You ain't nothing but a houndstooth

My Lane Bryant houndstooth dress has been sitting in my closet taunting me ever since I ordered it in mid-October. I was holding off wearing it at first because I really wanted to pair it with the booties I was expecting from ASOS. When I got the sad news that my ASOS order was not coming (oh the lies!), I still refrained - my trusty peep toe pumps died after a crazy alumni weekend at my college, and I need a new pair of pumps to wear with the dress.

Enter the elusive ASOS package that arrived on Monday! As soon as I tore those booties out of the box I knew it was time to break out the dress as well. It was the moment I had been waiting for! And when it finally all came together, I was not disappointed in the least.

Now clearly, the dress is much better on me with the cardi. Without, it's a little WOAH BOOBS! But with the cardi, I LOVE this dress. The quality is great, I love the thick ponte fabric. The weight of the ponte plus the houndstooth pattern do a great job of camouflaging any lumps and bumps - I love how smooth my silhouette looks, especially in the skirt area. If there's one thing I would change with this dress, it'd be the neckline. I don't find the cowl neck to be the most flattering on me; I feel like my chest prevents it from draping as much as it would on a less endowed person. I replaced the skinny black belt it came with with an almost exact replica of my own, simply because mine is shorter and the tail doesn't stick out too much. If you're thinking of buying this dress, especially online, know that it runs a bit big - I'm usually in the 16-18 range, but this dress is a 14/16 and has room to spare.

The buttons on my cardi were gold so I took that and ran with it. While invading my mom's jewelry box, I found these "x" earrings and matching bracelet which I thought would be cute as they sort of mimic the houndstooth print. The watch was the same idea so I threw it on as well, though I can tell you I don't think I even glanced at it once for the time lol...I'm not really a watch person I guess.

And last but not least, the booties. OH, the booties!

I am beyond in love with these. If it was legal to marry a pair of shoes, we'll be on our honeymoon right now. These shoes made me feel fierce. FIERCE! The heel is soo sexy but still not bad at all to walk in due to the hidden platform. and the pointed toe is TO DIE FOR. I love how the fabric upper of the bootie blends with my tights and looks seamless; it makes my legs look long and lean. All in all, this outfit was a winner for me from head to toe. I got SO many compliments and felt great all day :) and that's what fashion's all about right??

Dress: Lane Bryant
Cardi: Mom's closet
Tights: Hue
Booties: ASOS (no longer available)
Jewelry: Mom's jewelry box...thanks mom!
Polish: Essie Limited Addiction

For some, the print on this dress might be a little loud, but if it's the silhouette you love, Lane Bryant also sells the same dress in black Ponte.