First impressions are important— in every manner of the phrase. Even now while you read this, you may be wondering “Why should I listen?” or “Is this worth my time?” These are questions we ask ourselves in every situation: meeting a date for the first time, attending class, at a job interview, and even in less obvious situations like watching a movie or having dinner. Therefore, we can conclude that it’s important to make a good first impression to outside onlookers. Unlike a tasty meal or a movie, we can hardly be previewed with an exciting and comedic 30 second trailer of our personality. Likewise, we are not seasoned with A1 sauce or paired with fondue or a tasty appetizer. No, we do not have the luxury of such an easy path to a good first impression. Growing up, I’m sure I was not the only one that heard the phrase “Dress to Impress” far too often. I’m also sure that most of us have felt the stress of deciding what to wear and tearing apart a freshly organized closet only to revert back to the trusty pair of jeans and the comfy oversized sweatshirt that leaves no possibility of judgement. I have been in this situation far too often, and for a lady with curves like myself, picking out an outfit can quickly turn from stressful to downright depressing. However, some of my favorite articles of clothing to wear have been dresses. They not only give off a put-together vibe, but they also allow for added personality.
My personal favorite growing up were Spring dresses. By this, I mean flowers, frills, warm toned colors and all the cottage-core vibes I could put together. As I grew into a young professional, I soon realized that, while these dresses are beautiful and still totally my style, they were not serving as staples in my closet because of their lack of versatility. That being said, I quickly fell into the rabbit hole of searching up “professional” Spring dresses. Yes, I am talking about those outfits we have all pinned on Pinterest with the blazer dresses, heels, deep scoop necks and all the gold-toned accessories our hearts desire. While scrolling through my personal style board, one that I had been putting together since my high school years, I soon realized that I was collecting my spring dresses all wrong. Instead, I needed to focus on building a professional wardrobe that would serve as my 30 second trailer, my tasty A1 sauce, or appetizer for my own career endeavors— weird analogy, I know, but you see it right? Luckily, Khazar Fashion has some stunning and trendy dress options that not only go with anything, can be dressed up or down, but are also must have staples in any closet seeking a more professional and put-together look— or one simply inspired by an ever-growing Pinterest board.
Boldly Belted
As I stated earlier, I come from a family of curvaceous women who do not like to hide these curves and instead flaunt them like an accessory themselves. I warmly remember my grandmother getting dressed in the early mornings with her silky dresses that seemed to fall perfectly on her body, as if they knew exactly where to fall after so many years. I specifically remember one morning where she woke me up and told me to go to the market with her. It was a warm day, so of course, she wore her dress. Wanting to be like her, I put mine on as well. There we were: grandma and granddaughter, ready to take on the world— even if that meant only up to the market’s borders. My grandmother looked at us standing there in the mirror and said, “I almost forgot!” She quickly came back with a long, silky piece of fabric that she cinched around her waist. She then pulled out a thinner piece of fabric that she had braided herself and wrapped it around my own waist. My grandmother was like that, always wanting to look as feminine and put-together as possible. It was from her that I learned that any dress can be styled up with a nice belt— it also couldn’t hurt to show off those curves!
Belts, of course, come in all shapes and colors. My grandmother was a humble woman who would make do with extra pieces of fabric, but I, along with many others, have the luxury of choosing our belts based on fashion and style instead of availability. Professional dresses are often simple in style and can leave much up to the imagination. Depending on the occasion, these Spring dresses can be paired with leather belts, or thin chains that sit perfectly on the hips— much like the braided fabric belts my grandmother once shared with me. For a more casual look, the fabric belt would look beautifully effortless, but for a more structured look, a thicker monochromatic belt would piece the whole outfit together. Although some work dresses already come with a cinched or structured bodice, belts would still work nicely since they not only offer a more feminine look, but they can also be used as eye-catching accessories. Likewise, a more flowy or oversized work dress would look even more styled when paired with the right belt. The best part is that now, in 2021, we have the right to be dressed whichever way we like. We can be as feminine or masculine or neutral as we wish to be. That is why it is important to have a good quality dress in your closet— especially one that can be dressed up or down. Personally, I am more of a feminine dresser who enjoys the look of a cinched waist; however, Khazar fashion offers a wide variety of dresses that can also offer a more masculine vibe like wider shoulders or more straight-lined dresses. Regardless of your style, a belt can add a lot of personality. For example, imagine a straight black knee-high dress with broad shoulders; now, imagine that same dress with a thin metallic chain belt. Now think, doesn’t it look better? It is often the little details that make all the difference, and these little details can also give a bit more confidence— take it from me, and if not, from my grandmother who always looked her best.
Classy Chic
Aside from an infinite amount of belt choices, styling a dress often depends on important factors like shoe choice and accessories. For example, a dress looks different when paired with boots, sneakers or heels. Depending on your personal style or the occasion, one dress can serve as the main staple for any night out, work meeting, or family dinner. Personally, shoe choice for me has always been the most difficult decision. There are so many eye-catching heel styles that seem to pull the entire outfit together, but it was not until I was well into my 20s that I realized boots would forever be my biggest challenge when styling outfits. We all know that boots go well with oversized sweaters and leggings or most cold-weather clothes. But what do you do when you get gifted a knee-high pair of black leather boots? Where do you wear these to? This is a situation I actually witnessed once as my mother was gifted a pair of beautiful black leather boots. They were perfectly comfortable and actually really beautiful, but her birthday is in March, and the weather was going to heat up pretty soon! She tried and tried to style these boots for weeks, but she could not find any way to wear these in the warming weather. They would of course not go well with shorts, nor jeans or khakis— which quickly became her go to that spring. She was about to return these beautiful boots when I gave her an idea. Imagine this: a long-patterned dress—think about an inch or two past the knee, a thin long sleeve shirt that serves as a base under the dress, sheer tights, and the beautiful black leather boots. My mother is not very tall, so she was a bit skeptical at first, but the boots had a good-sized heel making the outfit come alive with a chic level that was worthy of a Pinterest post. She quickly fell more in love with her new boots, and they became a staple in her closet for Spring, Winter, and Fall, each season bragging to the family that her daughter helped her style those famous leather boots. My point is that it’s important to take risks in style. Sometimes, pieces that you would never think would go together end up being your favorite outfit. So, next time you look at your Spring dresses, imagine how they would look with a nice pair of boots. Heels, of course, work beautifully with any dress, but consider going bold with these too. For example, try out blocky or chunky heels, strappy heels, or even platform sandal heels to really make an outfit your own.
Another way to style dresses effortlessly and with a classy chic flare are with accessories. My personal favorite way to style a dress are with gold toned accessories, but a nice pair of bold and dramatic earrings, a chic hat, or scarf work well too. For example, if we look at the dresses styled below, they may all look great with dainty gold necklaces and rings, but the Pink Dress may look especially chic with a matching cloche hat over soft curls— a fit that will take you back to the 20’s trendy fashion! On the other hand, the "echeces" High Fashion Dress would go well with a beret or a Breton styled hat— a style that will make you want to stroll the dreamy streets of Paris or Rome! As for the “Red Love” Bodycon, this dress speaks for itself and would look amazingly bold paired with dainty silver or gold-toned accessories and even a dainty purse since nothing says “chic” like a tiny hand purse big enough to store our phones and overflowing confidence!
Featured Dresses to Style:
Dresses can quickly become a girl’s best friend throughout all the seasons of the year; it all depends on how they are styled. Above I have given a quick snapshot of what you can do with these beautiful dresses, but remember that these are your first impressions, your appetizers if you will, so make them your own and be bold with what you wear. Take my lovely 75 year old grandmother’s words and “dress for yourself… to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin” After all, a dress is just a dress until it is worn with confidence and flair.
