Tuesday

So my order from Overstock.com arrived.

I am glad that they have easy returns.  Wah!

So I ordered this dress.  Mega cute, well made, but totally cut for someone who is 5'8″.  I looked as though I was playing dress-up.  The dress hit almost to my ankle bone, the waist started at my hips, the shoulders too broad.  Definitely a brand that makes their 14s not just wider but bigger everywhere.  I think if I were a size 6 and my height it would fit great. The color was a bit… intense.  Almost a neon red.  Also the fabric is a bit thin – excellent for a hot summer day, but with this color I would have had to wear nude undergarments and the type that go invisible under thin cottons.  If it came in petite and a darker color, I would reorder.

I also ordered these shoes in yellow.  They looked comfy, I think yellow is a bright that works as a neutral (could go with 90% of my wardrobe because I don't ever wear yellow.  Imagine with gray, black, navy, white, blues, greens, tans…) and I am always a sucker for wedges (and I really want the new TOMS wedges in yellow and this was cheaper and more work appropriate).  Yeah, these run narrow.  Super narrow.  I have fat feet, but I couldn't fit more than the edge of my toes in the toe strap.  And you can tell that the strap in back that holds the elastic to the shoe isn't elastic… well it's shiny patent leather.  Which I don't think works with braided rope and elastic.  Leather – sure.  Nubuck?  Why not.  Canvas?  Yes.  But patent leather made the shoe suddenly look cheap.

And finally I ordered this dress.  I usually have success with MICHAEL Michael Kors.  I was envisioning this dress with the self-belt replaced with a brown leather belt, my brown croco T-straps from Sofft, maybe my long turquoise necklace from Allison Dayton Designs.  Well as you see, I AM wearing it… but at 5pm today I am NOT loving it any more.  And I don't think I loved it when I left the house.

The fabric is awesome – a crinkly sheer fabric that doesn't feel cheap.  The body is lined in a dark coral acetate that doesn't cling.  The neckline is elasticized and if you so wish could wear it off the shoulder.  The wrists are also elasticized – and the sleeves are bracelet-length, not full length.  I liked all these features, and I think the print is cute in person – a dark coral/pumpkin shade with ivory, olive, and very minor touches of pink.  It doesn't look gaudy or cheesy.  The length is perfect for me – right at the top of the knee.  I think if I were taller it would be too short for the workplace.

The problems – I got the XL and then remembered that this line runs big.  I probably would have done better with a Large.  It fits, but it balloons a bit.  The self belt is just the sheer fabric.  I think I actually would have liked there to be a layer of the coral acetate or even some interfacing in it to give it more durability.  It looks best when it lies flat, but because it's so lightweight it become all smushed and looks more like a rope than a 2″ band after sitting down a few minutes.  And the elasticized neckline is fun, but because I don't go to work baring my shoulders, I find the normal sitting of the neckline to be a bit dowdy.

I also found the dress doesn't look good on me with a wide belt under the bust.  It is too flowy to handle a solid belt at the waist unless it's slouchy.  And I don't have the bod for a slouchy belt at my waist/hips.  I ended up tying the self belt right at the bottom of my ribcage – where I am still narrow, but low enough that I am not all “Hello Boobies!”  Yeah, the elasticized neckline does make the bust area a bit poofy, and I am not a woman who needs added poofiness in her bust area.

I am wearing it with my brushed gold “twig” bangles from Ann Taylor, big thin gold hoops from Nordstrom, and a gold rope necklace from J. Crew.  And yes, the brown croco T-straps from Sofft, though now owning the dress I think it would have looked better with a shoe that was tan or beige or even gold.

So the Overstock.com route was a bust this time, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't shop for clothing from them again.  The clothes are excellent quality, they just weren't the best choices for me.