Review on Women'S Sequin Art Deco 1920S Flapper Dress With Sleeves by Glenna Naber

This review is for the PrettyGuide 1920’s Art Deco Sequined Flapper Dress in Gold Burgundy. I bought two of this same dress, one in my actual size: MEDIUM, 8-10, and one a size up: LARGE, 12-14, and will address sizing a little later. I will start by saying that in my experience the dress runs true to size, but if you prefer a looser fit, you can probably go up one size and still be fine.Quality: for the price, I was pleasantly surprised. I found a loose thread or two, easily trimmed, but no hanging or missing beading, and no unraveling seams or botched stitching. On one dress, a few of the hem tassels were overly long, but again this was an easy fix. The side zipper is a bit touchy, but if you are gentle with it, it should not be a problem. Although the garment needs to be handled with care, due to all the lattice-netting, beads, and bling, it feels solid rather than fragile. The burgundy color with the black accents and gold trimmings is simply stunning in person. The effect is rich and elegant. DO wash this dress before wearing; out of the package it has a slightly "chemical” feel to it that I associate with fabric dye that will bleed easily until a first wash and rinse. Carefully turn it inside out and HAND WASH ONLY, preferably in a bathtub so you can let the dress stretch out; having to crunch it up could damage the beading. I let the dress flat dry, still inside out, on a thick bath towel for about 30 minutes before hanging it to finish drying.Sizing: At 5’5” and 130 lbs, I am a solid 8 in skirts and pants, but a 10 in dresses due to broad shoulders. The medium, 8-10, fits perfectly. It is flatteringly form fitting without being uncomfortably snug. The beaded overlay helps disguise any minor rolls (I’m an active person, and in fairly good shape, but I’ll freely admit I’m not as svelte as I was 20 years ago, lol). I prefer a freer fit with clothing in general, but I really like how this dress both looks and feels. The hem of the solid under-dress comes just to my knees, short enough to be saucy but not so short I have to restrict my movement to stay decent in polite company. Overall I am quite happy with this dress.However, for a true 1920’s flapper effect, it actually fits a bit TOO perfectly. To satisfy burning curiosity, I went ahead and ordered the large, 12-14, figuring I could send it back if it hung like a sack, and rather expecting it would. Another pleasant surprise: the next size up did NOT hang like a sack. The looser fit allows the dress to hang in more of a flapper-style straight line, but it is still lovely and flattering, with the waist, neckline, and shoulders still falling where they should. The solid hemline comes to just below my knees, so I gained about an inch of length, but still short enough to be saucy. I've seen dresses before with styling of a quality that allows sizing to be flexible but still well fitting, and this is one of them.Bottom line: if you have generous curves, or like your dresses to have some extra room, you should be able to size up and still have an attractive, comfortable fit. I would say this dress runs true to an average size, so it really comes down to personal preference. For myself, I will be keeping both dresses. The larger will do duty as a costume/party dress, while the "true size” will be reserved for holidays and formal events. With contemporary shoes and accessories, this dress can easily step from the early 20th century into the early 21st century. I am hoping by dividing wear between the two, I can extend the useful life of both. Yes, I LOVE this dress THAT much!