It’s no secret how much I love Hayden-Harnett; I’ve posted about their bags/shoes/clothes many times. But I’ve not become OBSESSED with anything until now.
Enter the Thea Dress:
I have to admit, although I’ve been looking at this dress for awhile, I didn’t become obsessed with it until I got this week’s Hayden-Harnett IRL issue (where the picture on the right comes from). Seeing it on a “real person” made me think that it could work on me, especially since it’s belted. I love the contrasting layers, and the belt…it really makes the dress in my opinion.
This is the power of real-life modeling/outfit pictures – it can take an item that is so-so on a stick-thin model and make it incredibly appealing on a beautiful woman with a few curves, a tummy, and maybe some hips (I’m generalizing here, not specifically referencing Erin). Models are typically very small, and have very few curves – in my opinion, designers use barely-there models as hangers because they want the piece to be the focal point, NOT the woman. I want the WOMAN to be the focal point, and I want her clothing to enhance her inner & outer beauty.
That’s really the main reason I started Grechen’s Closet 5 years ago – to show larger-than-size-2 women that we can wear contemporary designers and work with edgy styles. I started doing reviews and posting outfits-of-the-day working with my personal style, and soon after, started getting comments and e-mails from women telling me that many of the things I review look better on me than on the boutique’s model!
I really do think women are ACHING to see clothing on different sized women, women with some curves (and oh my, I have curves!!!), short women…it allows them to identify more closely with the item(s) and really imagine wearing/buying it. I’m waiting for an online boutique or designer to showcase some of their pieces on three different sized models – maybe a 4, 8 & 12, I would shop there, and I’m willing to bet thousands of other women would too. (anyone listening???)
So bravo to Hayden-Harnett for doing this IRL series, I know you’ve inspired more than just me 
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