During a visit to the Soho Anthropologie I noticed the Racquet and Net Chemise ($78) styled under the Incantation Cardigan ($88, reviewed here)…just like how I styled it in a recent OOTD! For whatever reason it made me squee in delight. The two pieces look great together — indoors or out, just make sure to layer something under the chemise like I did. With that dress already in my closet would any more join it? Let’s get on with the reviews and find out.
And the bias stripes just keep on coming! Joining its family members the Layered Column Dress ($178, reviewed here), the Tiered Stripes Dress ($188, reviewed here and Gigi has a great alternative on Gigi’s Gone Shopping), the Scully Pencil Skirt ($118, reviewed here, OOTD here), the Striped Intersection Top ($98, reviewed here) and the Stacked Layers V-Neck ($88) is this latest Bailey 44 creation. It’s the Pieced Column Dress ($178) which takes the sleeves of the Tiered Stripes and chops the length a bit.
I know some in the community are tired of seeing all the permutations of this design but I’m not sick of them yet. Especially when each release improves on the previous try. The Pieced Column is my favorite dress so far. The length is perfect, hitting right at the knees. And the sleeves are good at bracelet length. The true magic is in the way this dress accentuates curves without over-emphasizing them. I initially tried on the navy version (above) and found it flattering. But I already own the Scully Pencil Skirt in this color so I decided to be brave…
…and try on the neutral motif version. I tried both colors of the dress in a large. The medium was hugging too much. We all know Anthro’s fitting room mirrors slim about 10 lbs off. Even minus the help of magical slimming mirrors this dress felt great. I’ll wear a sweater over it for work. Bonnie also gave this dress a whirl in her reviews set today and came to pretty much the same conclusion I did. Dajana recently reviewed it as well, and Kathryn from In Pursuit of Pretty Things is currently deliberating it on Twitter. (Get it, girl!) So this may be one of ‘those’ dresses. You know, the one that every Anthro blogger has and hypes up as the rest of the world wonders if Anthropologie only makes Bailey 44 striped dresses.
The price point is rather ridiculous but I guess Anthro knows they can get away with it. $148 would have been much more appropriate for this dress. Previous versions have been prone to pilling, so buyer beware the quality here. Call me crazy but I decided to go for it anyway. This dress came home with me in the neutral motif. You win again, Anthropologie!
I didn’t realize the pattern on the Flared Neovison Dress ($128) was so leopard-like until I saw it up close. On the website I thought it looked more like muddy abstract flowers or something. The silhouette is very flattering. A simple tank-style top with scoop neck sits over a flared skirt, with a low-set waist. The material of this dress is very weird and hard to describe. It’s very elastic-feeling: it stretches to the touch like gravity is pulling it earthwards. I noticed the armholes are huge and I wonder if this dress would lose its shape quickly.
I sized down to a small which was comfortable. I noticed the neckline was still a bit loose and an extra small may even have worked. So the petite among us are likely sized out here.
The dress has pockets which I appreciate. It feels thin though it is opaque. The dress looks very pretty on, but I have some concerns about the quality. For that reason I will pass.
My usual size 6 fit fine. There are elasticized side panels which allow some extra give in the dress. The bust, however, scrunched up to allow room for my bust. This pulled the waistline up higher and ends up making the dress less flattering than it could be. I know this is a hard issue to accommodate for since busts come in all different sizes but it’s such a mood killer for me. How can you be excited about a dress that makes you look short-waisted and busty? Pass.
One big positive is that the dress is fully lined with a nude chemise. It’s something we should expect but Anthro has been lackadaisical about it, so it was a happy surprise instead. Small snaps at the shoulder keep the chemise in place. I also love the way the pattern lines up in front. Hooray for attention to detail!! My usual size 6 was pleasant on, and I think that many will be able to size down in this dress. For me I felt more comfortable in my usual size. This isn’t quite the city dress I desire though so it went back to the rack.
★★★★☆
Online only, huh? I came across Meadow Rue’s Watermelon Ice Dress ($188) in store and was happy to see it! I thought this dress looked cute online but I’m not really into gambling away $10 just for the privilege of trying an item on. I love all the embroidery work on the dress! It’s cotton with a cotton lining and slight sleeves that balance the shoulders. My iPhone was having trouble capturing the color of this dress — coral is an accurate description of the pink, which is slightly brighter in real life than in the product shot.
A 6 worked well for me — I could likely go down to a 4 but feared it might be too tight around the hips. So if you’re between sizes go down for sure. The dress is longer than it looks! It hit right above my knee which is pretty much the perfect spot. I’m so happy that Anthropologie is making their dresses longer again. This dress is easy and wonderful, and I think it would do well on an upcoming trip to Hawaii. For now, wishlisted!!!
★★★☆☆
Not content to release one cute dress, Deletta gives us a second option in its Torchon Embossed Ponte Dress ($128). Diamonds trail up and down the dress like cables. Like its cousin-in-shape the Flared Neovison Dress ($128) this dress is tank-style up top with a flared skirt below. And like its cousin the material seems to pull downward of its volition in a really strange way. I wonder if this dress will stretch out of shape. It’s made from a cotton-poly mix, is opaque, and is a great length.
I tried on a medium for the shots above but it’s pretty big. I’d size down to a small to buy. Although I like the simple shape and clean cut quite a bit, I can’t escape the feeling that this dress already looks kind of tired. It seems a little saggy, no? It’s a piece I’d consider on sale but am not interested in at full price. For now, wishlisted.
In case you missed them I posted another dress reviews set earlier today.
