If you’ve never worn bamboo before, it can take a little getting used to, but I love it. I have a several-year old bamboo t-shirt I have worn to death, and I find bamboo to be incredibly soft and comfortable. It’s generally thicker and heavier than cotton – this dress is actually “heavy,” relatively speaking, on the hanger. But a great side-effect of that and one of the most fabulous things about bamboo is the way it drapes when worn – this dress just falls perfectly, and hides all flaws. Bamboo is also more absorbent than cotton, so it wicks away moisture faster; it’s naturally anti-bacterial (maybe that’s why it can easily be grown without pesticides?), and incredibly breathable.
Many eco-friendly designers use bamboo because it’s more sustainable than cotton – bamboo grows incredibly fast and can be grown entirely without pesticides – but it’s not perfect by any means. Bamboo still has to be chemically processed, but manufacturers and designers are working on ways to “green” the entire process so bamboo will be 100% earth-friendly. In the mean time, it’s still better than conventional cotton in my opinion.
Back to the Pesar dress…it’s very hard to see from the picture, but the bodice is slightly gathered, and the straps are thicker on the shoulders so they’re great for hiding bra straps. There is a self-tie I have tied behind my back, and I love the silk strip at the bottom – so unique! You do have to dry clean this dress because of the silk trim, but you can minimize the need to do that by wearing a slip (I do). When I wear this dress, I’m constantly touching it because it’s so soft…if you own any bamboo, you probably know what I mean!!
Find more places that sell Doie online here.
(see our Interview with Doie designer, Sara Kirsner for more information/background on the company and inspiration for her designs)
