Happy Daytona 500 Day! (Go Dale Jr! Or Jamie McMurray! Or Kevin Harvick!) This is Part II of my weekend dress reviews — Part I is here. This set features dresses that have captured hearts around the community — how did they work for me? Read on to find out.
Tabitha can do no wrong in my book, especially after the classic that is the Pom Flower Shift ($158). The dress above is the next step in the evolution, the Glanz Dress ($158). I love the pleated A-line skirt which is a better shape for me than the body-skimming skirt of a shift. Like the Pom before it, the Glanz is made of textured cotton that’s slightly bumpy to the touch. The dress is sturdy which will help keep the pleats intact. The bold stripes are fun though my symmetry-demanding brain kept seeing the dress as lopsided due to the green on one side and the ivory on the other.
I usually size up one size in Tabitha. So instead of my usual 6 I tried on an 8. The 8 was the right size, though I had some extra room at the neckline. I think those with bigger ribcages like me will want to size up and those who aren’t so barrel-chested can stick to their true size. I’m thrilled that the waist hit me in the right spot. I felt perfectly shaped in this dress, which is the highest compliment to pay. I think this dress will flatter just about anyone. I’ll end up buying this one at full price. Wishlisted!
I had plenty of success wearing some of Anthro’s chemises as dresses last year, so I hoped to repeat that success with the Wandering Mind Chemise ($68). This poplin frock has an abstract rectangle print that twists and contorts into vs and chevrons and squares all over the place. Two lines of lace trim are laid in a more concrete fashion along the bottom. There’s a tie-back and a small line of buttons along the front.
I reached for a medium, my usual size. And I was swimming in it! Even with the tie-back the dress felt huge. And from the front it was all kinds of loose and billowy, making me feel like I could hide not only a large meal but maybe also a baby bump under there. Here’s the thing though: much as I want to wear this as a dress it’s a chemise. So I can’t really knock it for being loose or unstructured. I don’t think this would pass as daywear for me. As chemises go though, it’s really nice.
Summer ice skating costume? Zehavale’s Summer-Grown Dress ($138) has a pretty but old-feeling print, a beautiful black sash and an odd bunch of mesh where straps should be. If you like designs that recall early last century I think you’ll love this dress, and truly it does have a beautiful feeling of nostalgic beauty to it. Anthro’s product description positions this as a sundress but it’s much too nice for that. This is a garden party dress to me.
As with Zehavale’s other dresses, I needed to go up in size. I was able to slide on the 8 in this dress. This was for my thighs, which demanded more room than the shift-cut skirt would allow. Once the dress was on I found it decently flattering. I was not in love though. I do not like the mesh top one bit! In the back this mesh continues quite low, meaning I’m not sure that even a strapless bra would stay hidden. With the ability to wear a bra severely limited I’m left unsure that I could wear this dress outside of the fitting room.
One other thing that really bothered me — the brand tag is HUGE and sewn right into the mesh. Why?? If you have shorter hair it will be completely visible and do you really want to risk cutting it out of such a delicate material? Seems an odd design choice to me. All of these factors ended up in a pass for me. Back to the rack.
Green is my color. But the Emerald Wicklow Dress ($158) is not my dress. No, this is evidence of how lumpy and dumpy I can look even in a dress ruched to cover such things up. The dress is made from silk jersey in a beautiful gem tone — a rarity at Anthropologie. I love that the top covers everything with just a hint of sex appeal and on the hanger the waves and ripples in the skirt looked quite alluring.
On it was another story. My usual size medium easily slipped over my head but, well, I think the photos speak for themselves. My bottom half looks amazingly bad. I have heard that this dress fits differently from dress to dress, so maybe I just got a bad egg. It also could be that this dress was just not meant for me. Either way I have no plans to buy this. Back to the rack.
I’m not one for revolutionary ruffles over my chest, but the yellow skirt of the Sunny Soiree Dress ($148) was too cute to pass up. Much like the product description states, this dress looks light and feels breezy on. The top portion is sheer, clearly, while the skirt is fully lined. A sash matching the skirt print belts easily and looks beautiful. I even like the ruffly sleeves.
Some people have noted the neck feels tight, and I will say that it’s pretty close. Otherwise my usual size 6 was perfectly comfortable. The skirt felt a little sad in-store but I’m sure a shot of steam would pick it right up. The waist cinches in nicely to create a feminine shape. I don’t really like the ruffle though so the dress left me feeling meh rather than impressed. Pretty, but not for me. Pass.
