Few women I know can resist the lure of lace dresses; I, for one, am a hopeless fanatic. I have lace dresses in various styles and colors but my “collection” always feels one short of being complete.
One dress that I’ve pined for is the Diane von Furstenberg Lace Zarita Dress, a fan favorite that has returned season after season (buy in gray, royal blue, beet, cornflower, nude, navy, ivory, teal, black, gray, maroon, and grapefruit). Several factors contributed to my hesitation in purchasing this dress in the past, the most eminent being the price. With a retail price of $325 and few discounts, I was holding out for a meaningful sale.
My patience paid off last month when Saks temporarily reduced the price on its entire DvF collection, a discount that can be stacked with its friends and family discount. At 40% off and with numerous colors to choose from, I decided to order three classic colors to try.
I normally take 00P at Ann Taylor and J. Crew and ordered the size 0 in the Lace Zarita Dress. The size 0 measures 13.25″ across the shoulders, 13″ in the waist, 15″ in the hips, 34″ in total length, and 16.5″ in sleeve length.
The dress fits me well but if I had to nitpick I thought the waist was a bit baggy, which caused unsightly bunching that is especially visible in person, in contrast to the body-hugging fit of the rest of the dress. The sleeves were also wide relative to the torso.
On the fit model, the Zarita dress is mid-thigh length but on 5’2 me the dress falls about an inch above my knee. The dress has an exposed two-way back zipper that I am
indifferent to.
Of the three colors I ordered, I was
initially biased in favor of “nude.” I have a soft spot for pinks but
this particular shade had some brown undertone and did not
compliment my tan complexion. The navy is most flattering and hides belly bulges but the beautiful lace is lost in darker colors.
At
the moment, I intend to keep the dress in ivory. I have a few qualms
about my decision as the color, combined with the style of the dress,
makes it quite formal and thus lacking in versatility.
There are a few ways to dress down (or up) the dress but I would really appreciate your input in affirming my decision.
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| 1. F21 top & necklace and Zara shoes / 2. Ann Taylor jacket + skirt, H&M necklace, and SF shoes / 3. Ann Taylor necklace, etsy tulle skirt (similar), and Kate Spade shoes/ 4. H&M cardigan, F21 belt, and Ann Taylor shoes/ 5. Ann Taylor jacket, J. Crew necklace, and Pura Lopez shoes |
Should I keep the DvF Lace Zarita Dress? If so, which color do you think is the keeper?
