Sparkles and Shoes

A Fashion, Travel, and Lifestyle Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
  • Fashion
    • My Style
      • Spring Style
      • Summer Style
      • Fall Style
      • Winter Style
    • Really Love My …
    • Shop My Instagram
    • Style Icons
    • Trending
  • Travel
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Southern Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Indonesia
      • Qatar
      • Russia
      • Singapore
      • Turkey
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Scotland
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
      • Central America
      • US: East Coast
      • US: West Coast
    • South America
  • Lily Harper
  • Favorites
    • Beauty
    • Delicious Eats
    • London
    • My Wedding
    • Sparkle Sessions

The Pizza Slice Rule for Cutouts

06/09/14 | Fashion and Style, Guess, ModCloth

Kelly and Lauren - Classy Cutouts - Cutout DressesIn my senior year of college I do not think I attended a single party where at least one girl did not have part of her dressing missing. No, she did not leave it at home – there was just a hole, sometimes just a sliver of skin peaking through and other times there was definitely more flesh than dress. Case and point, my friend Lauren and I both chose dresses with black cutouts for a swim team party my senior year in college.  Excuse the solo cups and the bit of shine – you get the picture.  When I left college though, this dress and two others with the cutouts remained on campus.

Fast forward a few years to last weekend where I was at a bar in Brooklyn with a 30-something in a cutout dress that verged on nonexistent and it reminded me of something I believe I heard a fashion critic on E! say – if a dress has a cutout it should not bigger than a slice of pizza.  And in my mind that slice of pizza should not be big Artichoke-size slice, but the size of a medium size pie that is cut in 1/8ths.

I am going to go so far to say that now that I am out of college, cutout dresses should be banned but if you are in the “real world” a good rule of thumb is that all of the missing pieces should not add add up to more than a pizza slice.  Personally I have send farewell to cutouts but that doesn not mean you can’t wear them – like my 8 fashion trends I won’t wear – it just means I won’t.

If you are going to rock the trend here are some of my favorite subtle cutouts on dresses perfect for summer:

Sparkles and Shoes Classy Cocktails Dresses - Cutout Dresses

ModCloth Save the Best for Sass Dress

Delia’s Heart Print Side Cutout Skater Dress

GUESS Embellished Cutout Fit & Flare Dress

 

 

Do you think this is a fair rule or should dresses not have missing pieces at al?

Signature

Subscribe

« Quotes I Wish I Instagramed First
My 9 Favorite iPhone Apps »

Related Posts

  • White and Velvet Outfit - Alexandre de Paris Berenice Headband in BurgundyReally Love My … Kiss Nails
  • Kitty and Kelly in London - GAP Modern Boatneck DressReally Love My … Gap Striped Dress
  • South American Wine Tasting in Ellie KaiWine Tasting in My Favorite Travel Dress
  • Supporting Women Owned Businesses - Fie Isolde Alfa Rainbow RingSupporting Women Owned Businesses

Comments

  1. Sophie says

    June 10, 2014 at 1:41 am

    Cut outs definitely have a time and place.. The ones you picked out are perfect! Love it! http://thecoruscation.blogspot.com/

  2. Neatly-Packaged says

    June 10, 2014 at 12:28 am

    Crazy cute dresses!! Thank you for sharing 🙂

    http://neatly-packaged.blogspot.com/

  3. Caitlin Elizabeth says

    June 9, 2014 at 10:51 pm

    I totally agree with this but I love even more that pizza is used as a size comparison! Brilliant! x

  4. Shannon Jenkins says

    June 9, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    I completely agree with you! If youre going to do the cut outs, youve got to keep it classy! I absolutely adore that Keepsake Day Dream dress though! So cute!!

    <3 Shannon
    upbeatsoles.blogspot.com

  5. Helene says

    June 9, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    haha i love how you say pizza slice cutout. i love these dresses! so cute!

  6. Ellie says

    June 9, 2014 at 3:36 pm

    I definitely like the front cut outs way better than the side ones. I agree with you. I think all slices should not exceed the size of a piece of pizza. You want people to be intrigued by a show of skin, not see it all at once then stop caring!

  7. Elizabeth Lynn says

    June 9, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    I can not pull off any kind of waist cutouts for the life of me but I do love ones on the neckline (3 is my favorite). And I definitely think cutouts can be cute if they’re tasteful!

  8. Rachel says

    June 9, 2014 at 1:24 pm

    I like cutouts on certain areas- some women pull them off like no other and some don’t. I like the simple waist cutouts on the top middle one!

  9. Carmen Vecchio says

    June 9, 2014 at 1:23 pm

    the 3 is my fav!
    http://www.mrsnoone.it
    kiss

  10. Chelsea says

    June 9, 2014 at 11:53 am

    This is a great rule of thumb! I also think they’re cuter when they aren’t super low cut in the front.

  11. Sharon says

    June 9, 2014 at 10:53 am

    I think cutouts are cute if they’re done tastefully. I have a dress with a cutout similar to that red dress…just shows a tiny bit of skin.

    -Sharon
    The Tiny Heart

  12. Alyssa says

    June 9, 2014 at 10:04 am

    Haha I’ve never heard of the “pizza” rule before! Those E! hosts think of everything…

  13. Michael says

    June 9, 2014 at 9:27 am

    I’m not a fan of cutouts either but I really like 3, 4, and 6. I think if they’re tasteful, like these ones, it’s more acceptable. When you’re just wearing what looks like mesh, no. Just no.

Hi, I am Kelly and welcome to Sparkles and Shoes, a fashion, travel, and lifestyle blog founded in 2012.  After six years of living in London I am back in New York with my husband and two littles! 

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search

Newsletter

WHERE I SHOP

Amazon

Anthropologie

J. Crew

Minted 

Sephora

Target

Walmart

Zappos

Archives

  • 2025
  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012

Fine Print

Sparkles and Shoes is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site or any related social media platforms (including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest), I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase. All opinions are my own.

© Kelly Donlin and Sparkles and Shoes, 2012-2022 Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kelly Donlin and Sparkles and Shoes with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Get the latest

Receive Sparkles and Shoes right to your inbox!

Connect with me

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 · Designed by High Note Designs, LLC

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful Theme on Genesis Framework