including the Pixelated Fleur Dress ($188).
I’ve been making the rounds at all the NYC Anthropologies and there are some delightful dresses in-store! First round inside.
Also, this is my 500th review post on EA. Hooray!!!
Note: For sizing reference I am 34-29-38, size 6/M in dresses with a 34D cup. I am 5’8″.
Although labeled an online exclusive I came across the Leopardo Sweater Dress ($178) at Anthropologie’s 5th Ave store. Leopard is a tricky pattern to me. I like it on coats, bags and shoes. But the kind of leopard print I like is the small black dot rather than these true leopard spots, which read as dated to me. The first Broadway show I saw was CATS and that’s what I thought of when I saw this dress. Magical Mr. Mistoffelees. Every trend comes around again I know so I’m sure this seems fresh to many judging by the love the frock is getting on Anthro’s website!
This sweater dress does have cashmere in it. It’s just that dress also has viscose, nylon and polyester in it too. I found it fairly soft to the touch. A semi-wide crewneck still conceals bra straps. There are bracelet sleeves (perfect for a dress shirt peeking out per Anthro’s styling) and the frock spills to just above the knee. The material is medium thick, sort of warm and pretty clingy.
My usual size medium was hanging off of me so it’s down to a small I went for these photos. I think you’ll want to size down too. The fitting room lights in the 5th Ave Anthro (and the Upper East Side Anthropologie for that matter) are very unforgiving. But even with the unflattering shadows cast below my chest and over my tummy I could tell this dress is a delight. It hugs and releases in all the right places which creates a beautiful, feminine silhouette. It tapers in ever so slightly at the waist, releases at the hips and tapers back in above the knee. Perfect for an hourglass like me! So from that aspect I really love this dress. The pattern is well-distributed with a seamless-seeming layout.
If this dress came in another print I’d be right there with my wallet open. Alas, while a leopard should never change its spots these spots aren’t my preference. So while I highly recommend this dress it’s a pass for me.
I’ve never heard of Pankaj & Nidhi but I like what I’m seeing so far! This is the Pixelated Fleur Dress ($188), my favorite piece in Anthropologie’s latest catalogue, err, lookbook. In real life it did not disappoint. The dress is an unholy mix of rayon, spandex, polyester, silk and cotton. It’s double-layered thank god, because the top layer is semi-sheer as you can see at the bottom of the skirt in my photos. Short sleeves sit a little far from the arms for my but it’s not too bad. A low-dipping v-neck is tantalizing but not too revealing.
I tried a medium (my normal size) for these photos and it’s too big. Way too much room in both the bodice and the skirt portion. I know a small would be perfect. The overall shape of the dress is delightful! It nips in considerably at the waist which makes me oh so happy. And I love the pixelated pattern which lends a modern interpretation to a awesomely Anthro-esque thought. One reviewer noted that the pixel part felt stiff — I didn’t find that when I tried the dress on. But worth noting.
There is one caveat. I have a short torso. So even though my bust is on the larger side it’s hard for me to find dresses that hit right at my waist. This one hit perfectly at my waist. I think that for people with longer torsos that will cause issues, and perhaps for regular torsos as well. This is something to be aware of, especially if you plan to order this dress from the website.
A delight in every right, this dress shot up to the top of my wishlist!
My legs really took a beating during my recent apartment move which is to explain the black & blue marks running down my right leg in these fitting room photos. Here I’m trying on the Empyrean Dress ($188), a dress cut for straighter shapes that is pretty nice. A high neckline leads to a long tie sash at the back neckline. There’s a pleasantly elasticized waist and a very straight skirt. The pattern is green with blue dots splashed across the bodice, and a heavier pattern at the bottom of the skirt which shows off gams nicely. There are also little y’s of gold sequins everywhere. I love how Anthropologie is providing pattern detail shots now!
Although this dress isn’t the most flattering cut on me I can see that it’s nice. I’m in my usual size 6 which fit perfectly around the waist, well up top and a little tight across my hips. The dress is shorter than I’d like — it ended about two inches above my knees. And while it feels nice the material is polyester rather than silk. If this dress were machine washable I wouldn’t mind, but it’s still dry clean only. That leaves me really wishing this dress was silk.
If this dress was a touch longer it’d be a wonderful work option. Throw a blazer on over it and you’ve got a great day-to-night option. It’s too short for me though and so it went back to the rack.
Speaking of work dresses, 4.collective is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands. I love that Anthropologie is carrying the line, even if it’s oddly urban versus Anthro’s normal wares. This is the Rise & Set Ponte Dress ($325), which is truly online-only. I just happened across an 8 on the return rack at the Soho Anthro store. Thank you to whoever returned this, allowing me a shot to share a review of a dress that really deserves to be in-store! At $325 there is no way I’d risk paying $12 in shipping just to try it on. Especially since I’m in between sizes in this brand.
This dress is mostly textured cotton with touches of polyester and viscose. It has pop sleeves and runs to just under two inches above the knee. But because the skirt sits away from the body it feels longer than the Empyrean Dress did. The Rise & Set Ponte Dress has two black side panels which define the waist beautifully though they can be somewhat distorting on the torso. My knee-highs are not a styling suggestion by the way, they are an artifact of my OOTD from that day. Covering up the black & blues!
The return was a size 8 which was perfect in the skirt portion but loose up top. Dilemma! I wish there’d been a 6 available to try as I think it would have been the right size. So I’m saying this dress is true to size. I like the idea of belting this dress with something leopard but I think the belt Anthro used is a little too thick, I’d go with my Leopard-Spotted Skinny Belt instead. (See? I do like leopard when it’s smaller black dots!) I took one star off because this dress is pretty pricey.
Over the summer I was waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the Cilla Tweed Shift (reviewed) to go on sale. I’m not eager for such a long wait this time around. But I’m also not sure this dress is worth $325 for me. So it’s on my wishlist with a little nail-biting as I watch the small inventory order quickly sell through. Eep!
The Chromatique Dress ($128) is exactly the kind of dress I should be avoiding because the shape does nothing for me…and yet it is exactly the kind of comfy sack I am drawn too! I adore the print of this red motif version I’m wearing. I own a similar dress, Diane von Furstenberg’s Fleurette Dress which is more sheer than this solid dress.
The Chromatique is a viscose pullover dress with a twisty front ruching detail at the waistline and drapey sleeves. It’s beyond fun. It has a slight 70s vibe to it but I think the pattern is fun and modern. I love all the pink balanced with warm autumnal golds, browns and blues. The dress has a v-neck which shows just a hint of what lies beneath. It’s fairly short, hitting a few inches above my knees.
Edme & Esyllte tends to run large and this dress was no exception. I’m in a small instead of my usual size medium here. That the dress is shapeless is both cool and sad to me, sad only because it’s a shame not to flaunt a tiny waist when you’ve got it, right? But damn if this dress isn’t fun and funky on. I’m oh so tempted. It feels soft though I worry about the vibrant colors fading from the viscose. I like the sleeve length because you can roll them up to hit around the waist or leave them full length, perhaps with another shirt peeking out from beneath?
The dress also has pockets! Here’s a shot:
Gah! I love this dress. I’m trying to be good; I only need one dress like this. I am super tempted to sell my DVF to make this the one in my closet. What do you think, community?
