After reading all of your questions and concerns last week, all three of us at The Demoiselles decided to try the voluminous bubble hem trend.  You’ll remember some of our concerns about the product: added volume; a round, balloon-like shape; over-accentuated curves and extra fabric that hides features.  Could we find a dress that fit the bubble hem trend and looked good on all three of us?

We certainly tried.  The dress we chose is designed by Isabella Rodriguez and was purchased from an online store that’s plagued many-a-shopper with temptations – 15DollarStore.com. If you haven’t visited, it’s just as alluring and self-control-conquering as it sounds.

For reference, here’s the product photo from the website:

Here’s how the bubble hem trend stacked up:

Birdie’s thoughts: On pulling it out of the package, I thought “You know… this might be okay.”  The dress we picked was cut well, though the torso looked short, but there was a lot of extra fabric.  The extra fabric was my big concern – I didn’t want to look like a balloon.  I have features I like… I’m proportionate and slim.  I can’t fathom hiding my waist!

Since we picked these lovely little bubble dresses up online without seeing them, I was a LITTLE worried as to their construction.  I expected something you might see at a Forever21 (aka: Cheap ‘n’ Trendy) and though there’s a time and a place for F21, I’m a cautious buyer; I’ve had too many garments fall apart after a month or two.  Since the dress is washable, I also worried the fabric would twist and the seams wouldn’t sit straight.  The good news: the grain on the fabric all runs the same way so I should be safe.  The tight stitch and the fabric are worth $15 alone, so  I was definitely more excited to try it.

I styled that little number with a grey Favorite Tee from the Gap, grey scalloped tights from Old Navy, my Blowfish boots and a beret I made myself.  I felt sort of like I was wearing a kid’s kindergarten jumper.  I chose this outfit to head to work in, though the dress could be styled a number of ways.  I’ve got plans to wear it with button-downs, like a little jumper, and alone on warm summer days.

Overall, the extra fabric wasn’t as balloon-y as I worried it would be, and I felt like it fit fairly well – not really hiding my features, and not being nearly as voluminous as I thought.  Overall, I liked the look of this dress and I feel like it’s something I’ll wear again and again for comfort and style.  I definitely don’t feel like I’m hiding in a wash of fabric.  Isabella Rodriguez did well with this little number!

Elle’s Thoughts: As with any semi-fitted garment that I buy offline, I was naturally half excited, half terrified at the idea of this dress. As I mentioned in our previous post, curvy girls + “bubble” anything typically equals disaster… But upon receiving the box containing the dress, I have to say, I was pretty stoked.

The dress came wrapped very carefully, and looked exactly like the photograph. I was a little nervous because it looked slightly small, but I threw it on immediately and checked the fit. In the product photo, it looks like the waistband falls a few inches below the bust. I should say below the mannequin’s bust, because mine is about 8x as large. The band, unfortunately, landed right around the bottom of my boobs which is less than preferable. Because the band doesn’t lay on my waist or ribcage (both extremely narrower than my bustline… obviously), my midsection looks a lot wider than it actually is. The hem, however, hit me just a few inches above the knee, which is fine. As long as I can bend over without getting arrested, it works for me.

The construction, as Birdie said, was surprisingly good. The seams were solid, there weren’t any frays or loose threads anywhere – it’s actually well made (for $15 dollars, it’s a total steal). As for the bubble portion of the dress… It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. The “bubble” part isn’t incredibly voluminous, as I thought it was, and is actually really cute. One of my favorite parts about this dress is actually its versatility. You can wear a top under it, a cropped cardigan over it, or just as a tank dress. The fabric is super soft and moves with you without clinging or being too light and flowing all over the place.

I wore it with a simple, puff-sleeved tee from Old Navy, and some olive green leggings. The white in the patent wedges picks up the white in the top, which makes it all a little more cohesive.

With a unique cut like this, structure is really important. This would be my favorite dress ever if there was just a little more fabric around the bust of the dress. Considering I purchased the XL to accommodate my ladies, I don’t think there’s any possibility of perfect for this dress and me. The cut, though – very cute. Overall, bubble hem wins.

Jen’s Thoughts: I was the last one to get my bubble hem dress, so when I heard that both Elle and Birdie had issues with fit in the bust, I got really nervous.  I was right to feel that way: the band hitme at the bottom third of my bust instead of hugging me below it.  Both times I’ve worn it I’ve spent part of my day tugging at it.  How disappointing!

That seems to be the only disappointing thing about the dress, though.  Like the girls said, it’s really well made – it kept its shape even after I machine-washed it – and the fabric is soft and less-structured than many of the bubble hems I’ve seen before.  I was also surprised to find that it wasn’t too long on my five-foot frame, in the straps or the skirt length.  Other than the bust band issue, this dress really was the perfect canvas to really play with one’s style.

And, of course, that’s what I did.  The first time I wore the dress, I went neutral and paired it with a sheer white shrug and a pair of black patent Mary Janes (which garnered me the nickname “Judy Garland” for the day).  A week later I tried it with some color, using a teal puff-sleeve v-neck by eight sixty and a bright red recycled art glass bracelet by Loot! (pictured below).  Both outfits looked and felt pretty good!  Because of my limited budget and busy schedule, I tend to go for clothing that I can mix and match, and accessorize for a workday or an evening out.  This dress is pretty much perfect for that…as long as I layer it with something that hugs my waist, that is.

How do you feel about the bubble hem trend now?  If you think you might try this trend, what would you wear it with to accentuate your body and style?