SSG: Top 12 Floral Dresses for 2011

The details around this summer shopping guide are starting to become a pattern. We don’t mean “look at the pretty dresses,” of course. We mean that every time we get together to work on Saturday night we end up going shopping instead, swooning over things we want to write about, but we never find just the right “thing” for us.

This week we were lost in a land of floral dresses.

One reminded us of Georgia O’Keeffe, with its giant orange flower placed just so at the exact – ahem, slightly low – center of the dress. Another had pretty lace insets but was just too expensive. A third had no straps, and with our busts, straps are kind of a necessity.

So, of course, now we offer you our Top 12 Floral Dresses for 2011. (Twelve? Yes, twelve.) We figure that if we can’t find the perfect floral dress in person, maybe you can’t either.

ModCloth A Reason to Dance Dress: $74.99

Oh yes. Oh, my, yes. This dress, with its cut-out neckline that looks kind of like big pieces of coral, and its flouncy floral I-need-another-F-word skirt is really really great for days in which Jen hates pants. And seriously, those days in which Jen hates pants? They’re intense. So she obviously needs this dress.

ModCloth Return of the Maxi Dress: $59.99

And this one. ModCloth got the return of boho right with this pale neutral color, the simple floral print, and the easy-to-wear-no-matter-your-bust-size straps.

Parker Seamed Silk Bustier Dress: $242 $145

We love how these flowers are mixed with what looks like paint splatters. I mean, really: who doesn’t love a good mess?

Alloy Marie Floral Dress: $39.90 $34.90

First: free belt. Not only a free belt, but a free contrasting belt in a really cool color. Oh, and there’s a dress. It’s pretty. And we like sweetheart necklines. (And free belts.)

Karen Kane Sleeveless Print Dress: $108 $53.90

This dress screams beachwear, or loungewear, or “I’m on vacation and want to go out dancing but Jesus it’s muggy here” wear.

Mini Chica Racerback Challis Dress: $44

This is another one of those “do the trend without doing the trend” dresses. Little penciled flowers on little penciled leaves on a little printed dress with a little fun hem.

Bellatrix Tie Neck Print Silk Dress: $88

Wear it over the included slip; Use a tank and leggings instead; belt it with the included-but-not-shown fabric belt. (WE WANT TO SEE IT WHERE IS IT NORDSTROM.) We don’t care. Just someone buy this pretty v-neck dress.

Karen Kane Floral Print Cap Sleeve Dress: $98

Jen’s going to get a little geeky on your asses: do any of you watch Game of Thrones on HBO? Have you read the books? This dress is the epitome of Winterfell’s rose garden. Or even the rose garden at the Vale, if you’ve read the later books…okay, enough of that. Imagine a rose garden in winter. That’s what you’ll be in this dress.

Eliza J Placed Print Stretch Cotton Shift Dress: $118

It ain’t O’Keefffe, but it’s a flattering cut and color.

Vagina.

ModCloth I Feel Pretty Dress: $84.99

The color of this dress is ecru. We agree that everyone should own a dress in the color ecru. Also with lace. And vines. Viny lacy ecru.

French Connection Freida Floral Dress: $98

The collar on this dress is work appropriate but easy – no ironing required. We hate ironing. We love ditsy prints – and this is also a ditsy print. There: your lesson for the day. You’re welcome.

ModCloth Baby’s Breath Dress: $54.99

This dress reminds Jen of the Tiny Bikes dress, which she’s still lusting over but it’s sold out and she cries at night. Tiny Bikes = Baby’s Breath? Sure. Why not.

This week’s common themes include:

• • Us trying to replace tiny bikes with tiny florals
  • All over floral prints (as opposed to one flower on an otherwise solid color dress)
  • Pale, feminine tones with the occasional burst of brightness
  • Multiple layers of fabric (and free belts!)
  • Odd hemlines

So what do you think of our floral finds? Would you rather wear these, print dresses, or neither? Do we have horrible taste in floral dresses, and are we causing you to question our sanity?