There’s nothing I love more than a romantic, flowy dress and this one from Pretty Garden is a new favorite for summer. I was so excited to wear it: As soon as it came in the mail (very fast, thanks to Amazon Prime shipping), I put it on immediately and headed to a friend’s Memorial Day barbecue.
Why I like this dress
It fits me perfectly
The medium size fits me perfectly. I would say it’s true to size and you could also probably go down one size, thanks to the stretchy top and flowy skirt. The little flutter sleeves offered just enough coverage while still allowing me to feel cool and comfortable in the hot sun.
It’s very lightweight and machine washable. However, it arrived quite wrinkled (there was even a note in the package saying it would be wrinkled), but I was easily able to steam the wrinkles out without an ironing board.
As someone with a pear-shaped body, I thought the dress was incredibly flattering: It hugged my chest and flowed freely on my bottom half. It comes in sizes small through XX-Large, so it’s fairly size inclusive. The neckline on the dress I received is just slightly stitched off center (a fast fashion casualty, I assume, as it doesn’t look like that on the website) but it’s not enough to deter me from wearing the dress again.
It's easy to style
I first paired the dress with dainty jewelry and sandals, and wore skin-colored Spanx shorts underneath, in case it was see-through. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t, even in the direct sun. The second time around, I went more casual and paired the dress with a denim jacket and sporty sneakers.
I love that the dress comes in a variety of colors and prints, over 15, including a lilac, light blue, navy, merlot, beige and black. I was especially drawn to the baby pink color, which I think is great for spring and summer and would also make a cute baby shower dress.
The skirt is forgiving and would be a good option for a baby bump or someone who is postpartum. I think this dress is versatile, and could easily see myself wearing this with heels on a night out. I plan to buy the dress in one of the more bold, colorful prints for an upcoming European beach vacation. It’s also under $50, which is a great value and another reason why I will be purchasing another color.
All in all, the dress feels light, easy to wear, very comfortable and is extremely flattering. I love this easy throw-on-and-go option for busy moms like myself who want to look cute and fashionable but feel cool and comfortable.
What to consider
Though it’s labeled as a maxi dress, it did look a bit shorter on the model online than on my 5’2” body. It was a true maxi length on me, and I had to pick it up while navigating the stairs on the New York City subway. Likewise, it’s quite voluminous, so when sitting down, it definitely hits the ground or floor. This is a “standing dress” for me, but if you’re a little taller, it may be the perfect length for you. Either way, the length wasn’t an issue for the majority of the day when I first wore it.
More summer dresses to shop
Coming in tons of fun patterns, reviewers say this dress is extremely flattering. "The most comfortable and flattering dress I have found in a while. I love it so much that I am ordering at least one more," wrote one Amazon reviewer.
This flowy dress has a stretchy waist and adjustable straps, so you can adjust it to your comfort and for a customized fit.
Reviewers love the sleeves on this dress for a chic yet modest touch. "Love this dress! The sleeves are a great length for us older ladies that want to hide our upper arms. Also, the dress length is good. Not too long," wrote one reviewer.
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Dory Zayas is a freelance writer and frequent contributor at Shop TODAY.
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