How to Wear a Silk Wrap Dress

A wrap dress can be a wardrobe staple with the right accessories.

All of us have some great clothes hanging in our closets that we're just not sure how to wear. A silk wrap dress looks fabulous and elegant on the hanger, but once you put it on your body, it may feel lumpy, or it might gape at the neckline or stick to your pantyhose. Shoes and accessories present additional problems. Here's how to take that dress off the hanger and look fabulous in it.

Things You'll Need

• Flesh-toned undergarments
• Jewelry

Instructions

1. Wear the right undergarments. Unless you are stick-thin, you will need supportive, smoothing underwear, because silk is usually thin and clingy. Try a bra with smooth lines (no lace or seams) or a full-length body shaper. Your underwear should be flesh-toned so that it does not show through the silk.

2. Add a slip if the skirt is too clingy or you want to wear pantyhose. Although slips are not as common as they used to be, the right slip can make your dress fit much better. Some companies, such as Spanx and Victoria's Secret, even make combination body shaper slips so you do not need as many separate undergarments.

3. Put on your dress. Most wrap dresses have either a hook or tie on the inside, or a belt that pokes through a hole in the side of the dress to secure it closed, so make sure you have hooked and tied all the fastenings. If the dress still gapes at the front, pin it closed on the inside with a tiny safety pin.

4. Choose your shoes and accessories. Take your cue from the dress and the season. In the spring or summer, a short-sleeved, brightly colored silk wrap dress needs strappy sandals or ballet flats and subtle jewelry (like a delicate gold chain with a gemstone pendant). In the fall, wear a russet-colored silk dress with knee-high, brown leather high-heeled boots and chunky beads. A winter holiday party calls for a jewel-toned dress, thicker gold or silver chains and sky-high heels.

Tips & Warnings

• Bring your dress with you when trying on undergarments, so you can make sure you've got the right fit. Don't spend hours trying on bras, only to find when you get home that an inch of material sticks out of the neck of the dress.

• Silk is a delicate material, so jewelry can snag it. Be careful not to catch your dress on your ring or watch.

References

• "Figure It Out! The Real Woman's Guide to Great Style"; Geri Brinn and Tish Jett; 2004