But my perception was completely shattered after seeing Curvy Wordy's review of the AX Paris Monochrome dress. Seeing how beautiful it looked on her, I had to give it a try.
While I was on the site, I thought I'd peruse the other sections and I came across the Side Zip Cardigan.
SIDE ZIP CARDIGAN £28.00
The measurements for the sz 14 are 38-30-40.
My measurements are approx. 43-30-43, and it fit me pretty much like it does the model (except I fill it out in the bust a bit more).
BUST
It didn't stretch horribly over my bust as ribbed cardigans can do sometimes. It is plenty roomy in the bust. It is a tad big under the arms, but I don't think it looks bad and it could mean that taller or broader girls could fit it well.
WAIST
It came in at my waist perfectly. Often I find that somethig that fits my boobs and hips like this just doesn't come in at the waist enough and makes me look bigger than I am, but the next size down will look too small in the bust and hips. This cardi gives a really nice silhouette and I am so relieved that I don't have to alter anything about it!
HIPS
It fits wonderfully in the hips, none of that ribbed-stretch look at all. For a looser fit around the bottom I can undo the side zips and it looks quite good too.
LENGTH
The length was pretty much ideal, although it isn't quite long enough to just wear leggings underneath as it didn't completely cover my butt.
SLEEVES
A bit thing that stood out to me is the sleeve length. I have size 12 blazers/coats (I can never do size 14 as they are just too broad in the shoulders) and the sleeves are quite long for me. This is not the case for this cardigan. The sleeves were absolutely perfect, going just a bit past my wrist without bunching up.
9/10
I would give it 10 if it was a little bit longer, but basically, I love it. It fits like a glove... a loose glove, that I can very much layer with. I adore the colour, and it feels very warm and soft. I will definitely get a lot of wear of it this Winter (which is still a few months away).
I would give it 10 if it was a little bit longer, but basically, I love it. It fits like a glove... a loose glove, that I can very much layer with. I adore the colour, and it feels very warm and soft. I will definitely get a lot of wear of it this Winter (which is still a few months away).
MONOCHROME DRESS £28.00
BUST
I kind of knew it was going to fit in the bust because of Curvy Wordy's review. I commented on her blog post, mentioning the bust measurement of that size dress and how usually I wouldn't go for a dress like that, but she had me intrigued! Her bust measurement is a few inches more than my own, so I was fairly confident that this dress would do fine. My bra doesn't peek out from the sides at all, which is nice!
WAIST & HIPS
Once again, I knew it was going to fit fine as my waist measures similar to hers and my hips a few inches smaller. We're even a similar height!
FIT & MATERIAL
The fabric is thicker than I thought it would be and very smooth - I think the material is perfect for the combination of stretch and smoothing, without looking like it is too tight, which can happen in bodycon dresses made of thinner, cheap material. The fabric is also slightly less matte than I thought it would be - it's very similar to fabric used in the recent wet-suit dress trend.
I love it. Thanks to Curvy Wordy, I've found a company that stocks dresses and knitwear that fits me very well and doesn't break the bank. Both items equated to about $45 each (plus £15.95 delivery, which seems quite steep if you're only getting one item).
I currently don't actually own any beige bra or knickers, so this dress has to be away for a while until I get my beige Juna in the mail. Once I have it, I will be sure to post photos of me wearing the dress.
JM.x