Fall Style: #OOTD - SHEIN Dress Review

When I saw this dress on SHEIN , while searching for Fall items to add to my wardrobe, I was instantly smitten. The various shades of deep reds, along with stripes of turquoise, black and deep purples, fit the bill as something I could see myself in for the season. Because I live in the Southeastern U.S., I could totally get away with short sleeves during Fall and these short batwing sleeves seemed like a great way to navigate warm weather on a steamy seasonal day. The material is fairly thin and lightweight, despite the print suggesting something of more heft; a fashion optical illusion. The striped print reminded me of a the vibrant colors mostly found on a Mexican blanket poncho, which probably contributes to the illusion that the fabric would be more blanket-like than not. Another bonus to wearing this dress on a warm Fall day is the split down the front, which allows for maximum air flow. The split, however, also has a downside, which I think could be rectified by ordering up a size or two.
During my experience of wearing this dress, I can tell you that you definitely shouldn't wear this to the office if your office enforces a strict dress code. My office dress code is pretty much anything that's not offensive, overly revealing or trashy. It ranges from professional to business casual, to just t-shirt and jeans casual. This dress made me want to stay in my office and not come out all day. And when I did need to make a run to the restroom, kitchen or out for lunch, I prayed I didn't run into anyone in the hall. The front split came up way too high for my comfort zone and because I ordered the right size, there was no give for sewing the split partially closed. And when I sat down, it was darn near up to my crotch. Thank God for Zoom calls where the view is from the chest up. When driving, I was more than conscious of trucks or SUVs that pulled up beside me and were able to look down at my lap for an almost X-rated view. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend this dress for anything where you might be concerned about modesty. I love the print so much I considered ordering it in a larger size. Perhaps that would give me more length and more fabric to possibly stitch up the slit, but I'm not sure. Looking at the measurements on the website, it doesn't appear the 2 extra inches in the hem would make much difference. My wide hips could eat up those 2 inches and still make it a struggle to stitch the hem neatly and have it remain neat and intact when I sat down.
So, for as much I adore this dress, it's headed to the donation pile. Besides the split issue, I felt myself fidgeting with it all day. Between pulling it down, adjusting the split or the neckline, I got a full workout. And if you wardrobe is causing you that much grief, it's probably not worth keeping.
If you have hips or thighs and aren't trying to flash anyone, this dress could be problematic. If showing a whole lotta leg and possibly flashing folks is a risk you're willing to take, this dress will hit the mark. If SHEIN made this dress without the split, it'd be in my cart, again, in a heartbeat! For as much as I struggled with it, I love the way the stripes looked on me, paired with black accessories. *chef's kiss"
Dress and accessories linked below to get the look.
Comments