If you read my reviews post yesterday you know I lost a whole bunch of raw review pictures. Nut that I am I ran out yesterday afternoon to redo as many as I could. By some stroke of luck I managed to find every dress I’d lost again — yay! And I got some extra exercise which is never a bad thing.
I have nothing but love for Leifsdottir so of course the Summer Twilight Dress ($298) was love at first sight. I love how Anthropologie presented a work option for the dress above though I notice now they desaturated the shot quite a bit.
You see in real life the dress is very vivid. Truly ready for a garden party. I was unable to find my usual size 6 on the rack so I sized up to an 8. I found it pretty loose in the stomach area. The straps were also so long that they were a bit of a mess on my shoulders. Trust me when I say the 6 worked well. The length is absolutely perfect, skimming the tops of my knees.
The dress itself is slippery silk that feels nice and cool against the skin in the summer heat. I just love the bodice portion with its ruched draping. And we already know that with a blazer on top this dress could work for work. (The print would be too much for conservative offices though.) Is there any question that I wishlisted it?
I am surprised that there’s been so little bloggie buzz around Moulinette Soeurs’ In the City Dress ($128). Earlier this week I was raving with a community member via email about this one. I first noticed it through one of the widgets on Tien’s blog. It looked light and airy and in this weather that’s what I want. Guess the dress is named well though — it’s been selling like hotcakes, or I guess ice cream, here in NYC. The first time around I tried on an 8 — my normal size in the brand. But when I went back to Soho the dress was gone. Luck was on my side when Chelsea Market had one dress in stock, a 10 that was a return. These photos are that 10.
These days I’m either an 8 or a 10 in Moulinette Soeurs but in this case the 10 was too loose. The exposed zipper on the corset is the lone zip on this dress. The seam right below the corset stretches slightly to help you get this on pullover style. I’ll admit the 8 required some crafty flexing to get on. It’s worth it though — this dress is perfect for summer! I love the neckline and the pintuck pleat detail on it. The skirt moves wonderfully as you walk. And there is a certain of cool to this dress. The spaghetti straps present a challenge for the bustier among us. For me, I will get around this by wearing a sheer blouse under it for work. I think you could work this dress into the fall with a turtleneck under it, but it’s too light for winter. Still it’s a 3-season winner. Wishlisted!!
Another dress I’ve been waiting to see in real life is C. Keer’s Shifting Feathers Dress ($98). I can only hope that its sudden arrival in-store means it’s about to go on sale! The first thing I noticed is that this dress looks like it’s already faded from being washed several times. It was odd. All it was missing was the pilling that jersey gets when it’s old. This feeling came from the white undertones this dress has that bled through the blue base color. You could deviously donate this one to the “after 60 washes” side of a Tide commercial.
It didn’t stop me from liking the dress though. I tried on my usual size small. It was comfortable, easy and I wanted to walk right out of the store in it! Can’t say I loved the string sash that much. I would belt this dress instead. Like many of Anthro’s printed dresses the pattern varies from dress to dress. In this case I liked the big white burst right over each hip. Not even kidding. I am going to hold out in case this dress gets marked down, but I love it. Wishlisted!
Glory be preppy me! The Grosgain Peaks Dress ($138) is a voile delight with slightly chevroned tiers of ribbon weaving their way around the skirt and bodice. Like I could resist trying this one on.
I stuck to my usual size 8 in Moulinette Soeurs. The skirt was great but the bodice was tight. Inside this dress has a nice interior bra and boning. It took a few extra seconds to buckle in if you will. The sash, while thin, is just lovely and looks perfect tied up in a bow. It made me look like a present. An odd green and blue present with lots of sheen. I am in love with the idea of this dress but this color scheme just isn’t working for me. Since Anthro seems to be sneaking out new colors later on I will wait to see what other combinations this dress comes in. I would love to see black and another color…maybe cream? Maybe blue? Something a little less wrapping paper. Back to the rack for now.
Here is the Marine Mural Dress ($248), which I think just about every Anthro blogger has tried on at this point. Why not add one more take to the pile? The white base is much like a canvas upon which an octopus and marine flora has been carefully painted. It’s an artistic piece worthy of its pricetag.
My usual size 6 was a comfy, and slightly loose, fit. The back is generously smocked and if my size 6 sells out before sale I could easily make a 4 work. This dress does have its quirks though. First is the strap placement. I don’t know why it’s at the highest point of the sweetheart neckline but it looks weird. The straps should be about a 1/4 to a 1/2-inch further towards the shoulders. Also, the cotton has some kind of treatment to it (I’m guessing to protect the painted skirt) that makes it feel a bit plastic-y. As a kid sheets like this used to drive me nuts. I hate how it feels to the touch. Luckily the lining doesn’t have it so I can wear it comfortably. I’ve wishlisted this one but I’m definitely waiting for sale.
one.september’s Count the Waves Dress ($128) is an ensemble dress that’s work-ready. The colors are also oddly neutral for summer. Now that fall clothing is upon us I’m not surprised to see this make its arrival in stores…perhaps just in time to get moved to sale?
The thing about ensemble dresses at Anthro is that while the skirt is always nice and structured the top is usually some flimsier-by-comparison material. I’d love the see the reverse — a softer, flowier skirt paired with a crisp cotton top. In this case it’s jersey. Sigh. The “waves” are kind of sadly cresting over my bust and the buttons are not trailing on me the way they do in the model shot. These pictures are the size small which was a comfortable if unimpressive fit. I do love the skirt portion and pockets make me happy. But this dress wasn’t bowling me over. Pass.
Care for a spot of tea…on your dress? Floreat’s Sugar & Cream Dress ($158) captured my imagination immediately. When I came out of my fitting room to check myself in the 3D mirror, another girl was already there in the same frock! And while normally it would call for a walk-off in that case, we just laughed.
My usual size 6 was a bit loose but a 4 would have been to tight around the bust. The sash was long enough for me to double-wrap it back around the front. Really, this dress is just perfect. The material looks and feels great, the cut is impeccable, the sash is big and beautiful. Is it greedy to wish for this exact dress in another print? Perhaps chess pieces or cards or Cheshire cats? Wishlisted!!
