Statement Sleeves

Have any of you gone shopping recently and wondered "What's up with all the weird sleeves?" 🤣  Seriously, my girlfriend and I took a little shopping trip last week and it seemed every single garment had an unusual sleeve design.  Trying to find a top or dress with a normal sleeve is about as difficult as trying to find a pair of jeans without holes in them!  :)

Whatever your thoughts about statement sleeves, they are definitely trending.  I must admit, I have had a hard time with this trend because my arms are big enough and the last thing I want is more material there to draw even more attention to them.  Statement sleeves are something I love to see on everyone else, but me, not so much.  But then I feel that way with just about every fashion trend.  We are always our own worst critics.

Nevertheless, with most trends, I eventually find a style I can work with and this pretty dress from Francesca's was my answer!

The sleeves are on the loose side and the material is thin, so it doesn't add a lot of extra bulk to my arm.

 And isn't the embroidery on the sleeve just gorgeous?

For jewelry, I chose a red and gold multi strand necklace to echo the colors in the embroidery on the sleeve.  But I really didn't like the way the necklace looked with this dress.  I think I tried just about every necklace in my collection with this dress, and I wasn't happy with any of them.  I would love some some suggestions if anyone has any.

I also wore a gold bracelet to coordinate with the gold in the necklace.

And I carried my usual burgundy handbag because it just seems to go with all my fall outfits.

I bought this dress a couple of months ago when Francesca's had their amazing "$20.00 for anything in the store if purchased in increments of two" sale.  I know, what a deal, eh?  I signed up for their emails so if they ever have an amazing sale like this again,  I'm ready!

I wore my old Over-The-Knee Boots that I purchased last year from Famous Footwear.  They are by Steve Madden.  These boots have a shorter shaft, so if your still on the fence about this style of boot, this might be a good choice till you get more comfortable wearing OTK boots.  However, be aware that the shorter the shaft, the more likely the boot is to slip down.

The boots have a buckle in back and on the front.  If you are in the market for an OTK boot look for boots that tie in back instead of a buckle.  They tend to stay up better because you can tighten them as much as you need to.

 This dress has a very low back, which I am actually uncomfortable with.  Hubby of course loves the open back.  It also has a black strap going across the top of the back.  You can kind of see it in the picture below.  My hair is covering it a bit.

I really like the looser fit of this dress.  A lot of jersey knit dresses can be very clingy, which I don't like.  It is a thin material, and although I bought it for fall/winter, I think it would work better in the spring/summer in my climate.  I purchased a burgundy sweater vest after I took these photos and I'm anxious to try it with this dress.  I think it will cover up the open back and make the dress a little warmer so I can wear it during the colder months of the year too.  

So what about you?  Have you purchased anything with statement sleeves yet or are you still on the fence?  I'd love to hear from you!

Unfortunately, this dress is no longer available on-line but you might still be able to buy it in your local Francesca's store.  I still saw it hanging on the rack in my local Francesca's last week.  They also have lots of other fabulous dresses with statement sleeves on their website.  Here are a few I have my eye on!

This gorgeous teal dress I tried on in the store but I didn't buy it because it was really clingy on me.  However, now I regret not trying it on in a larger size, because I really love it and maybe a larger size would not have been so clingy.  Oh well, I'll keep an eye on it in case it ever goes on sale.

I love this wrap dress.  The pattern is perfect for fall and the sleeve detail is loose and thin so I think it would work for my body shape.

I love this dress, but I decided to stop buying anything with cut-out shoulders because I don't think they are flattering on me.  Another style that I love on everyone else but not on me!  But isn't the color and print so pretty?

This cute LBD has two trends:  criss-cross straps and statement sleeves!  So pretty!

A lot of Francesca dresses are on the short side.  Keep in mind you can also wear them as long tunics if you think they are too short.

This pretty fall floral dress has a lovely bell sleeve with a keyhole opening at the chest.  

All these dresses can be found on the Francesca's Website!  Which one is your favorite?

Have a Great Day!  Amy

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