If Scotland were around for ancient Rome the textile exchange might have yielded something like the Draped Plaid Dress ($148). This dress has intrigued me for the better part of a month. It strikes me as kind of punk rock, kind of bagpipe goddess and kind of draped masterpiece. And no lie, the print is really similar to my parents' couches. How could one resist? I grabbed the small and headed to the fitting room. Once I had Storee's dress on I was no less confused. The material is fairly light and the front sash could make a great carryall sling of sorts. I know it's obvious from the product shot but the dress is kind of shapeless, especially around the midsection. But that's obviously intentional. So how to style this number? A belt would not do the trick here. A short cardigan perhaps? I am not sure. I want to love this dress. But first I need some help on how to wear it.
The Floating Lotus Dress ($168) took forever to come into stock but has already gone on sale at the Soho Anthropologie. This dress is gorgeous but I must admit that every time I see it online I think, "there is an owl on this dress and it is very angry at me!" I'm happy to see Lil back at Anthro after what seemed like a brief haitus. Their intricate work is always distinguishable and of high quality. Unfortunately this dress was a total no-go for me. In both the 6 and the 8 my cups overfloweth. The low cut of the top was almost vulgar on me. And the high cut of the front made for a really weird pouch effect. It left me very pouty.
I tried on the Bellis Brushstroke Dress ($298) at Bloomingdales. The large print is pretty cool but it's the lace-up detailing of the back that really makes this dress stand out. There is nothing about this dress that says $298 to me though. So I mostly tried it on for fun. Once on (and adjusted in the back via a little help from a helpful sales associate) I was pleased with the shape of my true size 6. Leifsdottir generally has impeccable construction and this dress was no different. I like the proportions of the ruffle at the bottom and the it creates a great hourglass shape. On sale I am in. But at full price? A bit much for what amounts to a nice cotton sundress.
Wow what a gorgeous dress the Guimard Dress ($148) is! An online brand search says that this dress is by Envi, though the tag is marked something different. It comes in brown or red motif with an amazing art nouveau pattern. Were this dress solid, it would look very 1940s. But the pattern lends an additional bit of sophistication. Oddly enough I know I would have hated this pattern as a teenager. My how tastes change. Sizewise I found myself sizing down to a small for the best fit. The medium was a little too loose around the waist for me. The length is perfect and the pattern is just...wonderful. I can't gush enough about this dress. I want it in both colors.
And finally we have the Confetti Whirl Dress ($168). I didn't recognize this dress in person. I was expected it to be shiny for some reason but the silk is more matte. I really like the skirt of this dress; it's airy and slightly billowy. The ruffles on the top are nice as well. My quibble is that the waist is too high. Even after a bit of fussing I couldn't get the dress to sit right in either a medium or a large (which was overall too big anyway). Someone with a slightly shorter torso would find this to be perfection. But it's not quite right for me.
