September 04, 2010

WHY are Forever 21 dresses so SHORT?!


I tried on so many cute things after a doctor's appointment this week, including the above but passed because someone as far away from 21 as me can't feel comfortable in things this revealing. This dark fall-hued print is so me and it comes with its own belt. I wonder if tights could save it?

19 comments:

Joie de Viv said...

I think that ll the time about the skirts nowadays. I think I am just maturing, that I don't feel quite so comfortable with 13" skirts. I bought one I thought I would just wear with tights, but I've only worn it once for an hour. *sigh*

xx Vivian @ http://diamondsandtulle.blogspot.com

Ady Grafovna said...

I hear ya on this gripe! I am a grown woman and I have a grown woman figure. I still want to be cute and sexy, but at this point in my life I look ridiculous in short dresses and skirts. F21 is just simply not a main store for me. I find things much more flattering and age appropriate in other stores.

As for whether or not tights can save this one, I would say that even with tights, you would probably feel uncomfortable in this dresss. Clothes should really make you feel beautiful, not worried about whether or not you can sit without butt ACTUALLY meeting chair.

Kim said...

Ugh, I'm with you Jess! I pretty much don't even both looking at the dresses and skirts at F21 anymore because they're coochie cutters on me :-( So sad, because they have so many cute ones, but they're always too short. It makes me want to scream. My guess is because they're geared towards a younger crowd, one who can get away with dresses that short. However, Love 21 is supposed to be a more contemporary fit, but I've yet to see a dress or skirt long enough for me from that line either.

thatdamngreendress said...

But then, sometimes for the ridiculous price/cuteness factor it can be done...
I could see this dress working with a silk slip-style skirt underneath to make it a bit longer! And sometimes there's enough room in the hem to let it down an inch or two- depends on the fabric I guess.
I think some of them are too short even for the youngsters...old I guess!

Brianna said...

this is one of my biggest pet peeves about F21 along with the fact that their sizing is all over the place. Do you wear leggings? this could be cute with some leggings and boots

Kathleen said...

I'm in total agreement. I have trouble even in non-F21 stores with skirt length because most of my height is in my legs, even though I'm only 5'6" -- and I'm over 40. So, I don't have a choice to go shorter than I'd like most of the time -- but there's no way F21 (or Love 21) *ever* works.

roxyturtle said...

I am having this same issue not just at F21 anymore, but also with designer collections!! I can't even try Nanette Lepore dresses anymore because they hit me at mid-thigh if they're long. I saw eff that.

Erica Bunker said...

Outside of buying a pair of sunglasses or jewelry, I don't shop at F21. I leave that to my 18 year old daughter. You have to recognize that women in our age are simply NOT the F21 demographic... hence the reason their skirts and dresses are so short. Me buying clothing out of F21 is the equivalent of Mutton dressed as lamb.

Raquelita said...

I stopped shopping at F21 about five years ago because everything I bought there fell apart after two washes. They have cute stuff - like this dress - but it's just not worth the cost per wear even at their cheap prices. I do think this dress could be salvaged with tights, boots, and a cardi, but I might still hesitate to wear it in the classroom.

gee said...

i'm only 5'5 and everything is sooo short on me there. its so annoying..
but every dress i buy there i wear with tights and it works out okay.
i think this dress would be perfect with tights..!!
xoox

Anonymous said...

agreed w/all of the above! i'm a shade over 5'8" and 99% of the time, i pass over the bottoms/dresses rack at F21. i do have one dress from their heritage line...i think it's the only one i've seen in the past yr that actually nearly reaches my knees!

roxy-i'm having a tough time w/some of the designer frocks too! tibi and leifsdottir come to mind--it's like they lopped off 3-4" from their recent collections...ugh!

Anonymous said...

agreed w/all of the above! i'm a shade over 5'8" and 99% of the time, i pass over the bottoms/dresses rack at F21. i do have one dress from their heritage line...i think it's the only one i've seen in the past yr that actually nearly reaches my knees!

roxy-i'm having a tough time w/some of the designer frocks too! tibi and leifsdottir come to mind--it's like they lopped off 3-4" from their recent collections...ugh!

Rachel said...

I have often wondered why F21 dresses are so short. I know they gear things toward teens, but they need to realize that more mature ladies (like myself) shop there too, and some of there dresses would be perfect if they just went to the knee.

dollface design said...

i find this to be the case at many stores, not just forever 21 and it's really frustrating, but i've found a rather simple solution, that turns out really cute and solves the length dilemma, which is super simple even if you're not crafty! i go to joanne fabrics and peruse their "trims" aisle and pick up enough length to "trim" the bottom of the dress....they have some really pretty cotton crochet trims as well as a variety of lace...find one that you like to compliment the dress ( i find that 2 in. trims usually work the best ) and then simply attach it to the underskirt with iron on hem tape or you can even use this permanent fabric tape that joanne's offers which will secure the trim permanently to the underskirt of the dress...adds about 2 inches of length to the dress without having to break out the iron or the sewing machine, yay! i've found there's just way too many cute dresses out there to abandon and find that this works really well, good luck!

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

Diamonds and Tulle, I don't know if I ever could pull off super short skirts because I have never really had the legs for it but as I get older it seems especially difficult to balance what I find to be cute with what is appropriate for my age.

Ady, You're right ESPECIALLY about the butt and chair aspect. haha That is an important test that I often forget.

Kim, you have legs for days so I think you could easily pull off shorter skirts than me. But I understand your desire for modesty.

Sarah, I agree that some of them seem too short even for the 21 year old set but maybe that just shows my own age! haha

Brianna, I do sometimes wear leggings but I think passing on f21 is always a smart decision because like you said their sizing is all over the place and obviously the quality is lacking.

Kathleen, I'm shorter than you by three inches but I feel self conscious of my legs so I find myself caught in the middle a lot. And f21 rarely fits the bill of "not too long so as to make me look shorter vs. so short that I am faced with what Ady described accurately as the butt meeting chair dilemma." haha

Roxy, OMG I agree! I've had major length issues with Nanette Lepore of late. The parrotfish dress and the paris cafe sheath were both super short. I have the latter but can't pull it off without tights and I am WAY shorter than you. WHY are they making things so short? You can always tailor to make something shorter but you can't really lengthen a garment as easily (because it isn't like the hems have a lot of excess).

Erica B, you are so right! I stopped in because I saw some bloggers sporting really cute things lately and wanted to see for myself but I walked out empty handed and I am glad for it. Sometimes it's hard to acknowledge the truth but it is for the best.

La Historiadora, I stopped shopping there a while ago myself but recently picked up a few cute tops and had come around because they've held up. I need to remember why I quit them: disposable fashion is bad for my pocketbook and for the environment... not to even touch on their abysmal labor standards (which are also a significant reason to avoid).

Gee, you have such cute gams you can totally make shorter things work with ease!

Anon, at your enviable height few things will be longer than tunic length there. I agree with Roxy re: Nanette Lepore and you re: tibi and leifsdottir. I had trouble with and had to return a Leifsdottir dress just a few months ago due to length. And Tibi used to be long enough but lately is scandalously short to the point where I don't even try things on in the stores.

Rachel, I agree but it seems like their reach is toward teens and post-adolescents and not post-post adolescents like myself. Alas...

Dollface Design, what a fantastic idea! I love it! I am not going to go back for this one but I think investing some time into personalizing and improving a nicer quality but too-short dress is a great idea!

Thank you all for reading!!! xo

jacquelyn said...

It's not just F21. Check out the skirt I spotted at J.Crew...a skirt that was only a tad bit longer than the one my 4-year-old was wearing...see it here.

SunnyDay said...

I realize that F21 is geared toward teens, still, they shouldn't be wearing skirts that short in all situations either. I interview students that want a part time job in my (professional) office and there's no way they can wear things 13"-15" long to the office. How about school, church, grandma's house for dinner? It's okay to hit down the thigh especially when you're young. The 13" skirt is not appropriate on anyone of any age. Rant over.

Jess, I love that dress and I agree with Sarah's suggestion of a slip under it to add some length. The pattern is really pretty.

Melmomomallu said...

i'm 5'8 so you can imagine the pain I go through. BUT You have to deal with it ya know? Thee fashion industry is changing...and apparently it likes short dresses :P

Rebecca said...

F 21 is mainly aimed at teens, but I see your point. I'm 15, and it's so hard to find a dress that doesn't make me look slutty. I don't understand how any girl could be comfortable in a dress that barely even covers their bum. Half of the skirts/dresses in my closet are shorter than I'd like, because it's just too hard to find a cute, but apppropriate dress. However, I love that dress on you. Based on the picute, I don't neccessarily think that the dress you have on is too short. It would be better if it was a tiny bit longer, but you're beautiful and you can deffinetly pull it off. Maybe try leggings or stockings with shorter dresses?

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