I've been wearing jumpers and long skirts now for a few years and am very comfortable in them.  I have also settled to wearing snoods. I've tried cape dresses but something about them wasn't laying on me easily and I've been wrestling with why that might be.  I am very sensitive to appearing to be posing because  I live in a community full of Plain folk (rural PA), and I don't want to seem like I'm trying to be German Baptist, Mennonite, etc. Indeed, even as I attend a Dunkard Brethren church I wear my clothes, and my coverings.  I think the discomfort of the cape dress is that it is not me. I sat with it for a while, and even wondered if it was the type of print -these light colors against my dark skin? But I think I'm settled on this. I need conservative, long dresses, but more contemporary I think.

My resources didn't meet these needs, and current dresses are too short.  I did find a website that will customize their dresses for you, and their styles are rather retro -classic shirt dresses a bit updated.  I'm going to try one of their dresses -length is right, color and pattern are right, style is right.  I'll post the resource here in case anyone else is interested.  They are by no means catering to Plain or modest dressers, but some of their designs will fit the bill, in my opinion.

http://www.eshakti.com/Product/CL0026309/Dotted-retro-poplin-shirtd...

Sincerely,

Paula