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Style & beauty

Dresses without a defined waist

(35 Posts)
teabagwoman Thu 13-Aug-26 11:40:38

I’m having a bit of a clothes problem. I’ve always worn separates because the waistlines on dresses are never in the right place for me. Now however I’m finding that all my skirts and trousers slip down onto my hip bones which is uncomfortable and makes them look baggy. Watching The GB sewing Bee I thought I might try the sort of dresses that Esme wears. Does anybody know where I might find them? I’m partially sighted so trawling the internet is difficult.

Loladays Tue 01-Sept-26 14:18:43

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teabagwoman Sun 16-Aug-26 18:30:25

Thanks Gnetters, dress ordered and fingers crossed.

melp1 Sun 16-Aug-26 10:07:25

I find dresses cut on the bias are best. East do some lovely dresses

Nannytopsy Sat 15-Aug-26 23:46:36

Ambrose Wilson have some cotton dresses, with a high loose waist. Bought one recently on spec from the sale and have got lovely compliments from strangers!

Karen22 Sat 15-Aug-26 22:49:05

Recently bought 2 summer waistless dresses from Shein and im very pleased with them.
They have lots to choose from and the best thing is they are so cheap , £10 each !

Aveline Sat 15-Aug-26 17:55:04

The Ministry of Style ladies are so good. Such fun.

susieboo Sat 15-Aug-26 17:44:50

Is that this years Dress . It looks lovely material , how can I find it ?

Panda21 Fri 14-Aug-26 15:12:07

Consider a jumpsuit? Just bought onr from Seasalt, totally waistless & saw it on Beryl from the Ministry of Style on Instagram. V entertaining ladies of a certain age giving fashion advice via 2 minute videos

Northerntownlass Fri 14-Aug-26 15:04:05

I have bought a few dresses over the years from Per Una, bought some recently from Vinted that are 100% cotton and a lovely floaty shape without being too tent like ! my two worn on repeat in the heat have been button down and tiered with pockets and made from the softest cotton. Needed to get a size down, but not a bad thing lol !!

knspol Fri 14-Aug-26 14:21:20

I have a couple from Toast, I think you would say they are empire line and then hang freely from there, really comfy to wear, hide a multitude of sins! Oska also do lots of these but very expensive and maybe a bit of an acquired taste. Am wearing dropped waist dress from M&S at the moment but it's probably 3 yrs old , don't know if they have anything similar anymore.

Mopsie Fri 14-Aug-26 14:10:05

Cos are very good for unfitted shapes.
Also recommend, for those on Instagram, following Viv The Carer. Us older ladies can also have our Influencers!

FranP Fri 14-Aug-26 13:44:46

teabagwoman

Oh to be tall and thin! Also to have arms that don’t need to be hidden!

Absolutely!

I was keen to try Unfolded, that showed Empire line flexible shapes, but the only show frilly/fluffed or very short sleeves.

Nobody seems to cater for my "wings"

Esmay Fri 14-Aug-26 10:23:46

The staff in my local Seasalt are lovely and the sale is amazing .
I bought a nice dress from Fatface which has no waist .
White Stuff has waistless dresses too .
Otherwise Yours always has a massive range .

teabagwoman Fri 14-Aug-26 09:53:29

Oh to be tall and thin! Also to have arms that don’t need to be hidden!

NotSpaghetti Fri 14-Aug-26 09:44:53

I used to love East by the way and today am wearing a 30 year old East top!
I do think they have changed a lot over the years though - as have almost all companies it seems to me.

I will look at Orientique.
Thanks.

NotSpaghetti Fri 14-Aug-26 09:42:12

I like it as I would wear a long sleeved shirt or t-shirt under it in the winter.

Primrose53 Fri 14-Aug-26 07:33:36

NotSpaghetti

Here's a nice barrel dress - available in several colours:

www.hush-uk.com/liddie-air-flow-barrel-tank-dress-aqua-blue/013798-1747.html

Very nice dress on that tall model. You have to be tall and very slender to carry that off. Too long for me.

NotSpaghetti Thu 13-Aug-26 23:27:06

Here's a nice barrel dress - available in several colours:

www.hush-uk.com/liddie-air-flow-barrel-tank-dress-aqua-blue/013798-1747.html

25Avalon Thu 13-Aug-26 21:39:18

Seasalt have a sale on atm

Primrose53 Thu 13-Aug-26 17:30:33

I avoid dresses with a waistline, always have. They just don’t suit me or my daughter come to that. There was a trend years ago for dresses with a dropped waist and they quite suited me.

I have a dress by Orientique which goes in at the waist but doesn’t have a sewn waistline and one by East which I love. I have a few by Gudrun Sjoden in plain colours and they always feel nice to wear.

Cossy Thu 13-Aug-26 17:24:40

Next have some online, all sizes, all cotton

NotSpaghetti Thu 13-Aug-26 17:24:15

Here's another;

simplysewingmag.com/news/esme-young-great-british-sewing-bee?hl=en-GB#:~:text=Inspired%20by%20fashion%20magazines%2C%20she%20began%20buying,them%20to%20suit%20her%20own%20unique%20style.

NotSpaghetti Thu 13-Aug-26 17:23:09

Just copied and pasted this here from an online magazine.
WOMAN'S WAY

Sewing Bee
Designer Esme Young reveals the styles she likes, her favourite garb and her fashion sense.

The Great British Sewing Bee judge Esme Young doesn’t have a designer wardrobe – because she makes so many of her own clothes.

As well as judging the hit show, in which budding seamsters compete to win one of TV’s hardest creative challenges, the 73-year-old designer – who made her first skirt at the age of seven – teaches at Central Saint Martins, the art school where she learned her trade. She has also just written her autobiography, Behind The Seams. She has designed costumes for film stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and Grace Jones, and created the bunny outfit worn by Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones’ Diary.

Here, she gives us a peek into her fashion style, and reveals what she keeps in her wardrobe.


What is your preferred style?
“I like wearing dresses. They shouldn’t be too tight, frankly, because I’m a bit too old for that.

When you buy clothes, where do you buy from?

“I mostly buy from Cos. A lot of women of my age and a bit younger buy from Cos.”

What about fabrics?
“I really like fabrics which I buy from my final year [students] which they have printed. Then I make clothes out of them. It makes it personal. I’m drawn to bright colours, but I also like dark colours. As a kid, I used to like pink, surprisingly, though I did have a very nice Black Watch Tartan dress that my mum bought me.

“I like linen a lot. I try to go to Greece every year and I make clothes to wear there. Linen is a really cool fabric.”

What’s in your wardrobe now?
“I haven’t got a huge wardrobe. I put my summer clothes under the bed when it’s winter and then I have quite a few trousers and dresses I’ve made. At my workshop, I’ve got a Swanky Modes archive, where I’ve got old clothes of my mum’s and of mine.”

Do you have any designer clothes?
“No. I’ve never really been into designer clothes – also I can’t afford them. Because I design and make clothes for myself, I don’t feel the need to make designer clothes.”

Do you have a favourite outfit?
I cut patterns for a designer called Ashish, who was one of my students. He’s given me various jackets and they are really quite special.”

Which sewing items do you take with you to work?
“I can use spare machines at Sewing Bee and take my scissors, tape measure and buttons.”

Did you sew during lockdown?

“Well, I don’t have a sewing machine at home and didn’t want to go into the studio in Hackney, so I did a lot of hand sewing. I altered various clothes, I made some masks, I made some cushion covers.”

Do you buy many clothes?
“I’m stopping buying clothes and want to re-wear clothes I’ve got. All I need to do is change the necklace and people won’t notice.

“The other thing about buying clothes is that it’s a treat and it makes people feel better – but that feeling doesn’t last very long.”

teabagwoman Thu 13-Aug-26 17:14:38

I’ll have a look at Toast, if I can find the right dress I may persuade myself to pay their prices.

JamesandJon33 Thu 13-Aug-26 15:26:50

Try Toast…but they are expensive.