Introduction:
This is my third post of a series in which I am doing in-depth reviews on specific garments made by slow fashion brands. If you'd like to see my first review of the Son Deflor Classic Dress, that can be found here. If you'd like to see my previous review of the Linennaive Glory Dress, that one can be found here. My Son Deflor Review will also explain to you in detail the difference between "slow fashion" and "fast fashion" if you would like to understand that better. It also explains why I decided to make this series.
In most cases I will be reviewing one individual product per review in exquisite (or exhausting depending on your outlook) detail.
Today, I will be discussing a Lelasilk dress. I will also be discussing them a bit as a company and providing pretty detailed fit and construction information on this particular garment. If any part of this interests you, keep reading or feel free to skip to the bolded portions that do appeal to your interests.
What I Ordered & Why I Chose It:
Before I placed this order, I had very little knowledge of the brand - Recently I have been researching different dresses and different brands that do linen and breathable dresses that can be worn year-round. Lelasilk was a brand that kept popping up when I was searching for pinafore dresses on Etsy, and I found that I liked a lot of their clothing items. I was specifically looking for a pinafore dress at the time since I didn't have one in my closet and wanted one for its versatility, and this is the one that I ultimately ended up purchasing. The company doesn't make the item until you order it, and has a large array of fabric colors and types to choose from with every given clothing item, which definitely was a selling point for me since I was able to choose the exact color that I wanted for the given style.
The dress that I ultimately decided to order was called the "Apron Linen Dress" as described on their website. The dress comes in your choice of fabric type with different colors depending on what you choose. I chose the color "bean pink" in their organic cotton fabric - Which is a bit confusing since in the title it's called the "Apron Linen Dress" but it is nice that they allow different fabric options. I ordered it in a size Medium based on the size chart.
Here is a photo of the dress...
...and the back.
About the Brand:
Lelasilk is an online shop based out of Vietnam that creates made-to-order clothing. There is not a lot of information from the company on Etsy or its website about its practices, but it seems to be a pretty small relatively new company established in 2021 that produces hand-made clothing that is made-to-order with quality construction which is a nice departure from the "fast fashion" brands that focus on quantity over quality.
Lelasilk's dresses range in price from $65 to $200 and they sell more than just dresses. Their sizes range from XXS to XXL with an option on most (if not all) clothing options to have an item made based on custom measurements for a higher price. The majority of their items appear to be made of either silk, linen, or organic cotton depending on the clothing item.
The general aesthetic definitely leans classic or ethereal with some pieces looking more contemporary. Most of the items fit into my own girly, vintage inspired but classic style that I lean towards, so if this is the kind of thing you like as well, you will probably find something that you like in their shop. That said, if your style leans more modern & contemporary I think there would also be something that would work for you as well. Between the 3 shops that I've reviewed so far (Son De Flor, Linennaive, and Lelasilk), Lelasilk has the largest footprint in terms of the variety of styles it sells.
My Order Experience:
Before I ordered, I was having trouble deciding between a few different colors based on the swatches alone so I sent the shop owner a quick request for photos of examples of dresses in the colors I was inquiring about. The shop owner was very quick to send me photos that showed the fabric used on different dresses. I got a response to my question the following day, which was nice.
With sales tax (I live in Texas in the United States) my order ended up coming out to $104.57 when I ordered earlier this year. Shipping was free. Shipping did take about a month, but I fully expected this, given that the item is hand-made to order and also shipping from outside the country. I placed the order on March 28 and it was delivered on May 6.
The Packaging:
Unfortunately I unwrapped this package before I began making these reviews so I don't remember and didn't make a note of how its packaged so I can't speak on the packaging in this review.
Quality of the dress:
Dress Physical Features:
This dress features a skirt pleated at the waist that hits about at the knee. The skirt is slightly longer in the back. The top of the dress features adjustable straps that criss-cross in the back, a square neckline, fitted bodice & waistband, low open back, and button closure.
The bodice is constructed using 2 sets of darts on each side for a tailored fit to your body.
In order to put the dress on, it has sturdy wooden buttons and button loop closures for adjustability at the waist and on the sleeves. The buttons are also really cute with red and green stars and flowers printed on them.
Even though you only unbutton one side of the waist to put the dress on, there are buttons on both sides so that each side looks the same and everything stays symmetrical.
One thing to note is that this dress is difficult to put on and to remove - especially for those who may have certain handicaps or arthritis. The buttons fit very tightly in the loops and aside from that, even I have difficulty ensuring that the straps don't get twisted, getting the ends of the straps tucked into the bodice, and securing the buttons at the waist.
Fabric Information:
The dress that I personally ordered is made of lightweight organic cotton. They do also have a linen option in this dress, but I went with cotton because it came in the color I wanted.
The cotton version feels very lightweight. It is also very soft to the touch compared to linen. Looking close at the fabric you can see the weave, and it has just a bit of texture. The dress drapes nicely and has a nice "swish".
The skirt portion is single lined, but the bodice is double lined so I feel comfortable going without a bra. None of it is see-through in the color that I got, but this may be a concern if you want to get this dress in white cotton or another pale color. I personally love the weight of this fabric. It's perfect to wear to the beach in summer and feels so breezy!
Best Seasons to Wear:
In warm climates, this dress works in Summer and Spring without any need for layering. When it starts getting chilly, it is easy to layer - especially when you have sweaters and coats to wear over it and blouses or sweaters to wear under it in complimenting colors. With how lightweight the skirt portion is, you may also need to layer it with tights in order to carry it into Autumn and Winter. With layering, it can definitely be worn year-round.
Overall Construction:
This dress is really high quality with french seams on the inside which you can't see below.
The buttons are very securely fastened and the button loops also feel very secure, so I didn't feel the need to re-enforce any of them.
I do see signs of this dress being hand-made such as some variations in the distance between the lines of topstitching at the waistband and on the straps, but that is extremely minor and only noticeable if you're really looking for it. There is also just a bit of rippling on the sides of the front bodice which form the straps. Aspects like this don't concern me - especially in an item that is handmade. It's clear that the person who constructed this dress is extremely skilled and these aspects of the dress do not impact their overall look or how long they should last.
The photo below shows a close up of the stitching as well as the rippling along the side bodice.
As a result of how the dress is constructed with button closure at the waist, this results in 1 real pocket and one faux pocket that's open on the buttoned side. From the outside it looks like the dress has 2 functional pockets, but there is actually only one functioning pocket.
This dress is thoughtfully made in such a way that it can be kept for a long time and won't need mending for a while even when worn regularly. It is made to withstand way more than a few "seasons".
Possible future repairs:
NOTE: Before you read this next part, please note that there are currently no issues at all with my dress since it's not been worn heavily, so please don't take this as an issue with the garment - Signs of wear will eventually occur, though, and I want to discuss the potential future repairs that you may need to make on this dress. If you plan on wearing it a bunch and having it for many years as a long-term addition to your wardrobe, I think it's important to consider what types of repairs you might need to make to a garment eventually. Some repairs are skills you can learn - Others take a bit more skill and might require a professional.
From what I see, the seams and stitching are well constructed, and will likely hold up for a while. You will likely eventually need to re-enforce some of the button hole loops, as well as the buttons, but this can be fixed with a needle and thread.
As with any garment, you may eventually get some splitting seams as a result of broken threads, but those are also easy to repair with a needle and thread
Overall I believe this dress will last a long time with proper care and is one that can 100% be repaired by your own hand with a simple needle and thread.
How It Fits:
Before I discuss how the dress fits, I am going to share my personal measurements so that you can get a good reference:
Height: 5'5'
Bust (no bra): 37"
Waist measurement: 28"
I purchased this dress in a size Medium based on what the size chart recommended.
Something that struck me about this dress is just how adjustable it is. Buttons let you adjust the sleeve length which can also result in adjusting where the waistband hits. There are 5 buttons on each sleeve resulting in 5 options for adjustment a the sleeves alone.
The waist is also a button closure and has 3 button closure options. With my 28 inch waist I can wear it comfortably closed on the second set of buttons at my waist.
I was worried that the bust would be too narrow on the sides, but it provides really good side coverage, at least on me (a 34C). If you have a similar waist size but larger bust measurement than me and are concerned about side coverage, you may either need to size up or pay a bit more and send in your custom measurements for a proper fit.
Medium was definitely the correct size for me and the size chart seems to be really accurate - at least for this dress. When you order, I'd advise you to order based on your waist size and bust size as well if you plan on wearing it without a blouse under it and/or want the coverage.
I could see this dress being a bit tight on some people even if they do usually wear a medium, particular if they regularly have fit issues with other dresses at the bust and/or waist. The skirt portion is full and will likely fit you regardless of your hip size. Take your measurements to ensure a good fit before you purchase this dress.
Below are measurements of this size medium garment laid flat
Bust: Unfortunately this is not a measurement that's easy to get when laid flat, but measured horizontally across my center bust with the straps adjusted to the 2nd tightest setting (so that the waistband hits my natural waist) the dress covers 16.5" of my front bustline.
Waistband (at loosest button setting): 15"
Waistband (at tightest button setting): 14"
Length: (shortest strap adjustment): 39.5"
Length: (longest strap adjustment): 43.5"
Styling options:
This dress looks cute worn as-is with nothing underneath as a sundress for hot summer days but is equally cute with a flowy blouse underneath as pinafore when the weather gets cool.
This dress is pretty versatile and moderately easy to style with different clothing items - especially if you purchase it in a color that compliments your other layering items.
Here are a few combinations that I tried together:
With a floofy ivory toned short sleeved blouse: this is nice of you want to be more covered up, but it still works for summer.
With a floral silk blouse underneath: a bit more of a dressy option.
With a sweater under it. I also paired it with my duck boots because these are my go-tos when it's raining and sometimes I want to wear this dress in the rain. 🙂
With a textured floofy sleeved blouse under it
Do I recommend this product or brand?
I definitely recommend this brand, especially for the versatility in the color range - Not many brands have so many color/fabric options, and it's exciting that this brand is able to do this.
Out of everything that Lelasilk sells, I adore this brands flowy dresses the most. I know I already have a bunch of great maxi dresses, but I can't get over how ethereal this one looks in particular.
The design of the dress I received by the brand is classic and the quality is really great. Also the company has a sustainable business model in that everything is made-to-order and not mass produced. I am really happy with this dress. It can be purchased here.
Closing:
I know that this was a really long post, but I hope that it was helpful or at least a bit entertaining or educational even if you aren't interested in purchasing this dress in particular. If there is anything that I didn't cover that you think I should have, let me know. I made a long list of the questions that I would've wanted answered before I made this fairly large investment in the brand, and I know that everybody looks for different things. For future posts like this, I want to be inclusive and cover basically everything. :p
If you have tried anything by this brand, let me know what you thought about it! Also let me know if you have any questions about this dress that I didn't cover and I'll do my best to answer them.
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