Dress: BravissimoShoes: Zu Shoes
Ah, Bravissimo.
I wanted to love this dress. I wanted it to be the answer to all my prayers: a slimming, flattering jersey dress that I could pack every time I went away. I would dress it up with heels and jewellery, and dress it down with flats. It would go with my red boots.
I’m afraid I’m not nearly as enamoured with this dress as I am with my new Bravissimo PJ top, and it’s got nothing to do with the colour (perfectly purple), or the cut (sublime), but the fabric.
Bravissimo’s dress jersey is not at all flab-friendly. It’s the thin, faintly transparent, and – oh doom – clingy jersey that you find mostly on the racks in lower end department stores like Big W and Best & Less. Which is great, for AUD$20-$30, but when you’re looking at closer to AUD$100 plus international shipping you’d be hoping for a fabric that folks can’t see your Luvees through:
Now, it looks lovely with some proper support garments under it, and that’s what is saving it from being returned, and I still believe in Bravissimo as a label to watch, but I don’t think I’ll be ordering another jersey dress from them. Hopefully in seasons to come they’ll expand their range of silk and cotton dresses – at present only available up to a size 16 – to size 18 and beyond.
I was looking at that dress last night after your part 1 post
I like the printed wrap dress * forget its name* that they have on there site but after your run down of the material I think I will stick to my trusty Miss shop black wrap dress that ive had since the birth of my son 4 yrs ago LOL
its the kind that is silky soft and sits just right 🙂
I can’t really see it, but I know that never helps when you can see it yourself. I have a black dress I never wear unless I have suck-in knickers on, but then I can’t eat anything without my belly hurting.
That’s a shame, but it looks nice on you anyway. I was wondering if you ever give places like Bravissimo feedback. I think you should — both positive and negative. You never know, they may take it on board and produce the perfect jersey wrap dress. 🙂
How disappointing. That was my complaint about jersey generally – I know there’s good stuff out there, but I’ve never seen it.
Apparently Leona Edmiston uses the good stuff, but I’m not sure I can afford it. 🙁
The color and cut of the dress are fantastic. As for the fabric, the same thing happened to me with Kiyonna!
Hi Sarah-Jo: The one with the starburst print? I was tossing up between the two, and got this one because I thought it would be more versatile. I loved the printed version, though…
Oh noes, t-shirt weather! Pain whilst eating (especially chocolate churros) are NEVER good!
Thanks Marianne – yeah I always try to give honest feedback. There’s a couple of stores I’ve ordered from (including Wallis) where the item was such an abyssmal fit that I sent it back without doing a review. Online shopping can be such a gamble!
Suze200 – at the moment (19th Jan 2009) Leona Edmiston’s online shop has 50% off everything. The jersey dresses are still $150+, but at least it’s a leetle more reasonable. I’m pretty tempted actually (down, girl!)
Thanks, Anon. I’ve only ever bought one dress from Kiyonna (the black lace dress) and I have to amdit I was less than overwhelmed with the quality.
It's so flattering on you! (yet I understand what you mean about the quality & thinness of the fabric)
Would you be willing to write a detailed review of your Bravissimo pj top? I've been thinking of getting one, but the price is going to be too steep for me if I get a bad fit or if it's not supportive.