This post was done as a collaboration with my budding 9yo fashionista.
Here are reviews of four dresses I took to the fitting room when I tried the Porcelain Paisley skirt:
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| Size 6 |
The color of this dress is beautiful. The length is good. Fits TTS, maybe a little large compare to other dresses this year, but I think it is mostly due to the blouson effect, I have to size up to an 8 this year, in many dresses, to accommodate my chest.
The shape is rather unflattering, at least om me. It is made of 100% Polyester. It is $350. It has thousand little buttons, zippers and hooks to close/open. OK, not a thousand, but it closes in front, plus it has a side zipper and side snaps and hooks in front. Not a great dress for doing fitting room reviews ;)
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| Pretty color |
I think this is seriously overpriced. If I saw this dress in Marshalls, I don't think, I would stop to look. And if I checked the fabric content anything over $35 would seem like too much.
My 9yo daughter looked at the pictures and this is her verdict:
"This dress is weird, Mom. Puffy everywhere and with that stupid elastic in the middle"
Listen to the youth, like Gigi said. Words of wisdom.
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| $350 for polyester??? I don't think so! |
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| Size 8 |
This dress was pretty but I am not a fan of puffed sleeves, they make me feel ridiculous and fussy. It runs big. I first tried on an 8, which was way too big and then a 6, which was better but still plenty of room in the hips. I thought it made me look wide. The sash is silly, but removable, so you can swap it for regular belt. The neckline is wide, but the sleeves come with bra snaps to keep the straps in place, a definite plus with this design.
I liked the fabric and the length is good. If you don't mind the puffed sleeves it may be a nice party frock.
Opinion of the youth: "Princess dresses should have a full skirt". She is convinced puff sleeves belong with princesses. "But we are all princesses inside" I tried to convince her. "That's nonsense, Mom" kids will snap you back to reality very quickly.
For another take see the dress
on shopwithM, she looks great in it!
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Unidentified striped silk dress
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| Size 8, TTS |
This little number is 100% silk and it fits TTS. Maybe it will for for Petite ladies, but on me it was too high waisted and too short. It did not feel right to be made of silk and lined in poly. The shape and stripes suggests easy vacation frock, but the fabrics confuse me. Maybe if it was cotton jersey, a little longer and half the price? Of course that would be a different dress altogether, lol.
My 9yo fashion expert verdict: "Too simple and boring."
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| Too short! |
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| $148, 100% silk, lining 100% poly |
***
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| SIZE 6 |
Size 6 in this dress was definitely snag across the chest and I would need an 8 in this one. Other than that, the fit is good and if I did not have an Attache white dress I would definitely consider this one.
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| 77%cotton, 23% linen, lining 100% poly :( |
For those of you that like longer dresses this one is plenty long. The fabric looked wrinkly in the store, so definitely consider that, if wrinkles bother you. I did not like the poly lining. The bow detail in the back is very pretty. Nice thing is that while showing some skin, you can still wear a regular bra.
My daughter decided this one is "too white, like a wedding dress". I wish they would make it in other colors, I think it would look great
in black.
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| That's all folks! |
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Do you listen to your kids opinions about your clothes?
Are in a market for a summer frock?
Do you like any of these dresses?
Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!
Your daughter is adorable and I found myself agreeing with all her comments. Can I borrow her to edit my wardrobe? My daughter is yet to develop a discriminating eye. Right now everything to her is "wow, pweety".
ReplyDeleteIt is coming Marie, kids can be brutal with honesty, but I think it is good to hear uncensored opinions.
DeleteThe white dress is cute but seems to wrinkle easily. Really, what is it with J. Crew and BR and the polyester dresses recently. No fashionista wants a polyester dress let alone pay really expensive prices!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried on the knit tunic dress? Its beachwear and comes in grey stripe, navy, white and persimmon. I was thinking of buying it online, since there isn't a J. Crew in my province. Also have you tried on the linen Tessa Top? I love the Dazzling Sun color!
At $350, it should be silk chiffon. I was curious about the knit tunic myself, I did not see it in store but I did reviewed the Tessa top HERE.
DeleteThanks! I shop obsessively at BR but now that J. Crew has an online Canada store I'm going to shop more them too. So I really appreciate all the effort you put into the reviews on your blog since J.Crew does not have a review feature on their website. Very helpful. BR sizing seems to be fairly consistent in sizing (I'm a 10 petite top and bottom). I rarely need to return anything when I purchase with BR online but I think J. Crew is going to be more challenging!
DeleteI'm so glad you reviewed the blouson dress! I just loved it online and was so sad that it's way above my price range, but I feel better about it being out of reach for me after reading your review:) The back bow dress looks so pretty on you! Do you think it would make a good dress to wear for my rehearsal dinner? I've been looking for a white one, I actually purchased the white J Crew Elinor dress but am debating returning it since it's too low cut and wearing a cami under it doesn't seem to look quite right. Do you think a cardigan with the back bow dress would look ok or would it take away from it?
ReplyDeleteErika, if I may add my $.02. I think a shorter or shrunken cardigan would look cute w/the dress. And if you take the cardi off later, the back will be so cute. The Jenna v-neck is an option, but $79.50. Old Navy has a cropped lightweight cardigan here for $20. I have a couple of them from a couple years ago and mixed with with J Crew pieces and even a Michael Kors knit dress. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding :)
DeleteI agree with Gigi, I think it would look great and better than Elinor. If you are C or B cup or more pear shaped, it will fit even better imo. The only thing I would be concerned about are the wrinkles but if you have a summer wedding I think this is OK and it gives it a casual elegance feel.
DeleteAnd Congratulations!!!
I tried on a few things this past weekend, including that blouson pleated dress and it wasn't working for me either. And I don't know how I missed that it was polyester!!! They are even crazier for pricing it at $350.
ReplyDeleteITA, big snort at $350 poly concoction.
DeleteNow I know why you have such great style with your daughter as the critic and telling the truth.Words of wisdom and sounds like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! I loved the colour of the pink dress but the fit of the top wasn't doing it for me. I really like the white dress on you .I wish I had better arms because it looks fabulous on you! thanks for the reviews.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marsha, kids keep my on my toes, lol.
Deleteawww, i love that your daughter is pitching in. i agree with everything she said too. that blouson dress is pretty. it looks like a vintage dress to me but i cannot believe the price! and i agree about the white dress, i think it would be better in black.
ReplyDeletehi Janet, yes there is something vintage about this dress but it did not work for me. I would get the bow dress if it came in black, I think it would be stunning.
DeleteWow , girl, you are rocking with reviews, thank you! I agree with you on first 2 dresses - pink one is cute , but will look unflattering on me for the same reasons. And $350 for polyester? No, thank you!The back bow dress looks very flattering on you, definitely consider it.
ReplyDeleteHi Slastena, I think maybe the dress would work better on, ahem, smaller girls...
DeleteMy 9yo is always spot on with her advice, she just says what pops to mind immediately without any "screening", which is why it is always a good call! I always listen to her.
ReplyDeleteSo I was chuckling at your daughter's comments, they could have been my daughter's comments!
I CANNOT BELIEVE they made that dress in polyester. I love the design of it and the hot pink color, they really failed on that one.
Now the back bow dress looks amazing on you! But dang the poly lining. I cannot handle that in a summer dress. I was going to keep that LE red dress but last night I was looking at it and I'm sending it back, I will never wear a poly lined dress in the summer, who am I kidding?
Thanks for the awesome reviews!
Nothing like unfiltered advice from a 9yo fashion divas!
DeleteI hear you about the poly, what's up with that??? Like Caitlin said, it feels insulting, do they think we will fall for anything sprinkled with crewlade?
Ugh, there is so much polyester lately it is just awful, especially for Collection items at higher prices. I'm sure that means there will be a lot of acrylic knits for F/W too.
ReplyDeleteRegarding feedback, and not referring to you and your blog specifically, I often wonder if bloggers would like honest feedback even if it is not positive. I find that blog comments often feel like a love-in where people try to find something nice to say and that's fine but for myself I always like when friends, family, SAs or blog commenters give it to me straight. Of course, I don't have a nine year-old daughter!
Thank you for sharing the reviews.
I am dreading all those man made fabrics, there is no running away from them even at higher price points :(
DeleteI think it is tricky with feedback. I like to think I can handle constructive criticism but, as my husband can attest, it doesn't always work, lol. Most of the time, I just don't comment if I don't like something and I know many are doing the same about my choices, so I try to read between the lines, too.
None of these are speaking to me. The white dress is my favorite of the bunch. The Puffection dress is a definite no for me because I look horrid in puffed sleeves. The other striped dress is just okay. I don't like the pink dress and I know it would look awful on me. There, some money saved! :)
ReplyDeleteI just realized why I don't like the pink dress... it resembles my prom dress from the early 80s, the fabric of which should never be revived.
OMG cate, that's funny you said that because I just realized I wore very similar dress to my mothers wedding only it did not have a wastband. I was pregnant at that time and never liked my pictures from that wedding. At least my mother looked absolutely stunning in her ivory pencil silk sheath. Nothing like classic, it didn't age at all, while my dress looks so dated.
Delete$350 for 100% polyester is insulting. The puffed sleeves on the Puffection Dress would never work on me either...it must have something to do with body type because it certainly looks adorable on shopwithm!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with your poly comment - 100% silk DVF dresses are in that same price range! This dress is headed for Final Sale despite the lovely color.
Deletecannot do puffed sleeves, I always think of Ann of Green Gables and ho she wanted them so badly.
DeleteY, I can't wear the puff sleeves either. Keeping with my theme of being attracted to that which is impractical, I love the bow-back dress. What's up w/the high-waisted dresses. Even I can't get behind another striped one.
ReplyDeleteLove your fashion editor. Bring her on more trips!
Gigi, the bow-back dress is very pretty and the back looks adorable, I was trying to get a good shot but I couldn't. Bring it on in other colors J.Crew!
DeleteAJC, your daughter sounds awesome :) My mom has always said that her most productive shopping trips are when my sister and I come along because I'm the best at finding styles that work for her, and my sister is the master of the brutally honest opinion.
ReplyDeleteThat striped silk dress is the EXACT SAME shape as last year's Souvenir dress, from the short length to the pintucks at the waist that give one the "longboob" effect, they've just removed those sleeves that won't let you raise your arms.
Whitney, that's funny about the shape of those dresses, your post about it so cracked me up!!! Actually I did not try to raise my arms but I don;t think they are constricting.
DeleteAnd yes, I sometimes don't like the brutal honesty my family likes to excel in but then I think about it and I usually see they are right, in the end it is always for the best, I don;t want other people to think what the are saying.
"Longboob", good observation, haha.
DeleteYour daughter sounds like my daughter! I think the white is beautiful on you.
ReplyDeleteI must say your daughter is a good fashionista’s. And she makes a big influence on you, especially in what to wear or not. Sometimes kids do know what fashion is. Thanks for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeletewholesale kids clothing
First time I visit your blog! Love it! Your pics are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI like Your new Summer Frocks!! awesome and new products...
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