I love the print of the Stourton Streaks Dress (now $110). Even seeing the model shot I knew this gathered tent style would be an issue but I was hoping that with clever belt usage or by sizing down this dress would work on me. The linen material is very thick; it almost feels like outdoor-grade furniture. The white neckline frames collarbones nicely and the length is pretty good, hitting an inch or so above the knee. The included belt has a pull-through buckle. The dress comes on or off via pullover.
I started off in a 6, but found it was massive. This dress runs very big even taking its volume into consideration. You may need to size down one or two sizes. In the photos above you see me in a 4 and it’s still plentiful. The model shot online must be pinned to holy heck — I bet if she turned around you’d have a peacock tail worth of material hiding back there. My biggest issue was trying to corral the dress into some kind of shape. Hardest was over the bust. There are pleats right at the neckline, and as a result the stripes plow outward over the chest instead of staying put. I truly wish this Made in Kind item had worked better on me because I love the print, but sadly it instead went back to the rack.
The Textured Hoops Dress ($148) had a lot of attention in the community when it first debuted but things have been awfully quiet since then. Initial reviews expressed disappointment in a wonky fit. I was excited to have a chance to see for myself. The print of this dress is nearly electric — yellow and orange and a very bright mint green combining for something that seems almost circuslike. But as the model shot online shows, with the right styling this dress could become a mod classic.
I first noticed how heavy this dress is. You can skip the arm and ankle weights if you’re wearing this dress! The material is actually sturdy cotton made via recycling. It makes the dress fairy stiff which is both good and bad. The bad being that any curves will set the dress on a straight path down. So let’s say you’re, oh, I dunno, 5’8″ with a 34D bust. Prepare to see the dress fall straight down from there, making you look either pregnant or tubby or take your pick. In the pack when I flexed my shoulders back the dress again fell from that point, making me look like I had a humpback.
In terms of sizing this Made in Kind design runs large. I found a medium to be far too loose everywhere so it was down to a small for these product photos and still the top part is very loose. But the drop waist was hugging my curves so the overall effect is kinda unpleasant. Another disappointing dress that I feel bad about not liking. Cute on the model, terrible on me. Pass.
Once on I found this dress to run large like the others in this set. You see me in a 4 above, and if I can wear a 4 than the smaller among us are almost certain to be sized out. In the back an inverted pleated is what allowed me to size down so much. But the pleat also caused a tenting effect from the back and sides. I suppose this dress is intended to sit on straight, ruler-like bodies. Add in some curves and like me you may have some trouble.
Despite the tent effect from the rear I like this dress quite a bit. The color and pattern are fantastic. I love the high scoop-style neckline. I can see wearing this dress for both work and casual reasons. It would require some tailoring to reign in the back pleat so I’m not eager to drop full price on the dress. Instead it’s wishlisted, waiting on a sale.
I figured Osei-Duro’s Mineral Chance Shift ($178) would be part of the Made in Kind collection but it’s not. It shares many similarities though: the offbeat design choices, the wild but awesome print and a common theme running thoughout all the designer’s pieces (there’s a top and another dress too). I love the shoulders, which are like soft rope crocheted into an interlocking pattern. This “online exclusive” dress is stocked in the Soho Anthropologie in NYC and I was thrilled to see it.
This dress is much shorter than it looks online. I expected to fall to my knees but it lands a good couple of inches above that. Being a shift it’s also cut very straight, especially through the hips and thighs. When I tried on the medium it was pretty loose up top and then hugged my midsection. I get frustrated with this shape because while there are women on whom this will look amazing, the majority of us are curvy. Just a little bit of give in the skirt would have gone a long way. I did purchase this dress, but ended up returning it when I came to terms with it just not looking great on me. Sigh. I loooove this dress but it is not meant to be with me. Four stars anyway for being well-made and pretty.
A mix of bold pattern and a screened photograph add up to populate the Inkjet Halter Dress (168), a forgiving shift that runs large. The neckline on this dress is very cool — wound round with enough coverage so you can still wear a bra (though you’ll want one in racerback fashion unlike the usual bra I was wearing on this day). The beach print is a little weird to me; I love all the colors but the placement makes it look like waves are cascading forward from between your breasts. Odd, no?
A medium was hanging pretty loosely off me, so I sized down to a small for these product shots. It is certainly skimming my thighs and hips but fit great up top. I love the pattern on the skirt and how hits just a little below the knees. I wish one of the bands was placed at the natural waist, which I feel would define the overall shape nicely. Even without that though this dress is lovely. Wishlisted!
The online product shot does not match up to the Diamondflower Mini Dress ($118). Online the dress looks much longer than it really is. I would also have guessed it to be a fit and flare based on the shot but it actually falls very straight. Is that side view supposed to be flattering? It would also be difficult to wear a bra with this dress. And call me crazy, but I think the front ruffles, heaviest front and center, are kind of vulgar. It didn’t look too pronounced on the dress I tried but I’m not in love with the idea of two thick ruffles spilling down.
A medium fit comfortably but again I hate how this falls down straight from the neckline. I love Leifsdottir but the Leifnotes items have been largely unimpressive to me. This dress is another pass.
Postmark is back with another pretty frock, this time a silk piece with plenty of flowiness. A blouson top meets an airy skirt in a beautiful pink color. The dress is tank style which is nearly universally flattering. The skirt hit me just above the knee. I am not a huge fan of the pattern placement though…a big puffy whiteness in the front interrupts the eye.
I found this dress to run true to size. For me a 6 was comfortably loose with some extra room in the top portion but a perfect fit across the hips and thighs. It’s just too bad about the pattern placement, which seems to be consistently white splooge no matter what size you are. Back to the rack.
Remember when Anthropologie used to have dresses like the Mariposa Lace Dress ($248) all the time? I want this dress to sell well to remind them too! Tracy Reese presents a figure-flattering dress with some design quirks that is mostly successful. The blush pink color of the top lace and mesh layer is gorgeous, though some may find it very close to their skin tone. The skirt flares out but isn’t overly poufy and the hemline just grazed my knees. I found the 6 to be too constricting, so I sized up to an 8.
This dress comes with a slip, but the slip is very strange. It’s got a v-neck line and is cut very low. My decolletage was clearly visible through the dress. Why even bother with a slip if it’s going to reveal that much?
The slip is sewn into the dress which is very smart in my opinion. There’s no support or boning in there but it is a nice nude color.
Down in the skirt section, the layering goes something like this: top mesh layer, acetate lining, extra ruffly crinoline-like layer underneath. This helps the dress keep its pleats and a-line shape. Very nicely done!
And finally here’s the back. I love the open back, which was not so low on me as to reveal my bra. Shorter ladies may find this back hole to be too big. Overall I like the dress but wish the slip came up higher in the front. Wishlisted for now!
Do you own any of the dresses from this review set? If so, how are you styling them?
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