Rated 4 out of 5 by jlcl119 Minor Tweaks Needed
I'm 5'4", 130lbs, 36(32DD)x26x38, XS/S/4/6. Broad shoulders, long torso, short legs, pale, olive-toned, brunette.
I ordered this in a size 6 Regular in the Print (on sale).
Sizing: I read the reviews and most mentioned the chest being big and gappy. However, the two that mentioned being bustier and feeling "squashed" stood out to me and I ordered a 6 instead of a 4.
My 6 measures 36" at the chest and 29" at the waist. Because the dress measurement is the same as my body, there is a slight "flattening" effect. I can remedy this with a specific type of bra though and am not overly concerned. Weirdly, though being a bit too small at the bustline, it is too big at the neckline and the gapping mentioned by other reviewers is present. This is an easy fix by a tailor. I just need to have the straps taken up a bit and the bagginess will be gone.
The waist hits me at my waist, the hem hits slightly below my knee. My waist is approximately 16" from the top of my shoulder (measured from the back).
Material and Construction: The cotton is crisp and cool. The dress is unlined as stated in the description, but it's substantial enough that it doesn't need to be.
The dress is expertly made and is worth the price I paid. The one quibble I have is that my zipper sticks just a little bit. When I have the straps done I will have my tailor look at this as well. I'll also have her add a button and loop to the interior of the waist to take some stress off of the zipper.
Color: I bought the patterned dress no longer available on the website. Somebody mentioned expensive Japanese paper. I think that's a good description. It also looks like a patchwork quilt. Take that as you will, but I like it.
The colors, I feel, are best suited to late summer and early fall rather than late spring and early summer.
The colors look good against my coloring, but it certainly has the potential to wash others out.
I like it quite a bit. With some minor alterations it will be a wonderful addition to my wardrobe.
April 5, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Anneliese Love pattern; crisp fabric
As others have mentioned, the print on this dress is fantastic -- very unique, lovely colors, etc. As others have also mentioned, the print is more muted than what appears online -- leaning more toward cream, forest green, and bronze than ivory, teal, and tangerine. For me this was a bonus because with a dark brown belt, navy cardigan and heels, the dress is toned down enough to wear to the office in late summer/early fall. The fabric is a heavy cotton that feels substantially more expensive than the (sale) price I paid.
I found the fit to be quite true to size, but I imagine it depends on how one is built. At 5'4"/135, a size 4 fit perfectly, which is also the size I generally take in other brands (but not in LLBean non-signature, which I find to run bigger than signature). This is another winner from the signature line, which runs very nice sales, and I am really pleased with it.
July 24, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by JoJobee Cute dress
I loved the pattern of this dress -- and it looks adorable with the Signature wedge -- but following the size chart I found I needed to go down a size. While the next size down fit much better, I have a larger chest, which was squashed by the dress. Normally it would be sent back for such a flaw, but it's adorable and I couldn't give it up. The length is perfect and I love the lines of the dress. Definitely worth it.
July 9, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by ilovebooks Nice - after minor alteration
I agree with other reviews that the top of this dress has a very open and loose fit, especially if you're small-chested. Because I loved the fabric, colors, and print so much, I took it to my tailor who convinced me that shortening of the straps was all that was needed to pull everything into the right place. He was right - a very minor alteration later and it's a winner. This is one beautiful dress and I'm glad that I kept it.
July 8, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by Upststater Colors off and fit weird
I loved this dress in the photo, but in real life, it simply didn't measure up. The colors are drab (tending toward forest green and beige -- not white/ivory, as the background appears to be pictured in the photo), and the fit was dreadful on me. Following the Signature sizing chart, I should be a 4P, though I measured a 2P since I find that manufacturers' clothes are often bigger than they claim. Although I'm only 5'3" and relatively short waisted, the waist line was up around my rib cage, the skirt was way too short, and the chest area was about 3" too big and gappy. (Even though I wear a fairly large cup size, given my petite size.) I could send it back, exchange it for the correct size (I'm guessing that would be a 0?), and then get it altered -- but it hardly seems worth it. Oh well. Might be better on someone 1) not petite, 2) very large chested, 3) who brown tones look better on?
July 2, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Paperlover Fabulous Print
As other reviewers have noted, the print of this dress is fabulous. It looks like a collage of fancy Japanese papers. Unlike other reviewers, I found that the dress ran small in the bust. I am 5' 9", 133lbs (larger on top than bottom) and had to send back the size 4 that I originally ordered and exchange it for a 6. The size 6 fit much better. The skirt is on the wider side, but it balances out my larger top half and makes my straight waist look tiny. I highly recommend!
May 7, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by editrix Gorgeous Print
What attracted me to this dress initially was the rather exotic-looking print, which online appeared to include teal blue, at least to my eye. In reality, the blue is actually more of a hunter green, and the ivory more of a cream colour. However, it's still a stunning print--just not quite what I expected in terms of colour.
The fabric is crisp and of good quality, and the A-line cut of this dress is extremely flattering. I love the pleat in the skirt. I agree with other reviewers that the fit is a little generous in the top, especially if you have a small bust, and I will need to shorten the straps ever so slightly.
I purchased the dress for an August wedding and think it will fit the bill nicely, perhaps with the addition of a light cardigan or shrug.
April 6, 2012
Rated 3 out of 5 by raenb On the fence
I'm on the fence about this dress. The pattern is unique and pretty. The dress fabric is good quality and substantial. I think the sizing is on point: I'm 5'9" with a small chest and found that the size 10 fit perfectly through the torso with the straps only slightly too long. The reason I'm on the fence is that the skirt of the dress is a dramatic A line which makes me look wider in the hips than I am. I'm going to iron the side seams and see if the skirt falls better and looks less wide. Otherwise, I don't think I'll keep the dress.
April 3, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Zebracakes Cute Dress
This dress is really cute. I'm 5'8" and usually a size 0 in dresses. I ordered the 0 and it's a bit large on the top. I may have to have it taken in.
March 29, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by MCR1 Beautiful dress
The fabric is very pretty and good quality. I love the inverted pleat in front. The dress does run slightly big in the bodice so I'm exchanging it for a size smaller.
March 22, 2012
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