Back to France

This is from La Redoute, which I haven't checked for a while. I went there because I was starved for a summer dress that wasn't completely sleeveless, and I figured--aha! The French, they would understand that the woman of a certain age, ahem, perhaps would want a dress of a more mature sensibility, without sacrificing any allure.

This one isn't entirely besleeved, and it has about a football field's worth of décolleté in the front, but, c'mon, you have to admit it's really gorgeous -- not "cute," but gorgeous. It also comes in black, but I think it's more unexpected in this deep blue. I think you could wear it with cream-colored wedge espadrilles, or nice flat brown leather sandals, and be chic either way. I don't like the ribbon around her neck, and I do understand that the picture makes it seem as if the guy behind her is frog-marching her to what must be either an amusement park or an interrogation chamber (not clear from the look on her face). I like the voile trim around the neck, and the fact that it seems to be a generous wrap, not a stingy one. There's nothing worse than a stingy wrap.

Did I mention that it's $39.99? No? Well, it is. And to maximize your shipping dollar, La Redoute also has really cute shoes.

Comments

[Rose]

Did you buy this? Because I might also have to buy it. I have no wrap dresses, and I am feeling very behind-the-curve on this. Also: Purple rain boots! Dude!

[Erin]

I did not! I'm only shopping notionally until I sew up the 150 yards of fabric I managed to buy in the last five months ...

[Jonquil]

::loves::But I worry about the depth of the V-neck.

[Floridaprincess]

I love looking at La Redoute's shoes.

[Kate in England]

OOooh, that's pretty. And great timing because only this afternoon I was lusting over this Anthropologie dressBut Anthropologie, in all its wisdom, does not ship overseas. However, we have La Redoute, and that dress is about a quarter of the price of the Anthropologie one and will make a very decent substitute. So thanks very much! Although I still want the Anthropologie one. Damn them.

[Tagatha]

Hi, I've been lurking in your journal for almost a year now but have never commented. Not that I have anything to say about this particular post but just to let you know I really enjoy your blog and make sure to check it every day. I've even begun to look for a Duro-like dress!

[Anonymous]

Le Redoute may have the lovely dress, but they also have the evil web-trap that doesn't let you click back to the page you came from. Curse the evil web-trap!!!! Make your site someplace I want to linger, not someplace that has to trap me into staying there!!!!Thus endth the rant.

[La BellaDonna]

How sad is it that I look at the phrase "150 yards of fabric" and think, "well, really, that's not so bad?" Superficially, to some people, it might seem like a lot, but consider: it's only 15 lots of 10-yard pieces, or 30 lots of 5-yard pieces. And with an attitude like that, it's probably best that I no longer have car access to most of the really good Sewing Pattern Places (because the patterns need friends), and haven't been able to make the safari down to the sewing district yet this year. Once upon a time, for a couple of years, a discount fabric warehouse was located a few blocks from my house, within walking distance. Now, when you're offered rose-coloured linen at a dollar a yard, you're going to buy the whole 30-yard bolt, right? And the turquoise one. And the yellow one. And when they wave grey silk taffeta at you for $2 a yard, you'll buy enough to drape an entire battleship, Just Because and You Never Know. I paid under $4 a yard for, and lugged home, some 30 yards of a 60" wide, extra-ultra-heavy, purple and beigey-gold plaid watered silk (yes, a plaid moire) with metallic gold threads, because You Never Know. And there was this fabulous changeable burgundy and green wool. And sew on, and sew forth.So 150 yards isn't bad, really. I just would like to ask: where do you store everything, both in their nascent and in their finished forms?

[Erin]

Bella, you need to get rid of any of that yellow linen?My sewing room is OVERFLOWING. I'm actually going to have to put up more shelves. I also have one and a half closets to hang things in. And, thankfully, enough things are dirty at any one time that they can live in the laundry basket ...

[Anonymous]

I've just discovered your blog and am learning so much from it! La Redoute, never heard from them. Their prices seem too good to be true. Does this mean H&M quality? Love your blog, keep it up!

[Maria Palma]

I love the dress...very feminine and something you could probably dress up or down. However, I could probably do without the thing around the neck... I think women of any age could enjoy this dress!

[Anonymous]

For the record, LaRedoute's quality is awful and the shoes are among the worst quality on the site.come on genius! you can do better than this!

[Kirses]

i like the fact that it's an empire line wrap - the usual ones do not flatter my waist (or lack of waist) - they make me look a bit like an ironing board in a dress