The consumer tracking piece will run later today! Apologies for the delay, my attention was needed elsewhere yesterday. To keep us all occupied this morning how about some more dress reviews? Yesterday’s Anthropologie dress reviews set didn’t go so well. Today is a somewhat better.
Note: If you’re wondering my sizing measurements/height/etc, they’re detailed on this page.
Tabitha loves themselves a good combo dress. They’ve been releasing choices like the Great Escape Dress ($168) for years now. I’m a little less enamored — only rarely does the mix of unstructured top and super-structured bottom work for me. In a familiar refrain the reason is almost always that the waist would hit too high on me. (I’m thinking of you, Bustling Avenues Dress.)
It seems like Anthropologie has taken our feedback to heart. I noticed a distinct difference in the latest round of dresses where the waist hits and inch or two lower thanks to more material in the top. Sadly it didn’t help the overall fit for me but I appreciate the effort!
The Great Escape Dress ($168) is the no-sleeve version of the combo dress for spring. A ruffly pink poly top with a weird gold exposed zip is perched above a beautiful floral skirt made from sturdy cotton with lining. Don’t plan on the seams matching up in the pattern, Anthro didn’t even try. There are side slant pockets though! The presence of the front zip on the top is made all the weirder by a side zip, which is how you actually get into the dress. Color me confused. I love me some ruffles and they are expertly placed on the bodice, not too big or overpowering and light as you walk.
I tried on an 8, which is one size up from normal for me. The skirt of these dresses always gives me fits. The front and back tend to pooch out no matter what size I’m in, while the skirt is never quite wide enough for my thighs. This dress was alright but you’ll see a worse example below. Although I’m very pleased with how tiny my waist looks the skirt is manageable at best. Hard to walk in, not really roomy enough, wonder how anyone could walk in it. The sole online review notes the skirt is a-line, but that was not my take. Straight as straight can be.
A pass for me.
If you prefer sleeves on your combo dresses Tabitha offers up the Elland Dress ($168). The top portion of this dress is stunning. The grassy green color is lighter than a kelly and bluer than a mint, landing right in that sweet spot of freshly cut lawn. It has an open lattice detail with a tie at front and center. The sleeves are short but fit nicely, gently off the body without sticking out.
Like its sleeveless cousin this dress has a sturdy lined cotton skirt, this time with blooms busting in all directions and mismatched seams. For whatever reason the 8 in this dress was even worse than the 8 of the Great Escape Dress. This time the skirt portion truly was pooching off of me, making it look as though I’d gotten butt implants and was sporting one heck of a food baby. There are no pockets on this version of the dress oddly. The defined waist is such a treat that it makes me sad this dress doesn’t look good.
I think these dresses are best suited to a body with fewer curves, where this dress can help create an illusion of more shape. For people like me who already have plenty of shape it’s less successful. I like the color scheme of this dress better than the Great Escape, but I like the skirt pattern of the Great Escape more than this Elland. Either way, both are a pass.
The Inkweb Dress ($188) has done the impossible — it’s made me look like a column! If this print looks familiar it’s because Leifsdottir also released it as a sweater, the Webbed Tales Boatneck ($88, review) which I also loved. This felt-like cotton spandex (yuck!) dress looks daunting on the hanger — I wondered how in the world I would ever fit into it. The head hole looks too small. The armholes are pretty big. There are folds and pleats across the front and a concealed back zip. After staring down the dress for the better part of a few minutes, I finally decided to give it a shot based on my success with the sweater version.
I’m so glad I did! My usual size medium fit wonderfully, smoothing me from luscious curvy gal to tall statuesque girl. The skirt portion of this dress is long. It hits at mid-calf. Luckily the simple lean silhouette makes it easy to pair the dress with a pair of tall boots like the ones I happened to be wearing. At the bottom of the skirt simple tight pleats keep the eye from widening anything.
This dress is very impressive! Large armholes aside it’s pretty much perfect in my book. Added to the Birthday Haul wishlist!!
I’ve been remiss in not reviewing the Flocked Speckle Dress ($188)! I do love me some Sachin + Babi, forever hoping to find this skirt from 2011 in my size. I’ve seen the Flocked Speckle look super cute on many, including a diner on last night’s Top Chef restaurant wars episode. So even though I knew it wouldn’t be great on me I decided to give the old college try.
The dress is a 60s shapeless swiss-dot babydoll. Damn you babydolls! I like my body as it is but any kind of chest makes this dress lay like a muumuu. The dress is cotton and is lined, though the lining isn’t the same shape as the dress so there are parts of the shoulder and neckline that are sheer. It’s also kind of short, ending a good two inches above my knee. When I tried sitting the back of the dress creeped up closer to my bottom than I’d like.
I tried on my usual 6 which was a fine fit but not a fine look. I can’t get too upset — this dress wasn’t designed with a body shape like mine in mind. I can however be envious of all the lovely ladies who can pull this look off. The dress is very lightweight and not warm enough for winter at all. You’ll want to layer under and over it before wearing it out. I really like this turquoise color. The front pleats spell doom for my chest. Gah!
It does look a little better full-frame:
…but still not enough to convince me to buy it. Belting it would only make me look sillier. So away it goes. Lovely dress that’s not made for me. Back to the rack, encouraged for others!
Maeve’s Swiss Dots Dress ($118) is getting rave reviews on Anthropologie’s website…and I can’t figure out why. Once again I think body shape might be the reason. How cute does this dress look on the model? How weird does it look on me? Horizontal pleats over the chest? Yikes. I look like a linebacker getting ready for ballet.
This dress is all rayon, not cotton-rayon as the website suggests. There’s a scoop neck tank front and a keyhole back that may expose the band of your bra. I love the waistline band and the skirt which spills perfectly down to the knee.
I tried on both a medium and a large. My usual medium was the better fit. You see it on me above. I can’t say it looked good though! The straps are too thick and the horizontal pleats do my body no favors. I could only laugh while looking at myself in the mirror.
Another cute dress that’s not for me. Pass. Remember curves, Anthropologie!
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