Thursday, February 23, 2012

Anthropologie Fitting Room Reviews Spring 2012 (Dresses 1)

Here we go with reviews. I tried on so many things, I am going to break them up over a few posts. This one is all dresses. And speaking of which, let's talk about the elephant in the room....
I have seen every version of this dress and turned up my nose at every. single. one. But when the shorter, 3/4 sleeve version came out in the lighter color, I started getting a little more interested. I don't know whether to be glad, or sad that I succumbed to the pressure. Haha!


Pieced Column Dress by Bailey 44. Size X-Small. Neutral Motif.
I started out with a Small and X-Small in the dressing room. The X-Small was T I G H T. Looking at the pictures, it looks like all three of them fit the same, but I can tell you they did not feel the same. The two pictures above are the X-Small.  The two main tight places were the shoulders and the hips.  So I immediately tried on the Small. (See the next two pictures.)

Size Small.
This one was better, and I was starting to see what the hype was all about. Those slanted stripes really do work a miracle.  I NEVER wear dresses like this because I feel like they highlight all the areas I struggle with since having children.  I personally hated the model shots, but I had added this color to my wish list for consideration. When I saw it on Roxy, I knew I wanted to try it on. But I started thinking of all the ways I could wear it, and really started to love it. So I asked the SA for a medium. (See pictures below.)

Size Medium.
This is the size I ended up sticking with. It is a little bunchy in the hip area, but fits well everywhere else, so I kept it.  When I try things on, I have a keep side and a return-to-rack side.  This went into the keep side.


 Four Corner Shirtdress by Postmark. Size 4. Red Motif.
This dress has so much potential. The color is an amazing saturated orange-ish red, and the fit is spot on. The problem is, it is VERY low-cut, and this is coming from someone who is small-busted. I can't imagine what would happen with someone who is well-endowed.  In addition, the arm holes are big, and the tummy was loose, so there was no sizing up to compensate for the chest area. It fit perfectly, and I love the interesting hem line and the fabric (machine washable cotton), but It was a quick pass for me.

 Torchon Embossed Dress by Deletta. Size X-Small. Bright Red Motif.
I have not purchased any of the dresses released in this style, since I never found one that felt good when I tried them on. This one was no exception. The chest is snug, but since I see this as being a layering dress, I am not sure sizing up would help. I love the color and the pockets, but don't care for the polyester in the fabric- as it feels rough to the touch.  This was mostly a "meh" for me in person, but once again, looking at the pictures, I see the merits of this dress. I will reconsider at sale time.


Brushed Terra Dress by Deletta. Size X-Small.
I picked up a Small & X-Small in this, since it did look small on the rack. The X-Small was way too small. The length was too short, and the sleeves were tight. It felt fine in the body, but was not comfortable. (See size Small below.)

Size Small.
The Small was just right. It added length and the arms and shoulders felt good. This is a very round neckline, which I tend to not wear. This dress is made out of a heavier textured lace, not lightweight or sheer. To me, it reads Fall. It is a nice dress, but not for me.

 Dessau Dress by Maeve. Size 4.
I absolutely loved this dress. The print is great, the fit is comfortable, and I loved the contrast bow. It is the perfect length and weight. It is true to size, and had a roomy chest, so larger busted girls should try this one. I feel like this is priced right.  I added this to my wish list for spring.
 Ruffled Oska Dress by Girls From Savoy. Size 6. Bright Red Motif.
I had this dress on my wish list in both the red and the navy colors. The first one I picked up was a 6, because it is fitted under the bust, but it was way too loose on top. The arm holes were too big as well. (See size 4 below.)


 Size 4. This one fit perfectly.  I love the color (they didn't get the navy motif in my store) and the fit. The downside: It wrinkles very easily, and feel like it would constantly show wrinkles from sitting, etc... Also, it is completely unlined. This is a major issue for me. I feel like for this price, it should at least have a lower lining. I do own about 8 slips, but none of them would work for this dress without showing lines. It is the main reason I sent it back to the rack.

 Ribbon Grass Dress by Sariah Carson. Size 4.
The size 4 was very snug underneath. Unlike the last dress, this one had a lining, and it was tight. You can't really tell it from the outside, because it is blousy, but it pulled. The length was very short. (See the size 6 below.)

Size 6. The size 6 made the top a bit more blousy, but it helped with the length and the overall fit. I should mention that this dress is a pistol to get in and out of. I tried the trick of just unzipping the back and unbuttoning 1 button, but it was still too tight to get in and out of. Madison helped me do up the back. If I didn't have someone at home to help, it would be difficult. Overall, this dress did not "wow" me. Back to the rack.

 Palma Dress by Sariah Carson. Size 6.
This dress made up for any disappointment I had over the last one. Same designer, similar concept, but 1,000 times better on execution. I love the rich color and the luxurious feel. The top is blousy again, but the fit was right, and the length was better. This has that same crazy back entry, but would be worth the effort! Also, this is lined, and the slip has a beautiful lace edge. I love touches like that.
 I have wish listed this for sale.

Agave Burst Mini Dress by Sariah Carson. Size 4
If you are looking for a Spring/Summer event dress, this might be the ticket. My daughter went crazy over this dress when I put it on. She tried her best to get me to take it home right away. The fit on this dress was fabulous. I didn't feel like it was so tight that it caused that annoying arm fat look under the arms, but it was snug enough not to slip around.  Very true to size. The print is perfectly placed to be flattering, and the ruched waist gives comfort. This dress is begging for a cute skinny belt, and just about any color would do.  The darker color is actually navy, but could read black easily. Although I see a lot of potential for layering with this dress, I really just don't need another strapless dress. If this were made in a sun-dress version, I would have been more interested. Back to the rack. (Reconsider at sale time.)

This is getting picture heavy, so I am going to post, then finish the dresses in a follow-up post.

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