GRACE KARIN Boatneck Sleeveless Vintage Tea Dress with Belt

This was absolutely THE RIGHT DRESS to buy. I see why this is a popular "I bought this for a wedding" dress. I bought a few to pick from and this was the one I ended up going with. I, too, bought this dress to wear to a wedding. I have been sick for a very long time and didn't know 100% if I'd be going, and my cousin was the only one who knew I was coming. It was a surprise for our family, and I wanted to look good considering how sick I've been. I do not care how awful you feel - this dress will make you feel beautiful.I could have gone with a medium, but it still fit well. For reference, because I think this kind of thing helps when you're trying to decide on sizing when you can't try a dress on in person: I'm normally a size 4-6, 38B, generally between 115-117 pounds, and just under 5'2". Because of my chest being a 38, I ordered a large. It was plenty large; could have gone with a medium. It was a hard decision to pick the large v. medium based on their sizing chart, and I'd read a lot of reviews where people wrote it was too small and then some who said it was too big. So THEN I looked at the reviews for the people who ordered this same print, thinking that that might have made a difference. But I've previously ordered a '50s retro style dress before that had absolutely NO give in the chest, so I wanted to be sure that it fit there.I also bought a red crinoline  Manfei Women's Vintage 50s Rockabilly Skirt 26" Length Petticoat Crinoline(FBA) Red Small  that was available via Prime so that I'd have everything ready. I picked the red because I had a red sash (see pics) that I knew I was going to use instead of the belt that came with the dress. The belt is a little on the long side. I'm also a fan of that petticoat, btw. I know there are others that are available for less money, but I can't complain about that one at all. As far as fit in the skirt part: I think the dress is constructed to provide enough room for the crinoline, and if you go without, the skirt is going to have more "flow" to it. I think that's where it might be a little big for some ladies.You *can* wear this dress without the crinoline, but really, wearing it with the crinoline is what gives it that wow factor: it gives the dress an amazing "spin," looks stunning, adds a pop of color, and provides an overall "finish" for the dress. You can't go wrong. Any bright color would look amazing with this dress. I can see pinks, yellows, or purples looking really nice, too; especially if you have a belt or sash to match (I tied mine in the back).One of the most amazing things about this dress is the way it is made. Honestly, I know why this is a top-ranked dress on Amazon, and that the people who review it love it, especially this pattern. I just did not expect the QUALITY for this price point. It is not a cheaply constructed dress. It's awesome. It's a thick material, but not hot. In fact, I did not have to wear any support underneath because the material is that thick. And yes, we checked it out in sooooo many different kinds of light to make sure I would not be revealing anything through the white. I think if I had gotten one size smaller, then I might not have had that kind of luck. Interesting to note that some people have reviewed this dress in a different pattern and report that the material feels hot, or thin. This one was like a dress for Goldilocks: just right.The pattern on the seams align perfectly. Ever get a dress or look at a dress in person and reject it because the seams are messed up? I bought a polka dot dress once and the dots where they cut the bodice didn't line up. It ruins the dress when that happens. This shows me that the dressmaker actually pays attention to the details. I've included pictures of some of the seams to show you.When we were ironing the dress (one downside is that you cannot wear this dress without ironing it) a few hours before the wedding, we noticed a small hole in the skirt. I told the company about it and they were very responsive. They asked if someone could repair it; I don't think so. But they responded instead of just letting that hang out there. Some reviewers of other patterns (the red dress, for example) have said that they didn't get the belt. I think that if that happens to you and you contact them, they will help you out.There's a reason people love this company and these dresses.I enjoyed the wedding, and I loved that people loved the way I looked. When you've been really ill and can at least look good in front of concerned family, it can help them feel better about your health (I usually take issue with "but you don't look sick," but I just didn't want my mom to keep worrying so much about me - I have to thank this dress for making me look better than I felt and making my mom feel better about everything that's happened).Really, you can't go wrong with this dress. And I can't stress this enough - go with the petticoat. You'll love the look.

I should have looked more closely before ordering this dress. It looks decent, but it does not flow like most of the dresses I have. It is mostly cotton so it wrinkles easily and it is not soft to the touch. I have not worn it yet since it does not feel comfy. It is also a bit see through. I will stick to polyester dresses from now on. Even though the color and style are great, I would not buy it again.

I'm 168 lbs 5'4 I purchased a large and a medium. The medium was snug, large fit very well, I had a little extra room but the waist welt helped.

Great material, beautiful dress, but definitely too big. Need to see about Reordering it in a smaller size.

I've already had a dress from this brand that I love a lot and purchased ages ago at AliExpress, so I was more than happy when I saw that Amazon had it too.The dress has an awesome quality, the material is thick and very high quality.I bought size XL and I'm 5'3, so I just had to get it a bit shorter and it was perfect!!

Cute dress

Really cute and true to size

The media could not be loaded.  It is impossible to accurately describe how much I love this dress. Being of a larger size, I don't typically order clothing over the internet (too many body shape issues to deal with). When I saw this dress, I just had to take the chance. I followed the manufacturer's sizing chart (the one included in the photos) an ordered the 1XPlus. My measurements are 45" bust, 39" waist and I am 190 pounds. Imagine my delight when it arrived and I anxiously tried it on to find it fit perfectly. Whew! What a relief! Even the thin belt included was long enough.The dress fabric is wonderful with a good weight to it and enough spandex to make it fit comfortably. The included belt is thin and flocked on the top. Heavy people don't usually like thin belts, but this one didn't look too bad. You can always purchase a wider belt for it. I see some people complained about the length of the belt since there are no belt loops to hold the extra length in place. The belt is made of a rubber material and looks to me like you could simply snip off the end. Or make a ribbon strap around it to hold it down.You don't "need" a petticoat with this, but adding one just puts it over the top. I purchased the  Tidetell® Vintage Women's 50s Rockabilly Tutu Skirt 26" Length Petticoat White L (FBA)  in a size Large to wear with it. It fit perfectly on both my waist size and length.I am including a few pictures of me in the dress. I was so anxious to take pictures and leave this review that I don't even mind (much) that I look horrible because I am not made up nicely in it. Keep in mind that I am not wearing the proper undergarments in the photos. A girdle and hose will definitely help smooth out the waistline some. The pictures show both a white and a black petticoat underneath. They are also poor quality photos (crappy camera and poor lighting) and don't capture the color and texture that this dress has.I actually love this so much that I am about to order two more (with a third in reserve for later).Edited 12/6/16: I received my other two dresses (solid black and white with blue flowers) so have added a video review as well.

Very good quality. Fitted well! Overall perfect!

it is just too nice not to be pleased with this buy. size is as mentioned. you would not go wrong having a piece or two. will sure come back for other colour..

Je l'ai commandée pour ma fille qui a son bal cette année et qui aime beaucoup le style pin-up. J'ai aussi acheté une crinoline pour donner le bon effet.J'ai commandé une medium suite a la lecture des commentaires mais j'aurais dû prendre une small.Par contre la rive est quand même jolie alors nous irons la faire ajuster.

My daughter ordered this for her graduation and she absolutely loved it! She really likes the material and how light it is and the feel of it. We ordered crinoline to go underneath and she loved it even more and how it can then transform into a 50’s styled dress like she wanted. Service was very good and it actually arrived ahead of schedule.

This is a very cute dress (Grace Karin, butterfly print). No lining, no pockets and sits just above the knee. Dress has nice flare without an underskirt, which is good because it is too short for most underskirts. Measurements are exact. It is more cheaply made than other brands, but reasonable given the price. I am impressed and will probably buy more.