Curvy Girl Thin: Classic Winter Dressing for the Plus Size Gal

I spoke recently about how I'm loving classic, striped back dressing - the kind of clothes and lines that will never go out of fashion but can be transformed through accessorising.
This Elvi Black Lace Shift Dress is just that!

With a classic boxy shift dress, a high neckline, and crocheted lace sleeves and a subtle lace overlay, the dress is both sophisticated yet edgy. The length is short - very short on my 5ft10 frame - but this adds a high fashion feel to something that would otherwise be fairly traditional.

The sheer sleeves also take the dress from demure to something little more sensual - they show a flash of flesh to entice without screaming sexuality. They are also a welcomed layer for cooler winter nights!

The shift shape doesn't really show off my waist, which is why I paired this with a chunky gold belt to really show my hourglass. I have styled this for a night out, and I like to show my waist when out and about. I do, however, love this dress just as much un-cinched (see later photos) for when I want more laid back and easy dressing.

A simple winter LBD really calls out for killer accessories - and you don't get more killer than faux fur and layered pearls, not to mention a dash of red lip.

The high hemline also means that I really wanted to exaggerate my pins - this means that heels are compulsory, but when are they not with me?

The dress is enclosed by at the back by a central zip in gold, and the lace overlay of the front is not carried through to the back. Please note that the gold embellishment at the back of the dress is from the addition of the belt and not the dress itself.

I'm wearing the size 18 and it fits me perfectly across the shoulders, hips, and chest. It is to big on my waist but most size 18s are, this is just more obvious because of the shift cut of the dress. I would say it's fairly true to size.

You can see the dress, unbelted, below:

The dress retails at £59 and I do think it's worth that much. It feels very well made and is quite a substantial material that really holds it's shape and form well. That said, I would prefer for the dress to have been lined but that may be a little old fashioned of me as so few dresses do come with built in lining.

As a tip, I buy the M&S under slips with dresses that aren't lined as I feel the material slips easier across my figure, making it hang better on my frame. I have linked one in the outfit details.