Everlane E2 Ribbed dress (purchased with credits at Everlane) | size medium
The Great boxy jean jacket | size 1
Vince blair sneakers
I ordered this dress on a whim after Henny mentioned how much she loved it. I’d been looking at it, thinking it looked interesting, and could be a nice (more affordable) “alternative” to James Perse, so wanted to try it anyway. And I liked the ribbing; I think it adds interesting texture and makes it a little more “special” than jersey. I got a medium.
I wore it yesterday as you see above, since it was up to about 80 degrees here. My thoughts:
- You CAN wear a normal bra with it easily, which is a big plus for me. One of my straps peeked out a bit but not enough to be a bother.
- I appreciate that the neckline and armholes are higher-cut, for more coverage, but I think they’d be more flattering if they were a bit lower/open.
- The material feels good (viscose/nylon), but it is slightly sheer. I really prefer natural materials though.
- The length is very good on me, just below my knees. The problem with that is that it rides up when I walk slightly.
- Which leads me to the major negative: As I walked, the dress twisted nearly half way around and I had to adjust it CONSTANTLY. I’m not sure it was noticeable to anyone looking, but it got twisted up around my waist and became slightly uncomfortable, so every few steps I was pulling it back down and out. It may twist so much because I was wearing Spanx, which I ALWAYS do with dresses like this, it just makes them much more comfortable and wearable. Anyway, I would recommend wearing some layer or a slip with this dress.
So, in conclusion, I’m not sure I’ll wear it again. Perhaps with a less slick pair of spanx, or a cotton slip? or tights? But honestly, it’s not really worth that much more effort to me, I’d rather wear my myriad James Perse dresses. I loved the length, and the ribbing was interesting, but James Perse dresses are FAR superior in my opinion, easier to wash (this dress is dry clean), and made of mostly cotton – also made in the US.
The dress is a nice try, and again, the ribbing is good, and it’s generally comfortable to wear (not to walk in!), but I feel so much better in James Perse because of the double-layers and ruching that I really just don’t think this dress comes close. And as you can see above, the ribbing stretches and shows all the bumps, etc. (and bloating of late), instead of holding them in like I appreciate with JP. When you want fitted dresses that are comfortable, and flattering, James Perse honestly is the only way to go…
Yikes! All the twisting would annoy the hell out of me. But I do love a cute dress and jean jacket!
Oh darn, Grechen, i’m sorry the dress was not a win for you! But you sure look cute in it, especially that top photo with you in the jean jacket! Love how you styled the dress with that and i may have to copy you 🙂 Btw, what are you holding in that photo…a protein shake?
i love the look, but i can replicate it with one of my many JP dresses also… LOL
yes, that’s a protein shake – i use the CLEAN program vanilla shakes, mixed with frozen blueberries and as much spinach as i can stuff in the container…i’m going to do a post on my diet/fitness “regime” in a week or so. was asked about it on instagram…
I looked at the JP dresses and would love to try, but no place nearby to do in person (not sure I’d fit, really….prestige brands & their sizing not nice for borderline plus girls with boobs & hips)
So I ordered another Eileen Fisher dress from the Nordstrom sale – merino, my favorite work & travel material!! Short sleeve so I’m not sure I’ll like it, but easy to return if not…..
Thank you for the review, I was wondering about this dress. It looks great on you but yes the twisting would annoy the crap outta me. Usually bodycon stays put. I agree that double layer fitted stretch pieces are the best, really smooths things out and not see thru, one of the reasons I love Bailey44 dresses too (JP skirts and dresses don’t work on me sadly).
Thank you for reviewing this dress. I don’t wear many dresses as I just don’t have occasion to, but have been wanting something like this to have in a pinch or for when I feel like dressing up for no reason. I’ll be honest with you- I love your figure (even your super cute ankles, deal with it!) and I love that you modeled this for us, and you do look great in it. But you look less great in it than every single james perse dress I’ve seen you model, which you always look STUNNING in.
It’s a no brainer. This review is the best advert I’ve seen for James Perse. Period.
(You really do look super cute in it, I’m not at all saying you look bad. Just to be totally clear!)
I think the jacket is perfect with this dress, too, Henny. It really hits at your sweet spot.! Something I’ve never really thought all that much about when it comes to a jean jacket…that, depending on how it’s styled or where it hits can make all the difference in the world. I guess they’re not all the same, huh?!? Nor black tank dresses!
I’ve been eyeing this dress and your review has made me decide to buy it! I’ve been thinking that, unlike JP, where I size down, in this dress, I should size up, but was afraid the neckline would be too low. Looking at your picture and your review, I can see that this would not be the case. If I look too wobbly in it (I never wear shapewear) I’ll gift it to my son’s girlfriend. She’s the same size as me, but young and fit.