Guest post: Leifsdottir reviews by Ivoire

I am very excited to welcome Ivoire, who has reviewed a few Leifsdottir items! Have I mentioned how much I love Anthropologie’s intricate sister? True the price points are higher but I love every single item I own from this line and the designs always thrill. Hopefully you will enjoy reading this post as much as I did! If you’re interested in writing a guest post please email me or click the “contact” link near the top of the blog. On to the reviews…

Hey Anthroheads! I’m Ivoire, and because I live in Vancouver, Canada (i.e. no Anthro except if you go down to Seattle). I’m basically cruelly deprived of Anthro goodiness. However, I did pop down the Holt Renfrew today, and lo and behold, Leifsdottir! What a sight for sore eyes (eh?)! Thus, all the reviews here are for Leifsdottir items. Enjoy! =)

Note: I usually wear a 4/6 in all Anthro stuff, Leifsdottir sometimes fits a little bigger. Tops are usually S/M for me depending on label. I’m 5’6″ and around 125 lbs.

The Summer Twilight Dress ($298) is a superbly lovely work of art. Indeed, the SA walked in on me while I was examining the dress in front of the mirror, and she immediately blurted out, “You look like a painting!” The quality is absolutely amazing: it’s fine, delicate silk that made me want to stroke it and swish around in it all the time. I’m 5’6″, and the length hit me just right for my taste: about 3 inches above the knees or so. Any shorter, and I think it’ll be a tad risqué for me. Because I’m quite small-chested, the self-tying straps were a godsend — they allow you to not only adjust the length, but also adjust according to various busts. Therefore, no fear, more-generously-endowed ladies! 😉

I could definitely see this at a garden party or even a cocktail party with solid colour heels and sparkly jewelry, although of course with a dress like this the real attention grabber is itself 😀 I really don’t have much to say about this dress in terms of negatives… save for its redonkulous price. $298 USD is bad enough, but try $325 CAD… ouch. Maybe as a graduation present? Hm. Can’t think of any excuses to get this when I’m lusting over another Leifsdottir dress… For reference, I took a 6 in this because the online reviews said it ran small. However, I think it actually ran a little large! Or that may be because of the way I tied the straps, I don’t know. But I could have sized down to a 4, so if you’re thinking of trying this on, know that it’s alll about the straaaaps. Yeahyeah. By the way, check out Cat’s (of Anthrosdottir fame!) review here. I swear she looks smashing in everything.

Next, the Majestic Cypress Toile Dress ($278): I tried this on just to test the poofiness of it — my friend had bought it earlier and looked so puffalicious with it. But okay Cat, I actually sorta can stand this dress! Don’t kill me! *runs for cover* This is a lovely dress by mostly all accounts: the print is absolutely striking in person, the corset straps are quite innovative and add a Victorian aura to the dress, plus the quality is outstanding. However, I took issue with two major points of contention: firstly, I’m admittedly small-busted, and while the back of the dress was amazing with the corset laces and criss-crossing and all, the straps were simply too loose. The back was rather gaping on me, and it had nothing to do with the dress size. Secondly, I liked the shortness of it (also hit 3 inches above knee), the poofiness of it really isn’t cool. It may add a whimsical touch for the right person and look smashing, but to me it looked slightly silly.

I can’t imagine wearing any sort of long cardi or coat over this: the poofiness will make me look like a walking talking snowball. A très expensive snowball, but a snowball nonetheless. Ah well. I took a 4 in this because there weren’t any 6s left, and it actually fit quite perfectly… except for the straps. (I found it funny how the SA first told me while browsing to “Try this Hawaiian one on! It’s been selling like hotcakes!” I laughed to myself at this, (a) because it’s obviously NOT Hawaiian and (b) I can’t believe I am so Anthro-obsessed that I immediately feel indignant at people calling clothing by their wrong names. Sinners!)

(Wow I am such an unimaginative poser… Yeah, uh, actually the person in the yellow below is my twin sister, who just happened to copy my pose. Jeez sis! Stop making me look boring! ;)) I tried on the Lafayette Strapless Dress ($278) in both Purple and Yellow, although only the Purple is available online (both colours are on the Leifsdottir website, FYI). I have to say, when I first saw this on the hanger I was like O_O …. it’s soooo short. And I was right…sorta.

Well, okay, not really. I guess I’m bad at judging. I’m 5’6″, so it definitely works for petite girls, but for some reason, even though technically it hits just like all the above dresses at 3 inches above knee, the style just made it look so much shorter! I think it’s because it’s relatively more monochromatic, in addition to its streamlined cut. The quality disappointed me.. usually Leifsdottir is excellent in this department, but the fabric is not all that comfortable. If there was a silk lining under it, doubtless it’ll be much more tolerable, but as it were, it’s ever-so-slightly scratchy. Plus, it dirties easily — In store (Holt Renfrew not Anthro), the yellow version was quite soiled indeed, and had faint brown marks all over it. Pass!

I’m small-chested and so strapless dresses are sometimes an issue for me — this one is no exception. I just didn’t have the goods to hold this up, haha 😉 I felt like it was going to slip off if I walk for bit. Also, the cut around the midsection is not flattering at all: it doesn’t fit to the contours of the body, giving a rather boxy and unfeminine shape. And it even puffs out in the tummy area, giving a suggestive bump there even there’s not any. Fits TTS/slightly big for me. I took a 4 in this and it was a bit too big in all the wrong areas (see: pregnant midsection). In summary: meh.

Ooh I just realized that my ring matches the yellow dress… It’s the Gilded Posy Ring by Kenneth Lane — bought it at the Rockefeller Anthro while visiting — fav ring of all time. Added a picture because it’s my baby. =)

The Esplanade Halter Top ($118) used to be on Anthro’s site, but apparently it sold out (whaaaat…? Seriously?) so now it’s only on Leifdottir’s site. I tried this out mainly because I’m a huge sucker for bows and halter tops, so this one was screaming my name on the rack. However, when I did find it, it was in a bit of a sorry shape… the ties were all messed up so I spent like 5 minutes tying and retying the bow to make it look passably like it does online. Yeah… don’t try that. It doesn’t work.

Anyway, I took a medium in this, mostly because I thought from online + on rack it would run small and hug the body…. Strike two! The ruching is lovely and all but it’s not as formfitting as I had previously thought. Also, it dips rather low in front, and obviously you have to wear strapless undergarments with this or it’ll show. The famed Leifsdottir gold buttons also aren’t as good quality as I thought… more plastic-y than metal-y (er… plastic and metallic?) The fabric itself is not that nice either… not bad, just very ordinary and un-Leifsdottir-like. Bordering on thin, although the ribbon was nice and hefty, if a pain in the rear to tie properly I snatched a random pair of shorts to pair (since I was wearing the Traversing Dress that day with my Breezy Ride Cardigan), and the two of them together sort of reminded me of a safari… kinda unsure why. Fits TTS/little larger (than expected anyway).

That’s all for the Leifsdottir stuff! I also tried on the Waistcoat Cardigan but deemed it of little merit to post… one word: HUMMMONGOUSSS. That’s all. Thanks for reading, and thanks to Roxy for letting me do this. 😉