Product Review: Twinkle Tweed Shift Dress

Twinkle Tweed Shift Dress
Click here for another image
Item 96216
Regular: $395.00

"Thanks!" to Melanie who guest blogged about this {beautiful} dress. The following is her product review:

The first time I saw this dress, I really liked it. It was simple, but had other features that I liked, such as a scooped back. I watched the sizes online dwindle all day before taking the plunge and ordering it. According to the people on the red phone, even though it was posted online, it actually wasn't available to order so I placed a pre-order. Two weeks later, when I was wondering whether my pre-order had become an actual order, they told me there were only 2 available in each size and a long wait list. Of course, I didn't get it that first time around. :)

Then, a few weeks ago, when the blog mentioned that keyword searches would find random cool things, I typed in (no joke) ARGYLE and found the dress again, available in two sizes! I had a free shipping coupon, so I ordered it. I didn't believe it would actually come, but it arrived on Friday.

My first impression was, for a collection dress, they didn't really package it that well. I know people say collection items aren't treated any differently than non-collection items, but it was still kind of disappointing. It came on a plastic hanger, wrapped in plastic. Not even any tissue paper - a shocker!

The dress really does twinkle! There are small, clear plastic sequins that are woven into the fabric and when you move, the sequins flash. I really liked that part - it was subtle but there. The tweed is heavy -- unfortunately, I haven't really seen other tweed skirts or items at J.Crew so I can't compare it but I'm not sure it would carry through spring, if you live in a warmer climate. Calling it oatmeal was a good comparison, as it is a a light, but warm brown, with small strands of a darker brown and a lighter brown. It's a coarse weave, so you can really see the texture, which I like. And the back was by far my favorite part - not as scooped as I thought it would be but enough for you to see shoulder blades. If you have a nice back, it really showcases it. Also, it's fully lined in silk rather than acetate so it's very soft! The tweed is soft, but I imagine it would be scratchy against your skin if the weather was warm. The silk really feels nice against your skin.

When I first put it on, I felt like a dumpy potato. It's a brown dress, and my hips looked so wide! The memory still makes me cringe. :) Then I realized that the torso was too long for me. When I pinched the straps to bring the waist up, it fell so much better and looked much more like the model. However, even pinching the straps up didn't create a completely smooth look, the waist seam is much more defined than what is shown in the picture in the catalog.

"Thanks!" again to Melanie for her great review! She also shared with us the following:

Overall, I did like the dress, but I'm not going to keep it. I am saving up for my wedding and don't really have a place in my life for a $400 dress that I probably won't get a lot of wear out of. Don't get me wrong - it's a versatile and beautiful shift, so I'm sure someone with a less casual lifestyle can get good wear out of it. Just not someone who works in a jeans-wearing office and who doesn't go to dressier parties very much. :) Since it's supply is so limited, I thought I'd see if any Aficionadas had wanted this dress but weren't able to get it - if not, I'll just return it. :) If you're interested, it's a size 2 I'm just looking to recoup what I paid (395 + tax = 428) plus whatever it costs to ship it to your door.

I do think this dress is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. However, I also think it is one of those dresses that looks great on certain body types and not so great on others (like me and my pear shaped frame- I look best with A line skirts that hide my hips!) ;)

What are your thoughts on the Twinkle Tweed Shift Dress ? Do you already own this dress? If so, please let us know what you think! :)