J.Crew: Slub Cotton-Silk Melody Dress Review

This is J.Crew's Slub Cotton-Silk Melody Dress (item #12071), which also comes in petite (item #12074).  It originally retailed for $118, but is currently marked down to $79.99.  It is available in light pewter, citron, and sweet lavender, and is numerically sized.  J.Crew describes the dress as such:

Simple and chic in a beautiful slub cotton/silk blend. This lightweight dress has a flattering shift silhouette complete with a fitted bodice, slim skirt and pleated scoopneck. Notice the dainty cap sleeves—we made them extra special with a knot detail. Side-seam pockets. Back zip. Body is fully lined. Falls above knee; 20 1/2" from natural waist. Import. Dry clean. Catalog/jcrew.com only.

I ordered this dress in a petite 8, and in the sweet lavendar color.  (Please note that I purchased this dress awhile ago, and was wearing a size 6 in dresses at the time, so sizing information is based on my size at the time.)  I found that this dress fit pretty true-to-size, but it was a tiny bit big in the back/shoulders, as well as in the bust.  The dress has a nice U-neck which is deep enough to create a nice neckline, but short enough that it doesn't show off too much.  The fit was nice and comfortable in the waist, with a nice, moderate A-line skirt that was also fairly roomy.

I love the length on this skirt.  It is my favorite length, and I was really glad that they made this dress in petites.  While I can usually just try to make regular lengths work, I much prefer the petite lengths, and this dress was no exception.

The fabric on this dress is a slub cotton/silk blend, and it's an interesting blend.  On the one hand, it is soft and silky, but on the other hand it definitely has a bit of texture to it.  The dress is lined in a silky, smooth fabric, which is really nice.  Overall, the fabric is nice, but was a little different from what I was expecting.  The shape of this dress doesn't really lend itself to much movement, but because the fabric is pretty light, it's not heavy and doesn't weigh down the dress either.

I think the cut of the dress is overall very flattering.  It has a wide band at the waistband, which helps to accentuate the narrowest part of the dress.  From the back, I get a bit of an 80s vibe from this dress, with the broad, square-ish shoulders.  I think the back is a tiny bit severe - I think I would have preferred it with a little scoop in the back.

The dress has on-seam pockets, which I really like, but I'm biased - I'm a pretty big fan of on-seam pockets on dresses and skirts.  There is a bit of pleating at the bust, which I think adds another nice little detail to an otherwise simple dress.

My favorite detail about this dress are the knotted sleeves.  I think they are a really cute, feminine detail, and really help to make the dress so pretty.

I really love this dress.  I think it has a little bit of a retro vibe to it, and I simply love the color - it's one of my favorite shades of purple.  I think the silhouette is fairly classic, and the little details really make the dress for me.

What do you think?  Do you like this dress?  Do you own it?  Which color do you prefer?