alena's Reviews
All reviews by alena
TOP CONTRIBUTORTOP CONTRIBUTOR
14 reviews
Heck yes! Makes a black dress more fun.
I used this clutch with a black formal gown, and it was just exactly what it needed. No jewelry necessary! It was perfect for a black tie party in a tropical location-- you don't want the dress to seem to wintry, and this clutch "summers" it right up. I also loved the versatility of the multiple colors used in the embroidery. While dominantly peachy pink, it also had green and gold and silver. Great for shoe options.
Oaxaca Port of Call Clutch
Lizzie Fortunato
Usual Size: 2
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Perfection
I loved wearing this dress. It was comfortable and insanely flattering, and a tad va-va-voom with the slit. And although it looks like a basic black dress in the pics, it looks very special in person. SO many compliments, too! The construction was great -- heavy fabric, good proportions, nice lining. It was a tad longer than expected -- Im 5'8" and wore 4" heels and the 2L was still sweeping the ground. I also stepped on the hem a few times. I kind of liked that, though. I hate when "floor length" gowns don't actually reach the floor. I paired it with a cute palm tree embroidered clutch (also available on RtR) and gold heels.
Black Paxon Gown
Parker
Size Worn: 2L
Usual Size: 2
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Super glamorous!
These clip-ons were the most fun for my wedding. My dress was Oscar de la Renta, so it seemed fitting to get some Oscar earrings to boot. It paid off, because it really elevated my makeup and purposefully low-key, low-maintenance hair. They are indeed *heavy* and I plucked them right off after the pics and ceremony, but who cares—they looked incredible.
Member Fit Notes
Gold Shadow Bold Teardrop Earrings
Oscar de la Renta
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Comfortable but dramatic.
A Victorian lady with a loooow neckline. The color is one of my favorites, but it is a little more purple in person. The sleeves and medium-weight fabric make it exceptional for a Fall wedding, and very romantic. I paired it with gold heels and an Opening Ceremony handbag to give it a bit more edge. The skirt is very swishy and silky, and the length was perfect. One of the best rentals yet.
Member Fit Notes
Oxblood Manor Gown
Jill Jill Stuart
Size Worn: 2L
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
So different!
I loved this dress, even though I'm not normally a fan of "high low" hemlines. The pleated "sleeves" didn't really bother me much. It's also insanely comfortable—a great thing to throw on during the summer. It's easily dressed up and down. I've worn it with both espadrilles and heels, and I felt perfectly comfortable with either. I obviously paired them with some ridiculous gold Beatles sunglasses and it was a lot of fun. The only downside is that the pleated "sleeves" do get a little hot, but that's semi-remedied by pulling them over your shoulders.
Member Fit Notes
Navy Satin Poplin Ruffle Dress
Tibi
Size Worn: 2
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Perfection.
This dress fit like a dream and is so comfortable. The flutter sleeves didn't bother me when raising my arms, and I didn't have to wear a bra. I imagine this wouldn't be the case for everyone, because I'm pretty light on the boobage. I am, however, a bit hippier and the dress perfectly skimmed the hips—not tight, not loose. A+.
Member Fit Notes
Black Butterfly Tier Gown
Slate & Willow
Size Worn: 2L
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Lovely dress, not for me.
I loved the detailing around the bust -- really gave an otherwise basic black gown an edge. And the back is so pretty! But it just didn't fit. The 2R was too tight in the hips and the 4R was too big in the boobs. I'm vaguely pear-shaped but it felt odd to be so directly in between sizes! Also, the cut of the skirt is way more "mermaid" or "trumpet" than it looks on the model. It /looked/ like it was a straight skim off the hips and down to the floor. Nope, it does cut in toward the knees a bit. Unless you have perfectly round hips, it does pull oddly. Don't get me wrong -- I love to show off curves, etc, but this just wasn't flattering to my particular curves. Your mileage may vary, of course!
Black Jennifer Wave Popover Gown
Badgley Mischka
Size Worn: NONE
Usual Size: 2
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Not my fave :-/
I really wanted to like this dress! I love the ruffled cutouts, which really gave any otherwise minimal dress some personality. However, it's a really odd fit -- the sleeves were really long in proportion to the rest of the dress, and I don't think I have abnormally short arms? The fabric is pretty transparent which is fairly easily solved with nude under garments. But the pockets are totally visible, are kind of rumple-y and obvious. Which is a bummer because who doesn't love a dress with pockets? The fabric also feels rather cheap and shows off every bump and lump on your bod. (We all have lumps! Lumps are good! But I don't exactly want it all hanging out .) And lastly, you can see from the pic that the seams and hems are fairly wonky and unsubstantial. All in all, if this dress came in a more structured fabric and construction, I'd be down to wear it!
White Dunn Dress
Wai Ming
Size Worn: 2
Usual Size: 2
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
Cute, comfy, and can be dressed up or down.
I wore this to work (obviously, from the office bathroom pic) with some elvish black flats and felt a *bit* on the formal side. But eh! Who cares. The length is lovely and perfect for work or a more conservative cocktail party. You can easily throw some heels on with it, for evening. It's very flattering if you're hippier than you are boob- y. The only negatives are that I'm somewhat nervous about the pearls dropping off when I sit, the length of the bodice was a bit short for my freakishly long torso, and the arm-holes were a tad small -- even for my spaghetti noodle arms. However, will rent again!
Black Marietta Dress
Mother of Pearl
Size Worn: 6
Usual Size: 2
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 123lbs
Bust: 34B
A+ but side-slits are a bit high.
Super comfortable, great for fall or spring. Looked cute with nearly everything I paired it with. The only issues were that there was a rather too-revealing-for-work slit on either side, which was a bummer. But a couple of safety pins did the trick. Also to note, each of those "ruffles" is an independent piece, so if you get a gust of wind or lean in a certain direction it does get a tad mid-riffy. No problems wearing it off the clock though! Loved it.
Off White Top
Tibi
Size Worn: S
Usual Size: 2
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 130lbs
Bust: 34B
Different!
This is not something I'd typically pick-- it's really splashy. But when I put it on it just felt right. Strapless dresses don't typically fit me (or rather, I hate yanking them up all night) but this was actually pretty comfortable. I even trusted it to stay up! However, as you can see by my pic, it did cause a bit of a chicken cutlet situation. But... Who cares. Women are humans who have bodies. God forbid we have armpits.
Botanical Dream Gown
Marchesa Notte
Size Worn: 2L
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 120lbs
Bust: 34B
<3 <3 <3
I'm having trouble letting this one go! The face print are actually ASCII which is really fun. Fits true, probably really flattering on a lot of body types. The skirt is a bit wider than I expected it to be, which is actually okay. Swishy! The only downside is that the seam on the waist is VERY VERY itchy. Digs right in.
Girl Talk Dress
Opening Ceremony
Size Worn: S
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 120lbs
Bust: 34B
Cute but Itty Bitty!
I love this too. I've paired it with the Tibi pants also available on RTR. Super cute, fits well. But it's a liiiittle shorter than I expected. Great for a brunch or picnic.
Poppy Crop Top
Nicole Miller
Size Worn: S
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 120lbs
Bust: 34B
This is the perfect...thing.
It's pants, everybody! It fits so nicely, is so comfortable, and I just loved wearing it. It is a little shinier than I expected. It's definitely the gunmetal color it seems to me, but it's got a definite shimmer to it.
Dree Jumpsuit
Cynthia Rowley
Size Worn: 2R
Usual Size: 4
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 135lbs
Bust: 34B