Christy Dawn Review: My Dress Collection + The Best Dresses to Buy

I’ve collected several Christy Dawn dresses over the years so I thought I’d do a roundup and mini review of all the styles I own plus what I think are the best Christy Dawn Dresses to buy. So without further adieu, here is my Christy Dawn Review!

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About Christy Dawn: An Ethical Fashion Brand

First, I want to give an introduction to the brand in case you are new or unfamiliar with Christy Dawn. Christy Dawn is an ethical and sustainable fashion brand based out of Los Angeles, California. Their pieces are made in Los Angeles and India using deadstock fabrics, organic cotton, and regeneratively farmed cotton. What’s great about Christy Dawn is that they are going one step further from sustainability and actually trying to give back to Mother Earth through it’s Farm-To-Closet collection. They’ve partnered with a regenerative cotton farm and farmers to actually replenish the soil through traditional and organic techniques.

Christy Dawn Review: My Dress Collection

The Adele Dress

The Adele Dress is the most recent addition to my closet. I was gifted this dress as a part of their Ambassador program. We are able to choose from a few pre-selected styles each month and this was my March pick. I actually wasn’t sure I’d like it that much but I wanted to give it a chance. Turns out I love it! It might be my new favorite Christy Dawn dress!

The reason I love it so much is that it’s really adjustable. The front and back laces are functional so you are able to make the dress tighter or looser. This dress is also a great combination of sexy and sweet. It’s really flattering and comfortable. And because the bust is so adjustable I think this dress will fit a wide range of body types.

I went with my usual size small and I think it’s perfect. When choosing your size I would pay more attention to the bust measurement and if you are in between sizes I think you can take your larger size. You will be able to make the bodice tighter all the way down to the waist if the dress is a little too loose.

You can see more of the Adele Dress in this post!

The Brooklyn Dress

Winter Cottagecore Outfit ft. the Christy Dawn Brooklyn Dress

I recently picked up The Brooklyn Dress and I love it. It’s a really comfortable and easy dress to throw on. This print is made from regeneratively grown organic cotton voile from their Farm-to-Closet collection so it’s a bit more expensive than the organic cotton versions. But the cotton voile is really light, soft, and comfortable!

The Brooklyn Dress is a staple style from Christy Dawn so you can usually find it in a variety of prints and colors year round. The Brooklyn is similar to their Basil Dress (which is another staple) expect it has shorter puff sleeves instead of bell sleeves.

I love the pretty dark floral print on this dress but I did have a problem with the print being crooked on the smocked bodice. It ended up looking weird on me so I contacted customer service and asked for an exchange. Luckily, they were happy to replace it and the new one I received was perfect! I’m wearing the size small and I think it’s a good fit. The bodice is really stretchy so I might have been able to fit in an XS as well. I definitely wouldn’t size up in this style.

You can see more of the Brooklyn Dress in this post!

The Scarlet Dress

Shortly after I ordered the Brooklyn Dress I picked up the Scarlet Dress! I LOVED this gorgeous rust color and the style looked simple and easy for spring/summer months. Again, this dress reminded me of something I’d see out of Pride and Prejudice. The Scarlet Dress also comes in a variety of colors, prints, and fabrics. This one is made from a mid-weight rayon so it’s not as light as the Basil Dress. I think I would prefer it in a cotton (which you can get in other colors – like this gorgeous green!).

I’m wearing the size small and it’s a little loose around the waist but I think that’s fine. Since it’s rayon it actually might shrink a little after washing – we’ll see!

You can see more of the Scarlet Dress in this post!

The Dawn Dress

The latest addition to my Christy Dawn dress collection is the famous Dawn Dress! I’ve been wanting to try their signature dress for awhile. When I saw it was available in the Lotus Gingham fabric I decided to get it! I think this style runs on the larger size. The waist is rather large but with the tie waist it’s very easy to adjust it. I also feel like there’s a lot of room in the bust area. I think if you are between sizes you could take your smaller size in this dress.

See more of the Dawn Dress in this post!

The Meadow Dress

Bridgerton Inspired summer dress from Christy Dawn on woman in field

The Meadow Dress is what Regency dreams are made of! I bought this one because of the empire waist was reminiscent of dresses I’ve seen on Pride and Prejudice or Bridgerton. I honestly feel like I’ve stepped out of a Jane Austen novel when I’m wearing this dress! This dress comes in a mini dress version called The Melody.

This exact dress is sold out but you can still get the Meadow dress is other prints/fabrics! The one thing I don’t like about the specific version of this dress I have is that it’s made from a deadstock fabric that’s not super breathable. But it look like The Meadow dress is available right now in a beautiful organic cotton version and a silk/cotton version which I think would be really comfortable! I’m wearing the size small in the Meadow and it feels true to size. I do have to wear a slip under this one because it’s sheer.

You can see more of the Meadow Dress in this post!

The Conley Dress

Christy Dawn Dress with By Far Lace Up Booties

My first Christy Dawn Dress was The Conley Dress (not available right now). It’s a cute, prairie style dress with balloon sleeves, ruffles, and removable tie waist. I absolutely loved this green floral prints called ‘Linden Anemone Field’ which is why I bought the dress! This dress has been pretty versatile for me. I love wearing it in the fall/winter and even think it’s a great holiday dress! But I’ve also worn it in the spring because it’s made from a lightweight organic cotton voile. Sadly, this style dress is sold out at the moment but Christy Dawn does make a summer version called ‘The Collette‘ which is the same minus the long sleeves! I’m wearing the size small in the Conley and it feels true to size.

You can see more of The Conley Dress in my original blog post!

Christy Dawn Abbot Kinney Store

If you are able to go to try on Christy Dawn dresses in person I highly suggest it! It’s a lot easier to figure out what styles work best for you by trying them on. Plus, I love being able to feel the fabrics and see the prints in person. I usually end up picking styles that I never would have thought about just because I loved the feel of the fabric.

Christy Dawn recently moved their store to Abbot Kinney and it’s GORGEOUS. I was able to stop by once before I left LA and it’s one of the prettiest stores I’ve been to. I wish I had gotten more videos because it was like shopping in a beautiful house full of Christy Dawn! You can find their store here:

1337 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

I tried on a few dresses at the store just for fun! Left to Right: (unavailable dress), Dawn Dress, Nicks Dress. I actually loved the fabric of the first dress even thought the style was not as flattering. The Dawn dress is one of Christy Dawn’s classic dresses and is available year round in many colors/prints. Right now it’s available in 18 colors! I did really like this style. I’m wearing the size small but I do feel like I could have fit in an XS too. I love that this dress has a snap closure on the neck which helps the V neckline from getting too low. The Nicks dress was a fun design – but the color of this dress was washing me out.

The Best Christy Dawn Dresses to Buy

If you are a newbie to Christy Dawn I suggest trying the Dawn Dress. It’s one of their most popular dresses for a reason. I think it’s flattering on a variety of body types and the drawstring waist makes it very adjustable. It also comes in a ton of colors/fabrics/prints so you’ll be sure to find one that works for you!

I also like the Christy Dawn dresses with smocked bodices – like the Brooklyn Dress, Basil Dress, or Katrina Dress. The stretchy smocking helps this dress fit a wide variety of bodies. (I also like smocked dresses during/after pregnancy because they expand and contract as need be!).

You can find more of their popular styles and best sellers here!

I would say that Christy Dawn dresses run true to size. All of the dresses I’m wearing are a size small (which is my usual size).

Are Christy Dawn Dresses Worth It?

I think so! Obviously, because I’ve bought 4 of them…haha. But Christy Dawn is one of the few ethical fashion brands that I feel is TRULY ethical and sustainable. A lot ethical fashion brands have come under fire lately for participating in unethical practices and not being truly transparent (like DOEN, Reformation, and Everlane) but I feel like Christy Dawn has risen above all of that. And there are very few companies that use sustainable AND regenerative practices.

So far I haven’t had a problem with the quality of the dresses. I’ve realized that I prefer the cotton fabrics as opposed to deadstock. I think the cotton is softer and more breathable. (You are able to search by fabric type on Christy Dawn’s website btw). I had one issue with the crooked pattern on the Brooklyn dress but Customer Service was great and sent me a replacement. I do hand wash and line dry my Christy Dawn dresses to help them last longer so I can’t vouch for how they hold up in the washing machine.

Why Are Christy Dawn Dresses Expensive?

Yes, their prices are higher than fast fashion brands. But they’ve shared this helpful infographic that shows you why ethically produced garments cost more. If you are actually paying workers a decent wage then the cost of the dress is going to be more.

BUT! That doesn’t mean that you have to pay full price for Christy Dawn pieces. Buying secondhand is always a great option (and the most sustainable). Christy Dawn does have sales up to 30% off occasionally (which is usually when I buy them). I also take advantage of thredUP’s cash out program to get a bonus at Christy Dawn, who is one of their partners! After selling my gently used clothes through thredUP, I cash out and get a gift card to Christy Dawn with an extra 15% bonus! I bought my last 2 dresses that way! Christy Dawn also has a FREE rewards program where you can earn points for discounts! I just signed up and am already collecting points!

Don’t Forget! Get 15% off your Christy Dawn purchase w/code ’15JESSICAW’!