A Dress With Jeans

At the Water's Edge, Cezanne, 1890
(National Gallery of Art)

Now this is a find--a check shirtdress. First the fabric caught my eye.  I had to touch it.  The stretchy T-shirt material was very thin and a bit coarse -- a blend of linen, tencel and cashmere -- and I could see through it, my hand slightly veiled by the dark plaid and slubs in the yarns.  The linen causes the imperfections, distracting the eye from what's underneath.  But did it look like a lumberjack's shirt or a man's bathrobe? 
Not to worry, the restyling of masculine details make this dress snazzy.  Look at the stretchy fabric up close, a photograph can't capture it.  The semi see-through checks and imperfect threads come together as in a Cezanne, the canvas peering through patches of paint make a satisfying whole.

Would it fit?  A clingy dress shows imperfections, and it was too short, really, to wear as a dress.  So I decided to wear it over jeans as a very expensive shirt,  $298 at Bloomingdale's.  But I was only researching an article, not buying.  I decided to try it on.

The sizing threw me -- sizes 1, 2 and 3 -- and the label Majestic Paris was intimidating.  I thought of abandoning the idea because all the dresses looked small but I willed myself to not give up.  I asked the saleswomen, Is size 1 a small?  And it was, which is so simple.  But this was a European designer making clothes for women with smaller frames than mine.  I was only trying it on.  I took the size 1 and 2 with me to the dressing room and hoped to get a good picture.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that I could make this dress work when worn over jeans, with a few buttons at the bottom left undone to give the fabric room to move.  The color and pattern and v-neck shirt cut had a youthful look--sporty!  And the hips weren't a problem.  It was a new look for me.  The jeans were a bit bulky underneath and I should probably try it with leggings, which is how the salespeople said it should be worn.  But it's too cold out for a dress worn with tights or thin leggings unless you have a long coat, but with jeans, you can wear a jacket.  The price was higher than I wanted to pay for something I didn't need and it was the very first dress I'd tried on with jeans.  I put it back on the rack.  I was proud of myself for avoiding temptation this shopping trip.

When I got home, I found it online from the manufacturer Clothes by Majestic for $195 and at online at Nordstrom for $104, when I bought it early Saturday evening.  The manager at Bloomingdale’s was willing to match the price but I didn't hear back until Monday.  Next time, I'll know.  This is my first encounter with Majestic. Their other pieces at Bloomingdale's were nice too--sportswear with zing.  There’s more to discover with this line.  Any lover of separates will find something special here, mostly luxury T-shirts and casual dresses, tops and pants that can be dressed up or down.  Other fabric blends include cotton/cashmere, hand-dyed linen, linen/stretch, tencel/cashmere  …  their aim is to offer surprises every season.  I can’t wait to see more.

Post:  Jan 29, 2011