She can't carry this dress off

Question

Hi teachers,Last year I asked a question about sentences like, "She can't carry well this dress" or "She can't carry this dress well."  Turned out they are not correct. And I noticed another form of version:1.  She can't carry this dress off.  It overpowers her.2.  A square face looks best in round glasses, a round face is flattered by a square or rectangular frame and an oval face can carry off any style.Are those correct and natural? (now with preposition 'of' tagged)ThanksTN

Avangi · Accepted Answer

tinanam0102Are those correct and natural? (now with preposition 'of' tagged)

I guess you mean "preposition 'off'," but I believe it's an adverb here. (carry it where, how?)

Yes, the expression is correct, natural, and common.

To carry something off is "to make it work," and possibly "to get away with it."

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Avangi,

I have two questions for you.

Avangi To carry something off is "to make it work," and possibly "to get away with it."

1. Can you say "I can't handle this type of dress" to mean "to make it work"?

2. "She can't carry the dress off, it overpowers her". Does this sentence reveal that the dress doesn't go with her looks, it doesn't suit her?

Thanks for taking time.
TN

Avangi · Answer

tinanam01021. Can you say "I can't handle this type of dress" to mean "to make it work"?

Theoretically, you could say that.

But the idiom "not to be able to handle something" is a bit too heavy-handed to characterize the wearing of a dress.

Have you seen the court scene in A Few Good Men in which Jack Nicholson Yells at Tom Cruise, "You can't handle the truth!"
When we describe something as "difficult to handle," we're not usually talking about something delicate.

tinanam01022. "She can't carry the dress off, it overpowers her". Does this sentence reveal that the dress doesn't go with her looks, it doesn't suit her?

Yes, that's correct. The mismatch is very specific.

Rgdz, - A.

Edit. Well, I guess this particular dress is not "delicate." Although we don't know in exactly what way it overpowers her.

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Avangi,

What is "a bit too heavy-handed to characterize the wearing of a dress"? (I looked up the dictionary but I don't quite understand)

I haven't seen "A Few Good Men". "You can't handle the truth", would it be similar to "It's better for you to not know the truth, because you may faint or be surprised"?

Thanks
Tinanam

Avangi · Answer

tinanam0102What is "a bit too heavy-handed to characterize the wearing of a dress"? (I looked up the dictionary but I don't quite understand)

Think of jobs/work being done by craftsmen/tradesmen. Compare a plumber or furniture mover to a jeweler/watchmaker.
The plumber often needs to apply a lot of force or muscle to accomplish his task.
You might speculate that if he tried his hand at repairing a watch, he might accidentally break it.
You could say that he was too heavy-handed for the job.

tinanam0102I haven't seen "A Few Good Men". "You can't handle the truth", would it be similar to "It's better for you to not know the truth, because you may faint or be surprised"?

Well said! (Maybe "be shocked!" would be more appropriate than "be surprised."

I'm sure there are plenty of examples in which "handle" is used to describe a delicate touch.
She must be handled with kid gloves.
Handle the eggs very carefully!

But when we use it in the negative (She couldn't handle it!), I usually picture some great difficulty or obstacle to be overcome -- something a little more robust than wearing a dress.

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Avangi,

Thanks for your explanation.

Tinanam

She can't carry this dress off

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