Image courtesy of Evans
I have tried this style of Scarlett & Jo prom dress before, but found it to be very tight on the bust. I therefore ordered a size 16 and an 18; but in fact the design of this dress is different to its predecessors as it has a stretchy bust area - hurrah! - and so the size 16 was the best fit of the two.
For reference, in these photos I am wearing my Ewa Michalak PL Jagodzianki Bra 34KK/75KK and Briefs 16/44, some plain black tights from The Big Tights Company, and red stiletto heels from eBay.
The dress is really lovely in real life. Although it's plain black, it has such a range of textures and fabrics that it is anything but dull or dreary. The 3D textured bust area and chiffon sleeves are very stretchy, so they have plenty of give. The skirt is layered with netting and is fairly full, although it doesn't feel it due to the transparent netting.
The back of the dress has a 'v' neckline and fastens with a zip. I found I could get the dress on and off without using the zip, which is always a plus as I don't have anyone at home to help me undo it or do it up.
The dress has a thick ribbon around the waist to cinch it in, but I found that it doesn't exactly accentuate my waist. I felt a bit bulky in the dress with the ribbon belt, and think this was partly to do with the ribbon, but also partly to do with the fact the waist is quite high on this dress. From the pictures on the Evans website I was expecting it to be on my natural waist, but in fact it was just under my boobs, so it was pretty much empire line. This isn't a cut I would usually choose as I prefer dresses with a lower waist, but I wanted to try something to see if I could make the dress work better for me.
I decided to take off the ribbon tie belt and try using my red obi belt from Igigi instead. I teamed it with a different pair of red and gold heels from eBay, which in real life are actually a very similar colour to the obi belt but for some reason my iPhone camera made them look much darker.
SO much better! My waist is properly defined, and the wide obi belt helps to make the dress less empire line in cut. The red really pops out from my waist, and although these photos don't show it, the shoes do too.
The dress is very comfortable to wear and it doesn't scratch or irritate my skin thanks to the soft, high quality fabrics. I really like how the 3D texture on the bust accentuates this area - and be warned, it's very touchy-feely so you might get all sorts of people wanting to have a feel!
The length of the skirt is great as it easily covers my knees. The net overlay is slightly longer than the underskirt and adds the look of volume. I found the overlay would sometimes get a bit ruffled or tangled, but it was simple enough to put it right.
As much as I liked certain aspects of this dress, I decided not to keep it as I have others in my wardrobe that I knew I would choose over this one. However, if you are looking for a frock that has the wow factor for a party or special occasion, this would be a terrific option.
Do you like the prom dresses from Scarlett & Jo, or are you more a fan of their bodycon dresses? Let me know by commenting below.
