Slightly Smaller Wardrobe - Dresses

As I mentioned after thanksgiving, I'm in the middle of fall cleaning. Inspired in part by Rebecca's posts and her links to 34 pieces together, I'm purging my closet. I've been figuring out how long it's been since each item has been worn, trying outfit combos... it's taking a lot more time then I thought it would.
I have managed to complete one section of the closet - WooHoo! Six dresses gone. Two from 30-40 pounds ago, a couple I bought on a whim, and two that I must have been under the influence of cold medications while purchasing. No other explanation.

Here's what I'm keeping:


There was no doubt about this dress. I purchased it for a party just after the birth of my daughter six years ago, and have had it cut down twice to keep up with the shrinking me. I look good in this dress. Always have.
This is linen, but a very dense weave. Fully lined, so no messing about with slips and extra layers.
It's fine as is, or with a cardigan for half the year in the south. For winter, or to wear to work, I add a long or 3/4 sleeve shirt underneath. The shirts will crop up again in a later post, when I get to that portion of the wardrobe, but one is an ancient Arizona white shirt - from the juniors dept., and the other is the convertible camp shirt from Old Navy. I really like items like this pink shirt, where you get polished and casual in one piece, just by changing a button.











Faux-wrap dress, in black - H&M Makes getting dressed VERY easy.
I usually carry the red purse with this, just to keep from being too somber.















I picked this plaid dress up on the clearance rack at Target last month. It's fully lined, zips up the back, and is the only dress of this type of cut that doesn't make the kids in my daughter's 1st grade class ask if I'm having a baby. I wear it with either a long sleeve tee or a turtle neck and black tights with chunky mary janes or flats.

As a bonus, since I bought it for $7.99 (plus tax), the price per wear is down to $2, just in the first month of ownership.









I love this dress, either on it's own or tossed over jeans as a tunic. It may be leaving me in the next purge though, as this dress always leads someone to ask if I'm expecting.


And finally, a couple of 2-3 season dresses. Again, I'm in the south, so going sleeveless into October, and packing away all but the lightest sweaters by the end of March is normal:
It's going to take a few days to get the next segment of the wardrobe finished. I'm trying to cut down to just 2-3 each of Summer, Winter, and 4-Season skirts. I think I have it narrowed down, but haven't taken any photos yet. If you're wondering what I'm getting rid of, here's a sample of a whim dress (or maybe the cold-medicine shopping?):


It's a cute dress, and I love the polka dots.
When you combine the dot pattern with the length, the chunky white buttons and the puff sleeves, I look at this photo and think "mutton dressed as lamb."

Plus, now that I see the photo, the maroon turns my complexion to blotchy. Ick.