
Halt the presses! You’ll always look cool, chic and glam when wearing sweater dresses!
A great, fun way to doll up your sweater dress is by accessorizing with a darling sweater purse! Who said sweater purses were only for winter? Carry the comfortable, cozy looking sweater handbag year round, for a look where fashion, beauty and style abound!
Sweater Fun Fact: Knitted fabrics are generally somewhat elastic and have a softer hand (feel or drape) than woven fabrics. Sweaters that are more tightly fitted or have a soft drape conform well to the body without requiring tailoring often necessary in a woven garment such as darts, flares and gores. Even when such shaping is used, it can be knitted into the fabric itself, without requiring seams.
Have you ever seen a tight-fitted sweater dress that hugs every curve? Slinky, sensual, sexy for sure!
Nancy Mangano’s Sweater Dress Fashion Tip: I find sweater dresses, no matter the hemline length, always look better when worn with a platform stiletto, a high-heeled pump or a heeled boot (ankle, knee high or thigh high boot). Although fashion is a personal choice, I don’t find the sweater dress carries off as well when worn with flats or flat sandals. A heeled shoe adds loads of oomph and style to the already fashionable sweater dress, even if you have to walk one mile! A true fashion diva will carry it off in true glamour form, and still keep a smile!
Dress Fun Fact: Throughout the 19th century, the length of fashionable dresses varied only slightly, between ankle length and floor sweeping. In the 20th and 21st centuries, beginning around 1915, hemlines for daytime dresses left the floor for good. For the next fifty years, fashionable dresses became short (1920s), then long (1930s), then shorter (the War Years with their restrictions of fabric), back to long (the “New Look”). Today, all dress lengths get the green light: depending on your length preference you can get the look just right!
Sweater dresses are a lovely sight…alluring, glamorous and fitting just right!
Sweater dresses: you’ll never wear a sweater better!
A benefit of the slinky sweater dress? There’s only one complete garment to put on in a sweater dress, unlike a pantsuit with pants, a blouse and a vest! So, I highly recommend the sweater dress as a clothing item in which to invest!
Put my fashion theory to the test. Wrap yourself in the fabulous sweater dress. I guarantee you’ll adore the comfort, softness, look and feel…and that’s the real sweater dress deal!
“It’s such a chilly night. Would you mind if I borrowed your sweater?”
“I planned ahead when I got dressed and I checked the day’s weather.”
“Perhaps your dress underneath is enough to keep you cozy and warm.”
“My sweater is the dress. If I remove my sweater dress I’ll set off a fire storm.”
“Are you saying that if you take off your sweater you’ll be wearing nothing at all?”
“Only my basic undergarment essentials. Sorry, for my eyes only, you doll!”
Sweater Dresses: Intended for the world to see in all your knitted and woven glory!
Nancy Mangano is an American beauty/fashion/style influencer, fashion journalist, screenwriter and author of the Natalie North murder mystery book series. Visit Nancy on her global online fashion/style/beauty magazine Strutting in Style! at http://www.struttinginstyle.com, her Facebook page Nancy Mangano at https://www.facebook.com/nancymmangano/ Twitter @https://twitter.com/nancymangano and her author website http://www.nancymangano.com
STRUTTING IN STYLE! NANCY MANGANO'S FASHION/STYLE/BEAUTY BONANZA 