One of my most looked-forward to events of New York fashion week is the Charles Nolan show, which happened yesterday. He uses a combination of models and “real people” (read: people who only look like models) and while my socks are rarely rocked by his nice-but-safe American Sportswear, I’m always pleased to see how much of his collection is wearable for bigger girls.
The show was mostly your usual, pretty-but-not-exciting homage to 1920’s Hamptons society and when I saw this anachronistic but still quite lovely dress on Olympian Dara Torres it reminded me that every big girl should have a dress like this in her closet. Dara Is a big girl and pretty much straight up and down and she looks fantastic. I have a similar dress available from Saks and I can attest that it looks just as good on pears as it does on apples.
Mysteriously, there was a third dress just like this available at the Avenue by a Marina Rinaldi flanker label, but it doesn’t seem to be on the site. Still if you love this dress and don’t want to pay for the Tadaschi, it might be worthwhile giving them a call.
I do like that dress, and totally wish it didn’t cost my bi-weekly salary (after taxes, plus shipping). That probably says more about my chosen field than the dress, as it is exquisite.
By the by, who’s the crazy who did the shoes for the Charles Nolan show? Some of them were ok – the heeled oxfords weren’t bad, but what’s with the other main shoe? Large tongues of white and gold kid held on by black elastics! Gave everyone kankles – even the skinny actual models. Poor things.
Comment by Leah — September 9, 2008 @ 3:39 pm
What’s this about Marina Rinaldi flanker labels? I heart, but my God, the $. Please to do a thorough post about this.
Comment by Violet — September 9, 2008 @ 11:35 pm
Dara looks fabulous in a swimsuit, but I fear that this style is not the most flattering for her strong neck, modest bosom and muscular shoulders. I say this as one who has a similar figure except with a way higher percentage of body fat and no chance of ever winning a gold medal. She would be better off in something that covers the chest and shows the shoulders — maybe a band collar with cutaway shoulders.
Comment by class-factotum — September 10, 2008 @ 10:07 am
I’m dreading the onset of the shoes with the visible ghastly elastic bands. I think they’re Prada knockoffs–so I wonder what the thought process behind them could be. I’m seeing them in celebrity photos so they’re bound to be everywhere soon.
I love the simple black pumps Dara’s wearing though. The dress might have been better for her if the top part were less of a V neck and more of a broad, shoulder skimming shape like the dress pictured beneath it. I’d have put some gorgeous earrings on her to draw attention to her lovely face and hair–otherwise your eyes sit right on her neck. The big bracelet exaggerates her hand size so she looks more chunky in that dress than she should.
But I’m no stylist! All of Dara’s elegance seems to come from within.
Comment by ChaChaHeels — September 10, 2008 @ 10:52 am
Love, love, love Dara Torres, but I’m thinking a girl with more curves would rock that dress. She’s a little too muscular in the neck region!
Comment by Virago — September 10, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
Ms. Torres is lovely and the dress is gorgeous but I agree with the other comments that they’re not really a great match. I’d love to see her in something sleeveless that would emphasize those gorgeous arms and shoulders. And PLEASE, someone give the olympic champion a bra. That dress is too sheer and she needs a little more lift!
Comment by Kimocean — September 10, 2008 @ 10:01 pm
I bought that Tadashi dress last year before the holidays and promptly returned it. perhaps the problem is my height, but the proportions seemed all wrong (the way it poofed out right at the waist – I felt a mile wide – and then ended right at the knee, which didn’t balance out the width.) Also, the zipper didn’t lie flat in the back. For $450 or so, I thought it should be perfect.
I bought it in misses size (14) so maybe it’s longer in plus?
Comment by rb — September 12, 2008 @ 1:58 pm