This Thursday kicks off with a bunch of Made In Kind dress reviews. Later today I’ll be back with several new arrival dresses and if my schedule allows a third dress reviews set may appear. (If not today, soon.)
Perhaps to even the score from their Cirque A-Line Dress last year (jog your memory here), Anthropologie now unveils the Donkey Silk Shift ($188) from across the aisle. This dress reminds me of a carnival game. The donkeys aren’t so much sauntering across the dress as they are stamped in geometric fashion. The minty green motif base color is pretty and the light brown of the donkey goes, though white would have been much crisper to me. The sleeves are bracelet length and this dress is short. Don’t let these photos fool you — it hit a few inches above my knees. There is a thin poly lining inside and the dress is opaque.
Two words sum up this dress to me: hospital gown. It’s shaped just like one, right down to the closure up the back. I couldn’t quite get my arms to contort enough to let me zip the dress all the way up. You see me in an 8 here. I knew I’d need to size up from my usual 6 in a shift, but I think a 10 would be better. So that’s two sizes up for me. The harsh overhead lighting isn’t exactly flattering but I like this dress! It’s too short for me to wear in the summer, except maybe to a party where I’d be standing the whole time. In the winter though I’d love to throw leggings on under this, wear a chunky statement necklace and call it a look. Or throw a blazer over it with tights and call it a fashion-forward work look.
I would love to see this dress in a tank version with a defined waist. Not a full-price buy for me but wishlisted for sale.
Karen Walker, you are my clothing lord and savior. (Hopefully that’s not blasphemy.) Your dresses hug my curves in wonderful ways, and cinch my waist to delicate shape. First up is the Thornbill Dress ($158) which has tons of hummingbirds buzzing about a beautiful red color. Yes it’s polyester but as I’ve said considering the usual price point for Karen Walker I don’t mind. The dress has an amazing skirt that hugs your backside — J.Lo would be giving me side eye. I love the thick waist-defining band. I am not as in love with the poufy pricess puff sleeves or the deepness of the v-neck. Still, it’s sexy.
My usual size 6 hugged every curve perfectly. I adore the fit of this line! It’s annoying that I’d have to wear a cami underneath the dress. Still if that’s the only trade-off for a great fit I don’t mind. The dress hit about an inch above my knees. There is no back slit but I had no problem walking. This dress is beautiful. Wishlisted!
STYLE # 24955551; blue motif (049)
★★★☆☆
The Karen Walker dress I was most looking forward to turned out to be the most disappointing. This is the Bird & Bloom Dress ($158), a beautiful navy blue dress with tiny little buds all over it. I love the plaited v-neckline and the front-tie sash. It hits knee-length and has thick shoulders with no sleeves. There is a side zip and once again this is poly that feels like silk instead of the real thing. The dress has a slight sheen to it and feels slippery to the touch. I thought I would try this dress on, love it and buy it.
Not so much. I found my usual size 6 roomy in the oddest place: the back. Above the sash the material kept drifting out like it was trying to escape. Meanwhile the front was also overly blousy. The skirt however fit perfectly so I wouldn’t size down. I’m not sure what happened but the execution of this dress falls short to me. Regretfully, it is a pass.
★★★☆☆
Taking a slightly different shape, the Scattered Petals Dress ($158) is more sheath and less fit-and-flare. This dress has a generous ruffle all the way around the neckline, a cinched waist and a tight skirt. It would be perfect for the tango class a friend keeps inviting me too. There is a belt at the waist and I’m pleased that it has many holes to choose from, including some very close ones. As someone with generous hips but a nice tiny waist, I’m often pitted against belts that won’t go tight enough. This one did, with holes to spare. It hit one inch above my knee.
For those with a straighter shape, this may be the Karen Walker dress for you. I found it much less accommodating to my curves than her other options. This is a 6 on me and I’d need at least an 8, perhaps a 10. This dress is alluring but likely not for me. Back to the rack.
A Made in Kind design
I was thrilled to find the Stellar Remnants Dress ($178) in-store so I could give it a whirl. This Norwegian Wood dress has a unique and strange pattern…and I mean that as a compliment. I love the combination of stripes and, umm, whatever that is on the front. Ancient astrological hieroglyphics? Whatever they are, it’s cool. The dress has a racerback top and is quite long, hitting a good couple of inches below my knees.
There weren’t many sizes to choose from so I tried a medium. As expected it was tight on me and I’d size up to a large to buy. I do love the way it hugs my curves but it was stretching too far over the bust and hips. I think some of the stripes are tricky; I wish the white stripe across my butt wasn’t quite so thick and the diagonal stripes around the bust are tough. But overall I think this dress would be great as an underlayer…
…perhaps with a waist-cinching blazer. You see the Paprika Expedition Jacket ($128) on me, it will get a review soon. The dress is wishlisted — crossing my fingers that it hits sale soon!
A Made in Kind design
STYLE # 25250457; neutral motif (015)
★★★★☆
I am tempted to go all Super Troopers for this entire review but I will suppress it. Maybe. This is the Feline Karma Dress ($148), an adorable modern whimsical take on kitties. I’m not much of a cat person and I don’t really like cats on clothing but I’ll be damned if these brush-stroked kitties aren’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. The inverted pleats in front center are a cool touch and I like the classic, thicker shoulder bands on this tank dress. If Anthropologie wants to revisit whimsy but put a modern twist on it this dress is a decent template, with some editing needed.
The fit, however, is pretty tricky. The dress is short — two or so inches above me knee. I started in an 8 (not shown) hoping for additional length. It didn’t work; the dress was falling off. I went to my usual 6 for these photos. The 6 was still a little boxy but a better fit overall. This dress will require some tailoring; the fit in the top portion is off. You can even see it in the model shot:
