Sunja Link linen dress | size medium (gift from Seven Sisters to review)
Admonish leather tote
Robert Clergerie Nalo wedges
Finally! Sunshine!!! I am so grouchy when I don’t see the sun for days. And I really hate the rain. I know…blasphemy when we need it so badly, but I love to be outside and feel the sun on my face (through lots of SPF of course…). Anyway, here are some better pictures of the Sunja Link dress I’ve been waxing poetic about lately. I’ve worn it quite often since I got it; it’s so easy to just throw on, and look relatively pulled together. And I love the print – it’s a very “Grechen” print 😉
I tried the small also when Jillian first offered to send me something, and I liked that there wasn’t quite so much “extra” fabric around my middle in that size, but it was a little snug at the neck, and narrower at the bottom, thus harder to walk in. The medium is bigger, more comfortable overall, and definitely easier to walk in. It’s still a little narrow, but that’s the cut of the dress, and doesn’t bother me at all.
I don’t normally wear it with these shoes, but since they are what Sunja Link styles them with, I thought why not? And I love them with it, they give just a little height, and make it look ever so slightly more chic. I don’t wear these shoes as often as I’d like to because they’re just a teeny bit big, and slide off my heel when I walk. I’ve tried the heel stickers, but those don’t work, has anyone tried a full insert to help with shoes that are just a little too big? Any other suggestions?
And I know what you’re thinking, there’s a lot of fabric, and perhaps it’s a little long on me. But I LIKE the midi length; it is more “modern” to me right now, and interesting. I also like the way it looks. I reserve the right to hem the dress shorter if I want to in the future, but for right now, I’m happy with it as is. It’s big. And I’m short. I don’t feel that obligation anymore to dress in a “flattering” way, or in items that suit my “body type/stature” – I wear what I want. (see also, “how to get your body caftan ready for summer“).
Oh, and I am definitely, absolutely, 100% getting my hair cut. Screw this growing it out thing. I am tired of pulling my hair back all the time, and that’s all I do, between Pure Barre nearly every day, and walking Dagny in the afternoons. I like my overall look when my hair is shorter, just above my shoulders, and it’s much cooler. Hopefully I can get an appointment this week…I’m over it!!
Happy Monday !!
Oh Grechen, I adore this dress. It looks amazing on you! I love the length. I’m short too, so nothing ever looks like it does on the models, but whatever, it makes it that much more personal!
I think that dress is great! I love the print.
Just read that caftan article. Priceless! I feel as if the author is in my head.
What a beautiful dress on you! It looks like it will be perfect for the warm weather!
I usually do a full insert in shoes if they fit a 1/2 size too big and it works perfectly. Aldo has a really nice Terry insole that can be handwashed.
ah, thank you dee! my friend loves those aldo inserts…i forgot about those!
that article is so good. it’s a classic by now, i guess, but i always love to read it when summer comes 🙂
You are wearing that dress so well and you inspired me to buy it!
I just got a dress like this and was second guessing wearing it because it just seemed a little too overwhelming but you look great! You’ve inspired me. I am also thinking of hemming mine but might try wearing a bit first. Also, I think with this silhouette in linen you run the risk of it riding up really high in the back if you hem to above the knee.
Love the print although for me, I’d like a more fitted dress ..
I hear ya on the hair … while I love long hair .. ugh, it’s such a pain. How do women with long hair deal?
Monica.
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I love that you’re willing to try lots of different silhouettes and styles! I don’t have a hard time with actually WEARING a style that isn’t conventionally “flattering” on me, as long as I love it (i.e. Horizontal stripes 😉 ) but I’m often not very happy with how I APPEAR in photographs of myself. It might be because I’m still carrying extra weight, even though I’ve lost about 25 lbs recently. So, wouldn’t you think I’d be proud of myself? That’s a whole other issue….
I say go for what makes you happy with your hair. You set the rules! You’re the only one you have to make happy.
I love that dress and you look wonderful in it! If it’s not too much trouble could you please tell me how big the M is across the chest and hips? I’m seriously pondering the dress, but not sure which size to get…
I can measure it for you when I get home! It’s pretty big across the chest, less at the hips
My gosh, I think we are all getting this dress. Sunja Link is such a small operation they won’t know what hit them. Should we start a Grechens Closet Girlfriends club and hold events, wearing Grechen inspired outfits, by skype if necessary? We could design outfit inspired cocktails, such as the Palm Dress, which should have Canadian whiskey or ice wine or something in it.
Forgive me, I haven’t eaten yet today and have been running on coffee. I think I’d better have a yogurt before my 2 o’clock.
Cheer, everybody!
Thank you in advance!
It’s really hard to measure at the chest…under then arms it’s about 25 inches and right across the chest it looks to be about 23 inches. The hip area measures about 23.5 inches. These are laid out flat and measured to the best of my abilities 😉
I got this in the mail today–I really love it! However, it’s much bolder in person so I’m gonna have to get over my fear of standing out to wear it. Also I wish it had pockets. It is really well made and I love the fit. For reference, I ordered a small with some misgivings based on Grechen’s experience, but it does fit quite well. On me the dress is only narrow around the leg opening which means I’ll just have to take shorter steps. 😉 I don’t find it tight around the bust or hips.
That’s super-helpful–thank you so much, Gretchen!
Grechen, I received this some time ago. It came out of the package smelling a bit odd and very very stiff. (did the same happen to you?) I attributed this to my assumption that it was newly printed and that both the white and black colours are inked on, i.e. the fabric is not dyed but covered with ink. Do you think this is so? Anyway, I paid it no mind, expecting that it would soften with washing. Alas, I discovered it is dry clean only! Sooo, was the dress stiff when you bought it? Has it softened with wear? Have you cleaned it yet? How? I know you are very busy these days, but I hope you can help at this late data.
Date, not data
it was a bit stiff, but no longer (I wore it today to a brunch thingie) – and now that i think of it, i can’t be sure i’ve washed it, although i probably have, i’ve worn it enough. i think i have washed it. and if so, i would have washed it in the machine with the laundress detergent and hung to dry…
that’s an interesting thought about the print – i just assumed it was dyed/printed, i can’t imagine the print would hold up otherwise? like if the prints are inked on, they would bleed…
Wow, thanks for this quick response. Your reply is encouraging! I think the inking process would be fine if there are stabilizers in the ink (as per silkscreening.) However, to satisfy my inquisitive mind, I have now emailed sunja link to find out. I won’t get an answer until at least Monday, though, as this is Canada Day! Yea! Along that note, Happy July 4th in advance.
wow, answer already. this lovely artist is at the beck and call of her customers! It is indeed a (plant based) ink.
So as an experiment, I slept in the dress last night, which was not the most snuggly, cozy thing ever, by any means. By morning it was a bit rumpled, but not really creased (is that the sign of a good linen? My Elizabeth Suzann linen dress just rumples too, without really creasing…it is the creases that bother me with linen, not the soft rumples.) I can’t really say that the dress is any softer, as it still holds its form completely. Maybe it is, maybe I’m just getting used to it. I have left it scrunched up under the pillow for the day to see what happens. FYI, I have also just order the boyish one piece swimsuit from Sunja. They only had L left, so we’ll see if it fits and if I can alter it!