The Hunt: fit and Flare dresses

Sure, we all know what basics professional women are meant to have in their closets, but if you’re getting one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the ideal incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic Camiseta PSV Eindhoven item that every woman must have.
I observed a few weeks ago that readers wanted a hunt for fit and flare dresses, so I thought we’d round some up today! (Update: check out our 2015 roundup of fit and flare dresses for work here.) I normally consider a “fit and flare” dress to be one that is fitted from the waist up, but A-line/fluid/flouncy/full from the waist down. (Interestingly, a quick Google for “what is fit and flare” turns up lots of wedding dress results.)
I normally think of the look as being less “classic work” than a sheath dress because it tends to be popular one season and disappear nearly entirely the next — so, like the flouncy skirt, if you like this style on your body type, this is a terrific time to stock up.
The style is typically described as “curve hugging” and with words like “flirty!” which make it seem like it’s less work-appropriate, but I think all of the visualized dresses are absolutely work-appropriate for even the most conservative offices. Obviously, enjoy your skirt length and your sizing, but that’s true of everything with workwear. One perk with this style: there are a ton of budget options — nearly all of my picks Camiseta Santos Laguna are below $100!
Readers, have you gotten any terrific fit and flare dresses recently? What defines a terrific fit and flare dress for you?

While there are very limited sizes of this black polka dot boxpleat dress at Dorothy Perkins left, never fear: DP has a ton of styles of fit and flare dresses, from boxpleat dresses (as pictured) to Bardot dresses (which seem to all have a much broader neckline that feature the clavicle) to skater dresses and more. This particular dress stood out to me because the pattern is fun, the length visualized on the model is terrific (it’s 90 cm, or about 35.5″) and — hiyo! — it’s marked to $17. use code DPSHIP50 to get complimentary conventional shipping on orders over $50. Black spot Boxpleat Dress
The limited has had some version of a skater dress for several seasons now. (I couldn’t find a good definition of what a skater dress is, but I always think of it as being a subset of the FnF dress — normally made of a jersey fabric, without other embellishments or decoration, and typically a bit on the short side.) The visualized sleeveless version looks great, is available in four colors, sizes XS-XL in regulars and petites, and is marked from $59.95 to $35.97.Another option: this cap sleeve, high-necked fit and flare dress is available in very limited sizes and colors but has great seaming details on the front (and, alas, an exposed zipper in the back). Pictured: Sleeveless Skater Dress
As pointed out above, for some reason there are a ton of terrific budget options for this style, and 6pm has a ton of brands that are already economical (Eliza J, Donna Ricco, Muse) marked down even further. I particularly like the keyhole detail on this Eliza J dress — it makes the high neckline so much a lot more wearable. Camiseta Gamba Osaka The fabric is described in the promotional copy as “lace” but to me it looks a lot more like a summer time cotton/nylon blend. I’d wear it with a shrunken blazer and a matte belt for work. It was $89, but is currently marked to $39.99 at 6pm.com. Cap Sleeve Keyhole tie fit & Flare Dress
eShakti uses a ton of fit and flare dresses — and because you can customize the measurements, sleeves, hem length, and typically the neckline, this may be a terrific option for women who have a hard time finding fit and flare dresses off the rack. I like this cotton pinstriped option — it’s maker washable, has pockets, and looks fun and different but still professional. It’s $64.95, but take 30% off sitewide. Split Neck Cotton stripe Dress
Look, sleeves! I like the subtle texture to this ottoman knit, and while the dress fits a bit short on the model, I’d guess 38″ would be fine for a lot of women under 5’6″. Donna Ricco has a ton of terrific dresses in this style; this one is $118 at Nordstrom. Ottoman textured fit & Flare Dress
There are SO lots of economical options in this category that I’m not sure one needs to go to a fancier version, but I do like the crispness to this navy fit and flare dress from Hugo Boss. It’s $385 at Nordstrom.Another pricey option that I love: this twill dress from Classiques Entier for $298, although the “cutaway bodice” may break that commandment of workwear: never show your bra straps. Pictured: “Hilja” fit and Flare Dress

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