This reviews set is a mix of dresses that impress and ones that just make me laugh.
The Gala Dress ($128) is an online exclusive that sold out last month, but I every so often I’ll find this as a return on the last chance rack in the fitting rooms. During a recent trip to Anthropologie I saw this dress in a medium so I decided to try it on.
The first you’ll notice about this dress is the zoological drawings all over it. Elephants, elk, bears, zebras, gazelles, okapi, etc. It’s rayon and polyester with an acute v-neck that spills to above the knee. I’m 5’8″ and this dress hit about two inches above my knees. There’s also a drawstring waist, which I usually hate but works well here to pull the waist in without making my hips look like cupcake tops bursting out from the sides.
The medium was comfortable on, maybe a bit oversized but not enough that I’d size down. I think accessorizing this dress will be key. Too few accessories and it may look like a hospital gown. A chunky necklace, a few bracelets and a nice pair of drop earrings will elevate this from outpatient to daywear. The pattern is a delight to look at up close but not overwhelming from afar.
I wish this dress was longer but it’s otherwise fantastic. Not a winner for me but highly recommended!
I think I remember Samantha wearing a dress just like this on Sex and the City. Maybe in the episode where they went clubbing in the Meatpacking District? Now you can live out your own version of that with the Spliced Pencil Dress ($168) which is, like, so totally 90s. The first time dresses like this were popular I was too young to wear them and I have no desire to try now. This dress is weird to me. The pattern looks a little like vertical blinds or maybe a space age keyboard. The back has a lace panel above the waist — luckily there’s an opaque black panel that comes up to the shoulder blades. The lace is pretty tacky in my opinion, one step too far.
The materials used in this dress are: rayon, viscose, nylon, polyester, spandex, cotton. Blech! But as always I do love that Weston Wear items are made in the USA so I decided to give this one a shot. The dress was only available in a small and extra small at the store I tried, so here I am in the small. Which is clearly too small. I’m sure my usual size medium would be fine. Bodycon dresses have their place — I have gone to many a NYC club in them! But it’s weird seeing them at Anthropologie and even weirder in this pattern straight out of 1993. I’ve had a visceral negative reaction to all of the 90s retreads I’ve seen so far (Velvet dresses??? Camo??? Babydolls??? No, no, no.) Perhaps for peeps who missed this stuff originally it’s a fun time to experiment with. Me? I’d much rather skip to the part where preppy pleated skirts and high socks were all the rage.
Pass for me, but I have to admit the fit is pretty hot.
Update 9/12/2013: I went back to the store and tried on the new neutral motif version:
I like it much better than the striped version I originally tried. Highly recommended!
Maeve’s pretty Aria Dress ($168) is a simple fit-and-flare dress with a pretty lattice neckline in both front and back. It comes in a standard black which would be amazing for work and will get more attention in my next post in the workwear series (which, internet willing, will run on Saturday!). But I was more drawn to this beautiful jewel-tone blue. The dress is cotton with viscose mixed in and an exposed zipper. I don’t love the sleeves, which lend more of a school marm look than I prefer. I love the waistline with the gathered pleating in front and the bodice portion is very flattering.
I started off in my usual 6 but this dress runs large. So down to a 4 I went for these photos. One annoying thing is that as you size down the dresses get a little shorter. So while the 6 grazed the top of my knees the 4 was another half-inch shorter, almost hitting me in an awkward spot. Just because you’re getting smaller does not necessarily mean you’re getting shorter Anthro!
One thing to love is that this dress has pockets:
The waist hits in almost the right spot, it’s about a half-inch above the right place on me. But keep in mind that I have a short torso so if you’re busty like I am the bodice might look a little funny.
This dress is darling and I plan to snap it up soon. For now it’s on my fall wishlist!
One personal habit I’m not too fond of is the way I sometimes casually swear. Fuck flies out of my mouth a bit more often than I mean it to, thus losing its power. I learned this habit from my friend J, who before she had kids used the word in every other sentence. Now that she’s a mom she has to censor herself. For instance, instead of saying holy crap she now says holy cats! Which is exactly what I thought when I saw the Chaton Shift ($138) — holy cats!
Admittedly I’m not a cat person at all. I love dogs. Cats are OK, as a kid I dug them, but now they seem like scratchy hairballs to me. (Sorry, cat lovers.) But I know they are somewhat synonymous with quirk and besides dogs have their day on the Top Dog Pullover ($98, review upcoming, runs true to size!).
This dress is a darling shift with a Peter Pan collar. It’s oh so very short. Midthigh standing up, nearly scandalous sitting down. I get the length being so short because of the super-straight cut. Longer and it would look like a tent or a muu muu. But that doesn’t mean it works on tall people like me! It’s pullover style with a keyhole opening in back.
The frock runs large so do size down. I’m in a small in these photos instead of my usual size medium. The pattern is somewhat forgiving of larger busts though from the side the dress spills straight down from there, so I look a little bulkier than normal. The dress does make it almost to my fingertips but when I sit down it scrunches up to near exposure.
Adorable? Certainly. But not really for me. Back to the rack this frock went.
Welcome back to the 5th Ave (NYC) Anthropologie fitting room caves, where potlights cast shadows that set color tone off. Trust the website colors of the Lacebloom Dress ($228) more than the photos on me. I had to cool the colors considerably to brighten them enough. This polyester dress immediately captured my heart when it showed up online. I love the flowers everywhere, I love the defined waistband and I even like the exposed zipper with the colored panels on either side. There’s also a scalloped hem and a purposely poufy skirt. (But not Amalia Tulle poufy.)
I’m usually smack between a 4 and a 6 in Leifsdottir dresses and this dress continued that trend. In the 4 (not shown) there wasn’t enough room in the bodice for my chest. But in the 6 on me here the bodice was pretty loose and skirt also had some extra room. I don’t think it looks bad by any means; in fact I think the dress is very cute! But I’d need to tailor in the shape just a bit to get that midcentury vibe Anthro’s going for. The waistband was also super roomy on me in the 6, probably due to the loose bodice. The dress hit me just above my knees.
This dress may be too cutesy for some but I love it! Stars off for the fit issues. The tailoring needed means I’m waiting for sale but this dress is surely sitting on my wishlist!
Just to make things confusing, the Strata Dress ($198) is one of those dresses that will fit very differently depending on your body shape. Damn the tricky model shot where she’s hunched over, making this whimsically out there frock look longer than it is! In reality it’s quite short, hitting me mid-thigh at best. But with a skirt so roomy the balance is better here than on, say, the Chaton Shift above. I love the skirt. Not so much the bodice which has an unbalanced white stripe down the center. If you have a smaller bust it probably looks quite cool. On a larger bust like mine it just looks weird.
As for the fit, this dress nips in considerably at the waist, with little forgiveness. So if you’re an hourglass like me or a pear, this dress will run large. I’m in a 4 instead of my usual 6 for these photos. That probably made the dress a little shorter too. If you’re an apple, a column, or boyish, the dress will be too tight around the waist in your usual size. Go up at least one size.
One other thing to know: this dress is heavy. H-E-A-V-Y. Weighs like 2 lbs. Feels heavy on. Not warm-weather friendly. And my legs would be tired after a full day of carrying this around on me.
I think this dress is pretty cute but I’m not convinced it’s friendly for larger busts. Wishlisted for reconsideration come sale time.
What do you think of the dresses in this reviews set?
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