I have looked at all the brands, from high-end like Michael Kors and Calvin Klein to mid-priced ones like Theory, Elie Tahari, Tory and Milly (swoon) to lower-priced ones like Boden, Talbots and of course JCrew. If there is a dress out there, I have probably tried it or inquired about it or I know its price and the colors it comes in, you name it. So it seems unbelievable that after all this search I still hadn't found a dress as of two days ago.
First, there is the issue of the color. All the dresses that I liked seemed to only came in black and I didn't want to do black. The grey ones looked too professional, like I am going to the office after the interview which is not who I am so I decided that I didn't want a "suit dress". Many dresses come in purple or red this year: cross as not appropriate. What's left? Not much actually, there are not that many camel dresses out there and even the few that I found weren't available in my size or had a detail that ruined it for me. I still have the Loft one but I wanted something a notch more elegant, even if not at all bling-y.
The other problem is the length: I have many short dresses and I wanted something that hit me at the knee. I found dresses that hit at the knee but many are very form-fitting. Again, a look I am not going for.
I was almost desperate but the other night someone mentionned on the JCA the factory Emmeline dress in heather elm, that I had already noticed. I am hesitant to order factory not only because of the lower quality but because of the return policy. But the free shipping and the 30% off were incentive, along with the description that said "Falls at the knee", and I decided to pull the trigger.
I wasn't expecting the dress to arrive before the weekend (I ordered it Wednesday night) but somehow it made it here yesterday and when I open the package I knew that it was a winner. The color is exactly what I was looking for and the length is perfect. The collar could be a little bit less revealing but it is not a big deal, especially when worn with a jacket. And this dress has another advantage for me and it is that the color and style go perfectly with my Ralph Lauren herringbone jacket, that I bought on super-sale last year already with the intention of wearing it to school touras this Fall.
This is the Emmeline in a size 0 (it is roomy, don't size up). It is a little bit shapeless at the waist so it looks better belted (but it's cute even without a belt):
It has a cute button placket sewn at the ruffled collar junction, but it is a little bit too low to cover the ladies, bummer:
And the outfit with my RL jacket (love the ruffles coming out of the jacket):
I have two other dresses to show you but my time is up. Have a great weekend and keep the finger crossed for me
It is PERFECT, Ema, I am dying to have it, too--I wish they made it in a 00 :(
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous with the jacket.
You look fantastic!
Gorgeous dress! You look fabulous and it will be perfect for the school interviews.
ReplyDeleteWhy not a jacket and skirt? That would look very polished.
ReplyDeletewait, did I miss the Part 1 of this series? Are the interviews for your daughter? How stressful is it to live in New York City?? You look fab, by the way. And J Crew always has some knee-length work dresses, although granted, they can at times be boring. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteReally love the dress and it certainly caught my eye during the last roll out. It is so nice to see that it really does go to the knee (as you know jcrew's descriptions aren't always spot on). Thank you so much for the review!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I am glad you finally found a good dress that met all your requirements. Looking forward to seeing your other dresses!
ReplyDeleteHi there! I have been reading your blog but never commented until today because I just had to tell you that I have that dress too, and love it! I actually bought it 3 years ago at the factory store at Woodbury Commons. I am excited to see it in more colors on the website and may go ahead and purchase the black, I have the grey. It is very versatile. You look great in it and good luck!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh! Great minds think alike! I recently bought this same color dress and simply love it. I wore it similar to you. I'm posting on my blog Tuesday and will link to your review. It's such a cute dress, right? It looks great on you. I'm tempted to also order black if they offer another promo.
ReplyDeleteAmy, thank you. Yes, what a bummer that they don't make it in a 00.
ReplyDeleteshopalot, thank you!
Sunny, I noticed that people who go to school interviews tend to wear dresses over a skirt and a jacket. I also find it easier as my winter skirts tend to be very thick. But thanks for the suggestion!
dinster, yes, part 1 is here. You are welcome to leave a comment BTW as those dresses are still candidate.
Yes, all this is form my daughter k application, can you imagine?
MegCrew, yes I was surprised that the description matched the reality in this case. I forgot to mention that the dress is fully lined and the wool isn't scratchy at all, it's a nice wool flannel (not very thick though)
Louise, thank you!
Katie and Rich, thanks for commenting! I started buying factory only when it became available on the website as the factory stores are far from here. Good to know that it's a style that they keep making, it's really a great dress.
Pamela, you were actually the one who "enabled" me to pull the trigger on this one(I read your review on the JCA). Glad that you did!