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Kimono-Style Short Silky Robe (SureNow)
A beautiful short robe featuring a traditional oriental design of peacocks and flowers. Although the fabric is polyester, it has the smoothness and cool appeal of silk, and it's an absolute pleasure to wear.
The photos on the Amazon product page give a very good representation of the many different colour combinations, all very tastefully realized in saturated and jewel-like tones. A sample robe was offered for my evaluation, and among all the gorgeous shades, I chose the Lake Blue. In person, it is very like the photos, perhaps a touch more turquoise. The standard of manufacture and finishing is excellent, neat seams and no loose threads or visible imperfections (see my detail photo). With an unstructured garment like this one, a good fit should be easy to accomplish. The major differences between sizes are in the overlap and the length of robe and sleeves. Still, I have found the size chart to be very accurate. I asked for a Medium which fits me perfectly (I normally wear a UK size 10, US 8, French 38). The big advantage of this delightful little robe over real silk is the easy care. It can be machine washed using the cold-water, gentle cycle, low tumble-dry care I normally give all lingerie. At this low price, it's a little indulgence that any woman would be very pleased to receive, or buy for herself … most likely in different colours! |
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Women's Santa Party Costume (Honeystore)
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This is a fun, pretty party costume for a lady to wear at Christmas time (or anytime the mood strikes, really). I should say, first of all, as there are so many different designs available, that the one Honeystore kindly sent me for review is Style LC7217 (with the black and red top, and currently the third of the three options).
This costume arrived nicely protected by tissue paper, inside a moisture-proof plastic bag. It consists of three items: a bra-style top; a mini-skirt with faux-fur trim; and a traditional Santa cap with pompom. I was surprised by the quality of the manufacture. Frankly, I expected something much flimsier and less durable. To carry out a full evaluation, I hand-washed it in warm water, and it stood up to washing very well. The trim took a while to dry, though, as I didn't want to risk using heat. The stitching, finishing and general design all look well done, and comparable to everyday clothing. The main fabric is a very shimmery velveteen, like crushed velvet with good 4-way stretch, in a lovely deep red. The skirt and cap are edged with bright white faux fur. The top fastens at the back with three rows of double hooks and eyes, just like a bra. The straps (made of black velveteen) are designed to knot at the back of the neck, providing maximum flexibility of fit (like a string bikini). It is super comfortable to wear and, since the material is very elastic, it can easily accommodate a vast range of body shapes. It measures 28” (72cm) when fully open (under-bust circumference) but can easily expand. The skirt is well shaped with an invisible zip at the back and soft elastic at the waistline. The black “belt” is a fabric decorative touch, just at the front and doesn't add any weight. The skirt also can stretch quite a bit but the fixed part is the trim, which measures 38” (or 78cm) in circumference. Still, one could always cut a little slit, if necessary. |
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Our
test model is a fairly tall girl who normally wears a UK size 10 (US 8)
(French 38). Although the costume fitted her extremely well, she felt
that it might also fit someone a little bigger (especially the top) but
the skirt's trim would limit the stretch somewhat. The cap was perhaps a
tad large, but that's hardly noticeable, is it? I'm stressing the
dimensions because when a garment comes in a unique size, the design and
fit become important. From a male viewpoint, the unanimous consensus was enthusiastic. It is a sexy but tasteful little number that most women I know would enjoy wearing. At the current price of under £21 ($22), it represents fantastic value, and actually looks as good in person as in the pictures.
