I recently ordered a couple of Scarlett & Jo dresses to try on from Evans, and of course I took the opportunity to take some photos to share the garments with you. Today's review is of the Scarlett & Jo Black Spot and Floral Print Dress (was £45.00, now £40.00, UK sizes 14-32 (some sizes out of stock)).
Image courtesy of Evans
I have tried a range of dresses from Scarlett & Jo over the years and I have loved all of them, even the ones that didn't fit quite right. I was drawn to the Black Spot and Floral Print Dress because it looked as though it would be a good frock for casual wear. I had to order a size 16 as there were no size 14s left in stock.
For reference, I am wearing my Ewa Michalak S Tęczowe Kfiaty bra 32KK/70KK in these photos, along with some Sloggi briefs and a pair of Matalan High Waist Bum and Tum 15 Denier Tights in Black (I could only find the nude ones available on the website here). My heels are from Primark.
The frock is a tea dress design, and it has a semi fitted torso section and a skirt that gently flares from the waist. It is a good length and easily covers my knees (I am 5'5). The dress is made from a soft jersey material (96% viscose, 4% elastane) that is machine washable and does not crease easily.
This dress has a defined waistband which on me sat just below my boobs. There are ties intended to be fastened at the back to help define the waist, but I chose to double them around my body and wear them tied at the front instead. I am not a fan of waist ties but I felt that by wearing them this way it would elongate my torso a little and better show off my waist. The dress has somewhat of an empire line cut so tying the ties in this way also reduces the flare of the skirt from the underbust.
The dress has a neckline that is shaped in an incredibly flattering way. It reveals a bit of cleavage but not too much and is very feminine and classy. More necklines like this, please, Scarlett & Jo!
The elbow length sleeves are great for this time of year and they work well with the overall look of the dress. With the dark fabric I suspect that full length sleeves would have been good so these are the perfect choice.
I really like the print of this dress. Florals and polka dots are two of my favourite prints so bringing them together like this is a touch of genius! Granted, the dots are more like spots than polka dots, and the floral print is small and sporadic, but they have been combined in a clever way to make what could have been a boring black dress into something a bit more special and fun.
This is a great everyday dress that would be perfect for work wear or for a casual evening out. Ultimately I didn't keep this dress myself as the 16 was too roomy on the waist but I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a smart tea dress.
In other news...the amazing Gifi who heads up Scarlett & Jo has gone and done something flipping wonderful - he has designed a dress FOR ME. Woah. I feel truly humbled, and honoured, and flattered, and excited all at once! Here's a sneak peek of his design for the dress:
Image courtesy of Scarlett & Jo
It looks absolutely gorgeous! Gifi made the announcement on Tumblr, and you can read the full post here. In it he says how I don't like the low cut neckline of many of Scarlett & Jo's pieces, however I am afraid he is mistaken as I LOVE a low cut neckline! It's just not something that's appropriate for every occasion - such as work - so I will always point out in my blog reviews when an item is lower cut. I am absolutely over the moon that he has gone with a low cut neckline on this dress, and the colours are really beautiful. I can't wait to try the dress on! Thank you, Gifi; this really is an utterly wonderful thing that you have done for me.
