Try it on: b&lu

I recently ordered the Sovereign dress from b&lu. The picture to the left is me in said dress, you can click to see it full size. I apologize for the crappy image quality. Word has it that Santa's bringing me a real digital camera for Christmas.

There are some great things about this dress. The fabric is softer and more substantial than I was expecting. It has a bit of heft to it without being heavy, which is great for winter but not too much for spring and fall. The fit is really nice. I ordered by my bust size and thankfully, it isn't too snug on my lower half, perfect for pear shaped ladies. The quality is good, especially considering it costs under $65. I like the details, including the long tie that can be wrapped in a few different ways and the waist inset and gray borders that go all the way around, rather than just across the front. This dress has expensive details without being pricey.

There are a few things I'm unsure about as well. I feel like it's too long and hemming this dress would be a pain. The sleeves are either a little too short or way too long, I can't decide. When I asked my boyfriend what he thought of the dress, he said it looked like I was in an "Amish church cult." I think he means that it's a little dowdy and overall, it seems like a bit much for me. All the black is overwhelming.

Bottom line: I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this particular dress but I will gladly order more pieces from b&lu in the future.

Comments

[Heather]

I just bought (and returned) the same dress, but in "Merlot". I had the same complaints: it had seemed so stylish, but the length is too long and it made me think of Stevie Nicks (and not in a good way). I have some tops I love from b&lu, and I am waiting for their stock to turn over so I can try again.

[Carrie]

I laughed outloud at your boyfriend's comment. I really like the wrap style, it looks great on you! The sleeve length also looked flattering, although I like a little arm coverage so I'm biased.

The length does look a little long... it might be worth taking to a tailor to have it hemmed, and maybe have some of the material taken in from the skirt area, so it doesn't have as much gathering (and material)? That might help it look less frumpy-- if that's how it feels.

[bianca]

I too tried on this dress in Merlot, but thought it too much fabric even for my 6ft frame!. I loved the idea, but it was just so much.

[angela]

i just bought the merlot, too! the sleeves are definitely a bit odd - they're bell-shaped, but too short to come down to the wrists. i just scrunch 'em up to look like a formfitting 3/4 sleeve.

and yes, the skirt is *quite* long. i'm 5'8" and it comes well past my knees. it works for me if i have a pair of kickass heels, though.

they're so lovely at b&lu that i hate to say anything less than glowing about their stuff, but i have to agree - this dress isn't for every body.

[Ottermatic]

Colleen you rock for this! I have had my eye on this dress for awhile but wasn't sure if it was worth it. Would you believe that "Amish church cult" and "Stevie Nicks" both sound APPEALING to me?

I'm totally going to buy this now.

[Mimi Stratton]

I think it would make all the difference in the world if you wore pumps rather than the boots. It would feminize the look. I have the same dress with elbow-length sleeves in teal and brown. I have mixed feelings about my dress due to fit--it's a little bit tight in the sleeves. I do love the belt, and I think the overall look is quite chic.

[Kate Harding]

Would you believe that "Amish church cult" and "Stevie Nicks" both sound APPEALING to me?

Me too!

I've been lusting after this dress for ages but haven't bought it for exactly the reasons you take issue with it. At 5'2", I know damn well that dress is going to be way too long on me, and getting it altered would mean losing the colorblocking on the hem or paying a lot more money to have it replaced. (I have this problem with a lot of B&Lu stuff. I mean, with a lot of stuff, period, but B&Lu seems especially fond of longer skirts and dresses. I'd kill for a Lotus skirt, but I've heard from other women my height that it ends up being ankle-length. And hemming it would mean sacrificing the design that's the whole reason I want it.)

I was happy to see that on some versions of the Sovereign, they've shortened and tightened up the sleeves. Knowing the sleeves would be too long was the other reason I'd forced myself not to buy one. The sleeves on the jade and mauve would probably be a lot better.

But I LOVE the dress in theory, think the waist is superawesome, and think it looks great on you in that pic.

[Rebekah]

I ordered this dress in merlot too.
I LOVED it at first, until my boyfriend asked me if it was a new bathrobe. Yeah, just a bit too long on my 5'4'' frame, I guess.

[Elissa]

If you decide that the dress is not worth returning, I suggest spending the money to have it tailored. Since it was inexpensive yet definitely not cheap quality to begin with, it makes sense to fix the little imperfections so you can have the perfect dress!
Oh, I also agree with Mimi that it's more of a sexy pumps than a sexy boots kinda dress.

I've never bought anything from b&lu and now I'm SO tempted to because they have free shipping on orders over $50. :)

[Pretty Pear]

Kate, you'd be swimming in this dress. I like the style and the shape but it just misses the mark for me.

Rebekah, I guess boyfriends don't GET fashion. But it's good to have them around for the blunt honesty.

[Miranda]

Wow, I also got it in Merlot. It arrived Christmas Eve, and I wore it Christmas day, and just kept getting rave reviews on it.

It hits me just below the knees, so Its fine on that front, and the sleeves are 3/4 on me, so that works as well. I love the tie, and I like that it works as a holiday dress yet is light enough to be comfy. It is a bit tight in the shoulder area for me, and stretches a bit across the back, but still looks lovely.

I am definitely a fan of this dress and keeping it. I wore it with black pantyhose, and high heeled black pumps.

[English Major]

I'm 5'5", and while I'd never wear this dress with flats, I like it with a substantial heel for more conservative events--office parties, family events, etc. I thoroughly agree with the "expensive details" remark, and do find I get a lot of compliments on it, including from my boyfriend, who definitely doesn't like everything I put on.

[Tanya]

I just found out that Lucie of B&Lu has opened her own shop for plus-size clothing at lucielu.com. She has some really cute dresses, too. :) I'm going to buy the Emme dress for something a little flirty and fun! And there are some shorter dresses, too, if you prefer those. I don't think any of them could be called dowdy!