Wiggle Room
Ah yes, Marilyn Monroe's signature dress - the wiggle dress. You might recognize this one from the movie Something's Gotta Give, and there's a reason wardrobe put her in this style. By far one of the most flattering silhouettes, the wiggle dress gets its name from how the hem tapers to, or slightly passed the knee, causing women to wiggle when they walk! It really gives you that hour glass figure that will surely turn some heads.
It was kind of a refreshing look at the time - Dior's fit and flare dresses were beautiful and fun for parties, but sometimes you just didn't want to don a petticoat and have trouble walking through doorways or getting in and out of cars. Women wanted something a little more sophisticated, and I think the fitted sheath dresses and pencil skirts made them feel less Suzy Homemaker and more like one of the bombshells they (and their husbands...) were seeing in the movies.
For a long time, I was always sticking to the A-line hem as my go-to silhouette - since I carry a little extra weight on my hips I thought fitted dresses like this wouldn't be as flattering on me. Well let me tell you - I was mistaken. After trying on this style a few times now, I've been pleasantly surprised when I come out of the fitting room. To be totally honest, I felt about 10x sexier in one of these than I did in even my miniest mini. I like how these dresses can cover you from head to toe, like the one pictured, but your shape is outlined so perfectly.
And pretty much ANY body type can look really good in this style! It's actually just about "embracing the curves" you have (I know I sound cliche, but seriously yo - vintage dresses were really made for all types of figures!) or the curves you want to accentuate, and letting the dress hug them all - giving the illusion of an hourglass figure.
I feel totally bangin' in this bold piece, but I don't feel exposed or self conscious. There's something powerful about wearing a dress that fits so well. One thing I would highly recommend if you ever fall in love with a dress like this (hopefully one of ours!), is to take it to a tailor if it's not fitting you everywhere 100%. When I look at photographs of actresses from the 50s and 60s like Marilyn or Bridget Bardot and I see them in this type of dress, it fits them like a glove and just holds everything in place. I'm not saying you need it, like, tight tight, but if - like me - you carry more in your hips and less on top, get the bust darts and waist tailored to fit you perfectly - or vice versa. Seriously, this will make ALL the difference in the world and you will look ridiculously hot.
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| I mean come on - this is a dress you could wear out for tea with your grandmother and then smear on red lipstick and tease your hair a bit and you're ready for a hot date! |
If you've watched any of Mad Men you'll notice Joan Holloway wears these dresses like, every. single. episode - in every single scene. So they're totally office appropriate too :).
