I have previously tried on J.Crew Elinor dress in polka dot and I have been disappointed with the fabric and the fit and I thought it was also priced too high for a simple summer dress.
I saw Polka-Dot Cotton Shirtdress from Ralph Laurem on their website some time ago, but the full price was also pretty high ($144) and, since I have never ordered a dress from them, I decided to pass. But few days ago Fabulous Florida Mommy had it featured on her blog and she alerted us in this post that it went on sale and it was now at $59.99 and with free shipping!!! FFM has a great taste and I trust her recommendations, even if we have a different body type (she has a tiny waist which I sadly lack).
The price was too good to pass on, so I ordered it the same day. I decided to go with bigger of my two sizes, based on FFM recommendation.
FFM did her own review of the dress and after seeing the dress on her I was awaiting it impatiently. The dress arrived today, wrapped in the tissue paper and wrinkle free.
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| Size 8 |
Size 8 fits me well with no gaping. The dress is not lined but the fabric has a nice weigth and the dress feels sturdy and structured. I think it is actually a benefit that it is not lined, as this is a summer dress and I would not want any polyester between my body and the dress. But of course you can add a slip, if you want. The length is perfect and so is the placement and the depth of the pockets. The fabric is smooth and the navy is dark and the dots are crisp white.
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| Nice length and pockets! |
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| Elinor dress in polka dot |
Two small cons:
- The shoulder are cut narrow and you may need a racerback bra or you need to add bra snaps. This is minor and the dress design benefits from that narrow cut because it has a collar it reduces the bulk on the top.
- The belt is not removable so you are forced to use self tie. I am not a fan of self tie belt, because it is fun to change belts and it creates bult in case you want to wear a cardigan or a blazer. Looking at the construction I think that you can carefully remove the stitches or have it done at the tailor and this is what I am planning to do.
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| Sturdy but soft fabric |
Other than that it is a perfect dress and I am very happy with it.
You can also read Fabulous Florida Mommy review here.
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What do you think?Which one do you like better Elinor dress of Ralph Lauren?
Please share!!!
That dress is GREAT on you! MUCH more flattering on than the Elinor dress! It is really nice to see the two dresses on you, side by side, for a comparison. I am not even going to bother looking at the Elinor after your review...it really looks shapeless comparitively. Thank you for the reviews!
ReplyDeleteHi krb, yes when you see it in comparison it is clear that the Elinor is rather shapeless.
Deletethis is just beautiful on you! way, way more flattering than the j. crew. between you and ffm, you guys are killing me! i really love this dress! again thank you for always reviewing.
ReplyDeleteside note - do you hand wash your j. crew cardi's or do you have them dry cleaned? thanks!
When I see Ralph Lauren I think of you Janet, and that makes me like it even better :)
DeleteI machine wash (i have a front loader, but a regular cycle)and dry on hangers, If something cannot survive it, it is not for me, I cannot be bothered.
I like this one on you much better than the Elinor dress. After reading your review, I can say for sure that I won't be getting the Elinor dress.
ReplyDeleteI like this one on you much better than the Elinor dress. After reading your review, I can say for sure that I won't be getting the Elinor dress.
ReplyDeletehi small town girl, I am glad if I can help in any way to make the decision :)
DeleteI LOVE this dress on you!!!! It's super cute and very flattering!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rynetta!
DeleteRL dress is definitely better than the J.Crew version! So very cute!!
ReplyDeleteHi Taylor, I like it much better too!
DeleteThe dress looks awesome on you! I was sad I missed out on it but I am tempted to try some of the others they are offering.
ReplyDeleteThanks simplydreaming! I never ordered from RL before but I will be tempted to try some more.
DeleteOh, this dress is so lovely on you! I think polka dot dresses can have a tendency to look too cutesy (e.g., the JC big-shot dot dress) but this one definitely looks sufficiently grown up and sophisticated with the shirt collar. And even if you have to do the racerback or strapless, that halter-ish shape is just so flattering on most figures. Congratulations on a wonderful purchase!
ReplyDeleteI saw FFM's post about it, and hesitated too long to purchase -- all out of most sizes now. I didn't jump immediately, not because I had doubts about the dress, but because I just didn't want to add another retailer to my obsessive shopping habits... so maybe it's better after all, that I missed out!
I agree, racerback is not a problem, if it was strapless that's another story, I hate strapless!
DeleteIkwym, about adding another retailer but from my experience having only one is the worst for obsessions.
This great looks beautiful on you and like others have chimed it, it's way better than the Elinor dress especially at the price you got it for. I know this off-topic, but would you have any recs for a maxi dress? I'm dying to buy one but can't seem to find one great one that isn't strapless.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joelle, it is hard for me to find maxis, I think FFM may be a better source for it. I saw one today From Cusp, I like the shape but I am not sure about too much stripes.
DeleteOh ajc, I love it on you! As others have mentioned, it is definitely more flattering than the Elinor dress. Thank you, btw, for the link love! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you FFM, you are always such a great resource.
DeleteWoudl you have recommendation for Joelle for non-strapless maxi dress??? You always have all those fabulous finds and I know you like maxis...
You are right ajc, I do like maxi dresses a lot, and wear them very frequently during the spring and summer months. I would be more than happy to give some recommendations to Joelle for maxis that aren't strapless. I'll do a designated post with them on my blog in the next couple of days. :)
DeleteThank you FFM!
DeleteI wanted to let you know that the post on non-strapless maxi dresses is up today on my blog. Enjoy your Sunday! :)
DeleteI agree it is very flattering on you. RL can have very good deals, I used to buy from them when the store was closer to my place (I am an in-store impulsive buyer, I tend to resist the tempations on the Internet. Now the RL temporary store spot has been taken by Joe Fresh which is better for the wallet). Personally I don't like dresses with pointy collars so this isn't for me. On a funny note, the JCrew retro dots tunic is nearly identical in design to this dress, except for the fact that it is a tunic. I had ordered it but returned because of the pointy collar.
ReplyDeleteTry Hanna Andersson for maxis - they have some cute ones this spring.
ReplyDeleteExcellent dress on you, AJC!
Thanks, I never thought to check HA, I used to shop there all the time for my daughter.
DeleteWay cuter than the polka dot Elinor. WAY.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi!
DeleteLove this on you! Still waiting for mine to arrive! Thank for all your reviews.
ReplyDeleteOh, please let us know when you get it!
ReplyDeleteNo contest here, the RL dress looks much more tailored and flattering. You look great ajc!
ReplyDelete