#WednesdayWishlist: Things to consider when buying an occasion dress (or two)

What’s the next occasion on 2017’s soon to expire calendar? Is it a wedding or a gala dinner? Mine’s umemulo, a Zulu right of passage ceremony for a young, unmarried woman.

The point is, occasions are always a good excuse to shop for a new suit, skirt or dress but I know that sometimes I’m guilty of not thinking beyond the specific event which only adds to my collection of one hit wonder dresses.

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This got me thinking that there has to be a smarter way to shop for occasion dresses.

My first and simplest rule is, "a dress should always feel as good as it looks," but there are more factors that contribute to qualifying a dress as a winner for more than one day or night. Here are three more...

Colour

Firstly, it’s easier to fall in love with a dress (more than once) that’s in your favourite colour, although another fail-proof option is neutral colours such as black, navy, white and blush pink.

Frill hem midi dress, Misguided at Superbalist, R499.

Choker neck batwing midi dress, Misguided at Superbalist, R499.

Lace detail gown, Sissy Boy at Spree, R1,099.

Neckline

Make sure your dress sits perfectly on your body, but above all else ensure that it offers adequate support for bust because the perfect fit is a enough motivation to slay in your dress again and again.

Plunging V-neck

Tie maxi dress, Misguided at Superbalist, R599.

Halter neck

Halter knit dress, Witchery at Woolworths, R1,299.

Crew neck

Flare dress, Mrp, R219,99.

Asymmetric 

Drawcord detail dress, Edit at Spree, R379.

Ruffle

Gold dress, Marique Yssel at Spree, R1,299.

Texture

You’ll know that having to stop every five minutes to pull down a dress that’s riding up your thighs just ain’t cute and can quickly kill your vibe at an event.

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With that being said, stick to materials that are flexible and breathable especially for a dress that you expect to be seen in again.

Sequin dress, Zara, R873.

Off the shoulder dress, Mrp, R169,99.

Images: Supplied

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