When I initially saw this dress online, I thought “no way will that work for me” and passed it up. But then the June catalog came out.. and I was totally sucker by the last page pic. The dress looks so cute on the model.
As soon as I pulled this out of the bag, I knew it was a no go. It is very wide through the chest and waist. It is designed with a drop waist but it’s too low on me and I think the over length of the skirt is too long for so much flounce. The ruffles are pretty full and very wrinkly out of the box. In my opinion, the skirt needs to hit higher on the waist and the entire dress should be cut smaller.
Can I just say the pattern designers for JC, need some quality control! This dress could have been cute but alas they screwed it up again. I can see it already in the sale section for $29.99 all summer long.
The dress is made in cotton pique which is your typical polo tee material. The pique runs underneath the skirt which I didn’t love. I think it would have had a pretty look and drape if they had ended the pique at the waist and lined the skirt with another material.
So if the Bonbon dress I ordered was an XS what size exactly is the 90lb J.Crew model wearing in the catalog???? The dress is so pinned or even completely custom made for her, it is annoying. Seriously J.crew, you flat out lie.
Retail Description:A sweet, summery confection in our signature soft cotton piqué, featuring a tiered ruffle skirt in cotton lawn and delicate picot-edged cotton-lawn trim around the neckline and arm opening. Scoopneck. Sleeveless. Falls above knee: 20″ from natural waist. Import. Machine wash. $78
Sizing: Size down
Overall: *
pulled up and pinned with 4 clothes pins
I have to say, it looks so good on you in the second picture-much better than on the model. Maybe on super sale it would be worth the alterations. May I ask what shoes you are wearing?
Thanks Susan. I'm not sure if it would be too pricey to alter. I think I'd have to hav the ruffles taken off and cut down.
The shoes are Franco sarto wedges from a couple years ago
I agree with Susan – you look fabulous in this dress in the second picture. I am very frustrated with J.Crew's sizing right now too. XS are too big on me also and it's just insane. I hope they get their sizing right soon or start making XXS.
Would someone please tell J.Crew to quit vanity sizing! It is so frustrating to think you are one size, then realize that they are totally sizing you out of their store! Uh. Why do they have to make the XS so big? I was totally loving this dress, but it's going to be too big
Thank you for the review – it could look darling with some alterations!
That's crazy, because with it pinned, it looks like a completely different dress on you (and amazing). Non pinned, it looks like something that should be at the bottom of the "bargain bin"!!
Oh J.Crew…
Really cute in pic 2! But you know what? I don't think it looks all THAT bad in pic 1 either!! Somehow you manage to work it, girl! And it is such a pretty colour…
Agreed that you look super cute in the second shot! Love the pink belt.
Admittedly I have never been sized out of a garment but ITA with you!!! I have bought J.Crew items recently in sizes as small as a 2…and I ain't no 2. It does seem clothing stores are drinking the wacky kool-aid lately when it comes to sizing.
I agree with Paper Bag Princess, that it's not bad in pic 1. I think it actually looks just like it does on the model except the ruffles need to be steamed – that would probably help it a lot even without alterations. I think it's very cute as a summer dress.
I stopped back to read the previous post to see if you decided to keep the dressy jersey strapless dress. I think you look cute in the bonbon dress but I'm not a fan of it so I won't be telling you to keep it.
IRL- Well I can't keep it knowing it's $22 cheaper (it pains me lol) but with darn shipping it would be $52 to re-order. I think I'll just wait and hopefully come upon one in the B&M.
Btw- I tried to check the inventory and it only let me enter 9. Suck! I saw some post about it on JCA but then others said it worked fine. Gah their on to us.
Thanks about pic #2 everyone. I really wish it actually fit that way! Re: pic #1, you ladies are too kind. It looks worse irl lol
Picture 2 does look a lot better. This dress looks too much like the 80s drop-waist dresses we used to sew in home ec classes way back when . . . not the good kind of retro IMO.
I had the same problem and complaint! I loved the dress when I saw it in the catalogue and ordered the charcoal in XS. Oh my god, I tried it on and took it off in like 3 seconds. It was HUGE! So disappointed!
Picture 2 does look great, but yeah. I think I'd give it back. Too much work to have it tailored, and there are so many better dresses out there!
I'm so glad you reviewed this dress. I also became smitten with it after seeing it on the back cover of the catalog. Now, I can save the shipping expense because there is no way I'm going near that dress!
A dress that poorly made isn't worth getting altered. A party dress or work dress/skirt, totally. But not some polo shirt material sundress. I don't even bother looking at any of their knit dresses anymore, because I know the xs will be too big! >:(
I agree, it looks great in the second picture…perhaps you could get a job prepping J Crew models for their photo shoots
I'm really mad at J Crew right now as well because I just received an order full of mediums that were all HUGE on me. According to J Crew's sizing charts, I'm a medium…so I'm not sure what the problem is. If they're not careful, they're going to lose a lot of mail-order business…I myself will probably not order any of their clothes online in the future.
I bought this dress too and it was huge! I am so fed up with J Crew's sizing because I actually am a 0 and their 0s are typically so big on me. Luckily, I tailor my own clothes so I was able to take this one in (a total of 11 inches) to make it fit. I have to say that when it fits properly it is gorgeous.
I'll admit upfront that I am not a fan of this dress, but, it's probably because I'm too old to wear this style anyway! Your alterations in version #2 were a definite improvement over #1! I find it odd that the cotton pique material extends under the skirt –that fabric does not drape well at all! Overall, you can work this style very well, but I don't think it's worth all of the fuss to have it altered. JMO! The color, however, is lovely with your skin tone.
Wow — thanks for the review. With the drop waist that top ruffle on me would begin precisely at the point at which my butt starts. Flutter butt. No thanks.
I don't like this dress and I've tried it on. Nothing against you. I love how you styled it! Genius.