If there’s one thing to love about summer, it’s sundresses! Bugs and sweltering heat aside, there’s nothing like being able to throw on a single item and feeling instantly put together. I’ve definitely been reaching for my spaghetti strap dresses more and more now that we’re in the official throws of summer – with a pair of sandals and bit of extra SPF on my burn-happy shoulders, I’m good to go!
So, with a bit of fanfare, welcome to Part II of my summer sundress series, in collaboration with vintage-inspired favorite Unique Vintage. If you missed Part I, last week, I reviewed the Waldorf Swing Dress and this week I’m twirling around the boardwalk in the Sailboat Print Darienne Swing Dress. I have to say, it’s a bit tricky to figure out which one I like more…
As far as sundresses go, the Darienne ticks all of my boxes: fitted waist, uber-full skirt that can happily take a fuller-than-full petticoat, and a neckline that doesn’t dip too far into cleavage territory, which means it’s still work appropriate. Because I’m a gal who is very “Ahoy Matey!” when it comes to all things nautical, I was also immediately smitten with the print. It’s a bit perfect for the 4th of July, in hues of red, white, and blue, and the white border at the neckline and hem gives a nice contrast to armada of sailboats swirling around her skirts.
In terms of sizing, I went with my normal medium. Unlike the Waldorf, I found this dress to run a bit on the small side in the bust, but perfectly in the waist. Mine measured 34″ bust, 28″ waist, which is definitely smaller than the size chart in the bust. Depending on how you like your dresses to fit, I might recommend sizing up – it wasn’t so tight that it gave me the dreaded pancake boob effect (there was a good amount of cup room), but there was definitely a little bit of squish at the underarm area.
In terms of fabric, this dress is made out of a lovely thick cotton and has minimal stretch (though the product description says there’s no stretch, I found there to be some, with 97% cotton and 3% spandex). One huge plus with this (and most of UV’s strappy dresses) is that the double straps are adjustable! I happily let them out pretty much as much as they would go, and was able to get this cutie to hit right at my natural waist. She closes with a back zip and is fully lined (bodice and skirt), falling 24.5-25″ from waist to hem, which hits me right at that sweet spot just below my knees. And what is a summer sundress if not sweet??
The Sailboat Print Darienne Swing Dress retails for $118 on the Unique Vintage website and comes in sizes XS-XL and 2X-4X – definitely not inexpensive, but the quality of the piece is worthy of the price tag. If you live in the US and add a cute bag or pair of shoes to your order, you can even get free shipping (word to the wise – only shop with me if you want to be convinced to buy ALL THE THINGS!). It’s 7$ flat rate shipping otherwise, and they ship internationally via a range of options depending on how quickly you need the item. UV is also having a sale this weekend to celebrate the 4th – use code SPARK for 20% off your purchase!
As I first spotted this dress on the UV instagram (before silently stalking their website), I can definitely recommend keeping up with them on your preferred social media platform (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest) and joining their newsletter, where you can snag yourself 10% off your purchase.
This has been a remarkably calm week (famous last words). I don’t have any travel in my immediate future and have actually been able to take the time to tackle a few papers and projects that require many hours of just thinking. It’s crazy how quickly thinking time disappears during the normal semester, replaced by frantic emails and lectures and students. I’m definitely going to appreciate the calm seas while I can…
How’s your summer shaping up?
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: c/o Unique Vintage
Necklace: Gift (similar)
Belt: Alannah Hill (similar)
Handbag: Betsey Johnson
Shoes: Miss L Fire (similar here & here)
Lip Color: Red Hot Red
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