Elizabeth Suzann Marlena Midi Dress in raw silk | medium (gift from Elizabeth Suzann to review)
Kristen Elspeth necklace
James Perse Exclusive Birkenstock Arizona sandals | sold out, basic Arizona style
I couldn’t make you guys wait until Friday…so here’s a look at the Marlena midi dress in black, raw silk. I haven’t been able to wear it out yet (maybe today, with a light sweater on top), but just from trying it on at home and for these pictures, I KNOW it’s going to be the dress I reach for all spring/summer. In fact, I will say that if you could buy only one dress this summer, let it be this one.
I thought about dressing it up for you, but who am I kidding – I wanted to show it exactly how I’d wear it most often: casually, with my Birkenstocks. This dress lends itself beautifully to any occasion, I think. It would be great for work, with a cropped jacket and a wedge sandal, but equally perfect for the weekend with flat sandals, sneakers, or whatever, really.
I’ve never owned anything raw silk before, and I really love it. It has a nice subtle texture, it’s matte, and not delicate-feeling at all, which is what concerns me about silk in general, and why I don’t own much of it (my lifestyle doesn’t lend itself well to “delicate”).
On to the fit: Elizabeth Suzann sent me the small and the medium to try, and I’m sticking with the medium because it fits me better in the bust/shoulders. The small was quite small there on me, even with just my 34b bust, although it fit fine at the hips. The medium fits my chest perfectly, comfortably, and I like the way it fits all the way down better than the small; it just has more room to move around, sit in, etc.
The armholes are not so big they’ll show your bra, and not too tight – they’re just right. And on me, anyway, you cannot see my bra when I wear the v in the front or the back. In these pictures, just for you, I’m actually wearing a “substantial” bra (this one) rather than the unpadded, unlined, simple bras I usually wear. If you love the dress but find that the v is too deep for you, you could take the shoulders up a bit – reader Laurie did that with success.
I find the dress opaque; I am not wearing a slip underneath. I did try it belted, and liked that look as well – it would be amazing with Elizabeth Suzann’s knot belt – but sometimes belting dresses seems fussy to me. I don’t know why. But it is another way to wear the dress if you were so inclined, perhaps for the office? This would be a great dress for traveling too, since you basically have three completely different looks depending on how you wear it. I’m not sure how/if raw silk wrinkles, but I imagine it would hand wash well in a hotel sink and hang to dry by the next day.
I. Love. this. Dress. And no, I’m not just saying that because Elizabeth Suzann sent it to me to review. I’m picky when it comes to clothing, and really strive for perfection (as close to you can get anyway, because there’s really no such thing) in everything I choose to add to my closet. This is a versatile, well-made, easy, chic, locally-made (in Nashville, TN) in small batches by an independent designer, dress. What’s not to love??
And just to follow up to a previous comment conversation about silk, and the ethics of clothing made with silk, here is a very thoughtful response from Chelsea at Elizabeth Suzann about their use of silk:
Firstly, let’s talk about the silk we use. Our ultimate goal is to produce our fabrics here in Nashville. But, we do not currently do so. With the exception of our handwoven silk which is made here in Nashville by a local weaver, our silk comes from India or Korea. There are very few options for silk in North America simply because silk worms do not thrive here. We are aware of Peace Silk, but it is very expensive (~$40 per yard on average). Using Peace Silk would increase (nearly double) our prices. Therefore, we have chosen to strike a careful balance of using high-high-quality silk at a better price point, with an ultimate goal of weaving every single yard of fabric under our own roof in the future.…I so appreciate this discussion, and I am happy to be a part of it. All silk worms are insects, and all insects are invertebrates. They do indeed have a brain and neurons, but their system is so simple that they simply “react” to a stimuli such as a high temperature. Those reactions are similar to our reflexes. Meaning, if there is pain, it is very little and perhaps closer to what we perceive as a “sensation”. And, if they are introduced to high temperatures while in their cocoon, chances are they do not feel any sensations at all. This issue has come up several times at Elizabeth Suzann, and at this time, we have decided to continue using silk in an effort to keep our prices more affordable for our customers, but we are happy to continue the discussion.
I love it! I started looking at it on their website yesterday after reading your blog. I am shorter than you at 5’1″ but I could get it hemmed I suppose. It really is gorgeous.
Great review, thanks Grechen! Sealed the deal for me: going to go for the Marlena dress (probably the shorter length, not the midi) in black raw silk as soon as I can afford it!
I have the Georgia tee in ivory raw silk, and I love the material! It does wrinkle, but I suspect it would be less obvious in black. I steam out my clothes each morning, and the wrinkles fall out of the raw silk with ease.
yes, you could definitely hem it! it’s so wonderful 🙂
you know, as soon as i got this, i thought i needed it also in the lighter color (i’d love a lighter color, i’m just afraid…), so i’d love your input on your tee. is it very sheer? or somewhat opaque?
i’d love the shorter version too probably. someday…
Heavens above (or below, I don’t know) I LOVE THAT DRESS. I need to save up and get that for my birthday present (conveniently, my birthday is in April 😉 Though I better check my bust measurements and their website and make sure I can get it to fit 🙁 I love raw silk – haven’t had any for a while. One of my mom’s favorite outfits from the (early) 80s was a khaki raw silk pants suit (very Out of Africa-ish, in my young opinion)
And I think I will go for the midi length – for some reason, I don’t mind a wider/more shapeless fit on a long dress but hate it on a short dress – I think it’s the boobs. I always blame the boobs.
This is a great review for a lovely dress!
It looks gorgeous.
Thanks for bringing this designer to our attention.
Is she offering any kind of discount if we mention your site?
thanks farha!!
no discount right now, sorry.
Definitely interested in the dress – but going to write them with my measurements to figure out my size.
Thanks for a great review!
I love that dress! The cut makes it hang so nicely and isn’t just a shapeless sack. Raw silk is lovely, so I’m sure the texture really adds to the dress.
I’m hopefully going to a conference in Nashville in May and hope to stop by Elizabeth Suzann’s studio when I’m in town!
It is somewhat, but not fully, opaque. For example, if I wear a black bra underneath it’s slightly visible, but a bra in the same shade as my skin is not. I think I would go for the dress in ivory if I didn’t have toddlers, ha!
A somewhat indelicate question – what happens when you bend forward when you’re wearing the dress with the V in the front? Does it pull away from your body or does it stay against your chest?
I think the pulling away might be just a big-boobs issue (I always blame the boobs too and they really are almost always responsible for my dressing problems.) But I’m curious anyway. Looks great on you and I’m very intrigued by the fabric, especially.
Haha. Well, I’ll have to check on that and get back to you 😉
This is gorgeous– maybe my favorite outfit ever on you. Love the styling, too, with the Birks and the necklace. You look absolutely fantastic.
thank you so much!!
ah! so jealous. i’m planning a trip sometime this year, probably later in the summer, or fall? for when i’m ready to get a pair of imogene & willie jeans maybe…
well, i blame the hips 😉
i agree with you on the length now that i think about it, i prefer a slimmer fit in a shorter dress.
I know you are picky and I am too. ES is one of my favorites. I especially think the v neck dress looks amazing on you. xx
thank you jillian! i’m crazy about this dress…
So I have (as you well know) this dress twice. I have the short version in the raw silk and the long version in the crepe silk. Both black. And they are both my favorite! I never thought I would like a long dress being small in both size and stature but I adore it. I was wearing it in New Orleans a couple weeks ago (with some very old low-top converse sneakers) and when I got onto the streetcar with someone asked me what country I was from!
Haha!! That’s the best compliment! I think the fit of this dress is what makes it so great- it’s cut with room, but doesn’t look oversized at all. That’s a fine line that’s hard not to cross.
Love this! I’ve been eyeing a few ES things, they’re all so good it’s hard to choose! Question on the black raw silk – is this a pet hair magnet? I’ve never had anything in raw silk, and am intrigued, but have cats.
You look great! I always appreciate your reviews, when you love something it shines through, and when you don’t, you are politely honest. I do need to reiterate my problem with ES no return policy. “Elizabeth Suzann sent me the small and the medium to try…” if only all of us had the same luxury! /rant. Thanks again.
Why thank you! 😉
So lovely but for me it’s probably a wardrobe malfunction that won’t even wait to happen. I promised myself that I wouldn’t buy any more clothes that I have to rig with double-stick tape, but the Marlena tank really, rather than the dress, is the thing that’s been missing in my wardrobe, so temptation may get the better of me. I worry though that I’d buy it with the hope it would solve some problems but in the end would prove to be a problem itself. I imagine it would fit similarly to the dress, which is why I’m curious.
Wow, this dress looks perfect on you and you look great in it !
thank you!
thanks fiona – i totally understand your frustration. i think if there was a way for smaller designers to provide very generous return policies, they would. but when it comes down to it, they just don’t have the margins for that, like shopbop does, for example, or nordstrom. when my father owned his small tennis shop, everything was exchange only for store credit, and i know so many small businesses that do that. of course, when you’re shopping in person, it’s a bit different.
(i appreciate that sabah allows you to “order” a second pair of shoes in a different size for $15 to try, for example, but you don’t get that back. and i’m not sure i’d pay $15 for the privilege of trying on two sizes, you know? )
i do feel like ES does a good job with sizing details and honestly, i appreciate that they have the vision to work with people like me who can help (a little) give sizing guidance and a better idea of how things look on a somewhat wider size range….many many small designers and boutiques don’t do that…
i don’t know, it’s hard, and frustrating sometimes, because i know we all want to support smaller designers, and no returns policies make it tough (or returns but with a 25% “fee”!!). i don’t know what the answer is, but i respect designers and small business owners so much, and realize how hard it is sometimes just to get by, that i don’t begrudge them whatever policies they put in place to make that just a teeny bit easier 😉
thanks for that. I don’t know the answer either, and I do think everyone involved is trying to do the right thing. I think you are making a significant contribution by the way you talk about the issue while supporting what you believe in.
Thank you for your introduction to this brand! I ordered this dress as well as the regular length version. Now I am anxiously awaiting their arrival in a few weeks! I can’t tell how I will wear them yet, obviously, but I love v necks, so am hoping to wear it that way, unless it is too revealing! This dress looks great on you either way! Thanks again Gretchen!
Kelly…I love the OOA reference. 🙂
That’s exactly what I was going to say! It’s the “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” of dresses…just right! You look great in it.
I’m sorry if you’ve mentioned this before and I missed it – but how tall are you? I am curious on the length of the midi dress, in relation to your height. It’s a beautiful dress and looks wonderful on you!
thank you marilyn! I’m about 5’3″ – for future reference, i try to keep my measurements updated on the about page 🙂
thank you 🙂 i love it…
oh, wonderful! can’t wait to hear what you think about it…
Thanks for your review, Laurie! Since you have Marlenas in both raw silk and silk crepe, would you please comment on your experience with each fabric, please. I like wearing pants under dresses and would probably layer the midi Marlena over the Cecilia pant. I’m thinking the raw silk could stick to the pant. The buttery feeling of the silk crepe sounds divine, but does it look too dressy for every day? Is one fabric lower maintenance than the other?