Lace it Up!

Earlier this week, my super stylish boss, the owner of Madeleine's Daughter, wore this absolutely fabulous dress:

Suzy Chin Maggy Boutique Lace Shift Dress, Nordstrom, $158

Everything about this dress is awesome. The oversized, geometric lace pattern, the dark grey lining underneath, the sexy, but not inappropriately so shorter hemline, the slim fit, the cap sleeves- seriously everything. There is nothing about this dress that I don't like. It's also great in all grey- check it out here. Seeing her in it, made me instantly jealous and I felt a desperate need for an amazing lace shift dress of my own. Nordstrom is not lacking in the amazing lace dress department. I think there is literally something here for everyone- short, tall, slim, plump, colorful, neutral- they've got it all. And I could drain my checking account trying to stock my closet full of them. Here are some favorites: 

Nanette Lepore Cap Sleeve Lace Dress, Nordstrom, $328

JS Boutique Lace Dress, Nordstrom, $138

Dolce & Gabbana Lace Shift Dress, Nordstrom, $1,575

Adrianna Papell Sleeveless Lace Dress (Plus size), Nordstrom, $210

I'm sure at this point, you're wondering how to pull off this look. It can be tricky, that's for sure, but much like any other outfit, it's all about proportion. There are two main things to do when choosing a lace dress to wear. First, the key is to view the lace as you would any other printed fabric and choose a lace pattern that is in proportion to your body. If you are a very petite person, then a large lace pattern will only overwhelm you- people will see the dress as opposed to seeing you. However, if you are very tall and/or broad, a large pattern can be overwhelming in the sense that there is too much of it. In most cases, the best choice is a moderately size pattern with strong structure shape. If you have trouble with the all-over look, choose a dress that breaks up the pattern, much like the black dress pictured above. The sash at the waist not only breaks up the pattern, preventing it from being overwhelming, but it also provides added definition at the waist- something we pretty much always want. Second, choose a dress that is in proportion to your body in terms of the overall structure. A long lace dress will be more likely to overwhelm you and be less flattering than a knee-length or even a mini. 

Thanks to Kate Middleton, I think we're going to be seeing a lot of fabulous lace dresses in both the bridal realm and in ready-to-wear. I've got a shopping trip planned with a girlfriend for a week from today and you can bet I'll be stopping in to Nordstrom to try on a few of these. 

What about you? Are you a fan of lace? How do you wear it? How do you select lace pieces for your wardrobe? Leave a comment and tell me!