Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Notes from the Dressing Room-Madewell...Yes, No, Maybe So?

I got an email from Madewell last week that featured a dress that had me instantly intrigued and itching to head out to the store to see it in person. I managed to sneak away to the mall this weekend and Madewell was my first stop. Here are a few reviews:

Lacy Waves Top in Light Nectar, $148, available here
The Boyjean in Saw Duster, $135, available here


This lace top was a thumbs up from me. The color is soft, it has a pretty design and the lace does not feel like it would give away at the first sign of a snag. There is a cotton lining underneath the body of the shirt that will keep you from worrying about what to wear underneath. The lining will have you feeling like you are wearing a tee, but the lacey part is perfect for feeling a bit dress-up while still being comfortable. Fit is tts, although ladies who are a bit smaller on top might be able to get away with sizing down for a more fitted look. Although I love this top, I just bought something that is too similar from J. Crew, so it was a pass for me.

I am several years too late on this trend, but I've been on the hunt for a pair of boyfriend jeans. I saw a denim pair on the website and thought these could possibly be it. Umm, no, they most certainly are not. On the plus size, the denim is soft and it has a comfortable fit. I tried it on one size down from what I normally would wear in jeans; there was a bit of room but not enough that I would go down another size since it doesn't have a lot of stretch. Now I have some lady humps in the back and these jeans gave me a serious case of flat-ass. Totally not cute whatsoever!! I also wasn't crazy about where the hem stopped. I feel like it was border-line high water territory, but if you are the type to roll up the hem, that might not be an issue. Sadly, these were a pass for me. It comes in a few other colors too, including an interesting orangey-taupe shade that I liked. Sigh, the search continues!


Silk Neonsun Shirtdress in Neon Orange, $150.00, available here
If there is anything that Madewell does well, it is dresses (and tees). The color of this dress definitely caught my eye. It's not quite a neon orange or pale orange, but a combination of the two that I can only think to describe as a bright cantaloupe. It has a nice v-neck, floaty sleeves, and some pleating in the back. The elastic waist gives it a bit of shape to keep it from being straight up and down like most shirtdresses. This would totally look cute with a thick belt. I tried this on in my regular size and it fit well with no major issues. This gets a thumbs up for color and feel, but didn't make the cut because I have a Madewell dress that fills the bright color spot already.

 

Striped Bookplate Dress, $95.00, available here

This is the dress that I saw in an email newsletter. Now I do like stripes, but for me they can be iffy because of my body type, but I thought this might work because of the directions of the stripes at the top. My thought was that the diagonal stripes will counteract the widening effect of the horizontal stripes and I think it did. I tried this on in a size down and it fit perfectly. It skimmed the body without being tight, the cotton was soft and perfect for the upcoming hotter weather, plus the stripes are a bit different from other offerings on the market. The only thing that might be a negative is the length. It falls a bit below my knee, so it isn't a short dress nor a maxi dress. Despite that one nitpick, this got a thumbs up and buy from me. Not only that, there was a lady at the register next to me buying it as well. I can't wait to wear it (with or without a belt). 


Do you have your eye on any new items at Madewell? Where does one go to find a good (bargain) pair of cute boyfriend jeans? Have you overdosed on stripes yet?

22 comments:

  1. The striped dress looks great on you! Even better than the picture on their website! I actually really like the length. Hoping it goes on sale at some point...

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  2. LOVE that dress with stripes! the lace top is cute too! i found my BF jeans at old navy, the gap and ny&co.

    ~nic
    www-nics-picks.com

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  3. The striped dress def. looks better on you than the model. I like the length on you, but I'm tall and worried that it will be the length of the model on me, which isn't as flattering. Thanks for the review!

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  4. The Stripe Bookplate dress is on my radar! Thanks for the reviews!

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  5. P.S. I just ordered the striped dress on shopbop with their 20% off promo! INTHEFAMILY20!

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  6. Yay, I'm glad you were able to get it!! I didn't even realize it was on Shopbop's website.

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  7. You're welcome! I hope you are able to get it soon, it's a great dress.

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  8. Thanks! Those two items were definitely my favorites.
    You know, I found a pair of ON boyfriend jeans at the thrift store, but I did an experiment on them and now can't wear them. I'm kicking myself for that one. I'll have to keep an eye out at those stores.

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  9. Thanks! If you don't want to wait until Madewell puts it on sale, you can snag it at Shopbop like Zany did with their discount code.

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  10. You needed it!! OMG I can't get enough of the dress. When you wash it dry light and it comes up about half an inch making it perfect. You think you're going to want it shorter with the belt, but SWEARS girl you won't. *dies*. Ps its Carrie from this free bird. Not sure why these comments won't link back to my blog. Annoyballs.

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  11. love those dresses - how adorable! you look great in them!

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  12. The striped dress looks wonderful on you!!! Thanks for your review, I'll def look out for it on sale.

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  13. That striped dress looks amazing on you! I would never ever have even considered it until now. Could I ask your advice about sizing? What size did you take in this vs your dress size? Thanks so much for the pictures!

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  14. Really loving that striped dress! I am tempted now!

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  15. I saw Carrie from This Free Bird also wearing the stripe dress and I'm love. So pretty and you look amazing in it.

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  16. I saw Carrie post an Instagram picture and recognized the stripes of the dress. She looks great in it and rocks it in that fabulous style of hers. I can't wait to start wearing mine. :)

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  17. Oh, I would definitely say you should get it!! :)

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  18. I would never really consider most striped dresses, but there was something about this one that I really liked.
    I took this dress in a size medium. I normally have to get the largest size (L or XL) on the rack to accommodate my chest and broad shoulders, but the website said this had a loose fit. I would say size down for a fitted look, but stick to your regular size if you want a little bit of slouch to it.

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  19. Thank you!! I hope you are able to get this on sale!

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  20. Thanks so much!! Madewell just gets it right with their dresses.

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  21. I can just tell how excited you are about this dress, you are making me anxious for the weekend to get here so that I can wear mine now. I haven't figured out how to make it work for the office yet.

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  22. Love the striped dress on you, especially with the belt!

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