Christy Dawn Manuela Dress Review
The newest addition to my Christy Dawn Dress Collection is the Manuela Dress! The Manuela Dress was a part of Christy Dawn’s Holiday Collection, but I think it works great as a non-holiday dress, too. Keep reading for my Christy Dawn Manuela Dress Review!
Outfit Details: Christy Dawn Manuela Dress c/o || & Other Stories Coat (options) || Sezane Claude Bag || similar boots
Christy Dawn Manuela Dress Review
The Manuela dress is a Victorian-inspired midi dress that can be dressed up for the holidays or worn more casually in the winter. It features all the romantic details that will make you feel like you’ve stepped out of a period piece, including a wide scoop neckline with tie detail, crochet edging, smocking at the waist, and ruffled sleeves. I also find the print to be very romantic, with gold and light blue chrysanthemums set against a black background.
My Measurements: 34-29-39, 5’7″, 129lbs, 30D
Size and Fit
I am consistently a size small in Christy Dawn styles. However, I found the Manuela Dress to run slightly big. I found the waist smocking to not be as tight as similar Christy Dawn styles. And there isn’t a waist tie so you can’t tighten it. The bust area is also loose on me, and I have to cinch the neckline tie as tight as it will go, but even then, the bust is still loose. I notice it particularly around the shoulder area – it feels like there is extra fabric there. However, I don’t think the dress looks too big on me – it’s more about how the dress feels. In this case, I think the size XS would have worked better for me.
I have a more petite upper torso, so this style might work better for you if you have a larger bust or wider set shoulders. I also want to point out that there is a slit in the fabric from the middle of the neckline to the waist smocking. It creates a keyhole effect that can show more cleavage if you don’t cinch the tie all the way closed. You can’t tell on me because I’ve tightened the neckline as tight as it will go!
Despite the size issues, I am a fan of this dress. The colors and floral design are gorgeous. I like accentuating the gold and blue flowers with my warm camel-colored coat and light blue crossbody bag. The contrasting blue tie at the neck is also really nice. I also like having a long-sleeved dress in my collection. All of my other dresses don’t have sleeves that go all the way down to my wrists.
I also appreciate that this isn’t an in-you-face holiday dress. I can imagine dressing it up with heels, velvet accents, and sparkly jewelry for the holidays. But as you can see, it looks great as a winter dress with coats, tights and boots.
If you liked this Christy Dawn Manuela Dress review, be sure to check out my comprehensive Christy Dawn Dress collection post that includes tips on how to get a discount at Christy Dawn!
