As promised, here are some pictures of my Gypsy05 organic cotton maxi dress – the one we’re giving away) courtesy of The Trend Boutique:
I haven’t actually had the opportunity to “wear” this yet (although this week it’s supposed to get up to 70 degrees here), but I really loved playing dress-up ! I got a size large in this dress, and it suits me fine, but The Trend Boutique recommends sizing down. Honestly, I could have sized down, but I don’t think it was necessary. I’m a pretty “hippy” size 12, so if you’re not “hippy”, and lean more towards a size 10, I’d definitely go for the medium.
I LOVE everything about this dress: the organic cotton is super-soft, the fit is great (although I couldn’t find a bra that would work with it – so I’m bra-less), and the detailing is beautiful. It is a bit long for me, but I’m short (about 5’3″), so I had to wear platform sandals with it. I’m actually going to take it to my tailor and see if they can hem it, I’m just afraid with the metallic detailing at the bottom, it will ruin the way the fabric hangs to get it hemmed.
I cannot WAIT to actually be able to wear this in warmer weather, I have a thing for maxi dresses, and tend to live in them more than anything else over the Spring/Summer months.
You can save 20% on this dress at The Trend Boutique with code “grechen20″ (this is good only on orders over $100), but don’t forget to enter to win one through our giveaway here – contest ends February 13.
I have been looking at Melissa’s “plastic” sandals for quite some time now, but only just now decided to take the plunge and buy a pair. The ballet flats are especially cute, and maybe I’ll try a pair this Fall, but I just can’t wear “shoes” in the Summer time (my feet just get too hot), so I decided on the “Sin” Sandals instead.
(Details for the outfit on the left) (Details for the outfit on the right)
I took my normal size in these (8) and find they fit true to size. They were so comfortable from the moment I put them on, I made the mistake of walking the dog with them on. And yes, that was a mistake. The rubber rubbed the bottom/inside of my second toe on my left foot RAW. This usually happens when I break out flip-flops for the first time every summer – my toes aren’t used to rubber in between them – so I should have known better. Anyway, I had to refrain from wearing them for a few days until my wound healed, and after that, they were perfect. I’ve worn them a lot, and find them to be more comfortable than “regular” flip flops, and they have more padding than my other flat sandals. I guess they are slightly gladiator-esque, but that wasn’t what drew me to them; they’re just a more unique form of the flip flop in my opinion. They’re great for wearing in the rain, or after the rain when you know your shoes will get wet – and when they’re entirely worn out, you can recycle them! They are also made of partially recycled plastic, so they’re already more eco-friendly than regular flips. The Brazilian company that produces Melissa sandals is also devoted to earth-friendly and ethical business practices, so if that is as important to you as it is to me, it’s the perfect sandal!
I bought my Melissa sandals at Tobi and used 10GRECHEN for 10% off, but you can also find them online at these shops.
If you’ve never worn bamboo before, it can take a little getting used to, but I love it. I have a several-year old bamboo t-shirt I have worn to death, and I find bamboo to be incredibly soft and comfortable. It’s generally thicker and heavier than cotton – this dress is actually “heavy,” relatively speaking, on the hanger. But a great side-effect of that and one of the most fabulous things about bamboo is the way it drapes when worn – this dress just falls perfectly, and hides all flaws. Bamboo is also more absorbent than cotton, so it wicks away moisture faster; it’s naturally anti-bacterial (maybe that’s why it can easily be grown without pesticides?), and incredibly breathable.
Many eco-friendly designers use bamboo because it’s more sustainable than cotton – bamboo grows incredibly fast and can be grown entirely without pesticides – but it’s not perfect by any means. Bamboo still has to be chemically processed, but manufacturers and designers are working on ways to “green” the entire process so bamboo will be 100% earth-friendly. In the mean time, it’s still better than conventional cotton in my opinion.
Back to the Pesar dress…it’s very hard to see from the picture, but the bodice is slightly gathered, and the straps are thicker on the shoulders so they’re great for hiding bra straps. There is a self-tie I have tied behind my back, and I love the silk strip at the bottom – so unique! You do have to dry clean this dress because of the silk trim, but you can minimize the need to do that by wearing a slip (I do). When I wear this dress, I’m constantly touching it because it’s so soft…if you own any bamboo, you probably know what I mean!!
Save 20% at Doie Designs with code “grechen08″ and find more places that sell Doie online here.
