Monica Long Sleeve Cable Stitch Maxi Sweater Dress

Was very uncertain about this dress when I ordered it, but I am pleasantly surprised. I’m 5’4” and feared it would be too long. I also worried it would be too thin and show my undergarments. Finally I’m very sensitive to scratchy textures and was concerned about how soft it would be. Thankfully all my worries were unfounded. The material is thick enough not to show my panty or bra lines, it’s soft and cosy too. About the weight of a good quality light sweater. The dress comes to my ankles and looks chic over a low heeled boot. It skims my curves in a flattering way. I love how receptive it is to accessorizing. I can add a belt, some chunky jewelry, a silk scarf, and/or a blazer or cardigan to dress it up or down. And it washes well. I’ll be getting a lot of wears out of this piece this season!

The dress is pretty much shapeless. The material is nice, but light and the bottom looks like a night gown. The arm pits have too much fabric and look more like a dolman style sleeve. Overall, the dress looked like a maxi night gown. Flat measurements: Shoulders are drop shoulders and measurement was difficult but the arms draped past my first knuckles, armpit to armpit 26", bottom opening 20", length from center neck 52". I am 5'10" and couldn't imagine someone shorter making this work.

Vero Moda is a brand I discovered over 10 years ago living in Vancouver. Cheers to Nordstrom for bringing this brand onboard. This dress is sooo chic but runs very large. I am 5'8 and normally wear an 10/12 or sometimes 8/10 and I ended up with a small. The sleeves are more of a bell and run long.

I was genuinely excited for this sweater dress, and based on other reviewers, decided to size down (which is a strong recommendation as it does run large, but I'll explain why). The fabric itself is soft but not of the highest quality. It's that cable knit that overstretches and is likely to rip or damage easily, and doesn't seem to bounce back, even if washed. Hence the need to order a size down because it's that overtly stretchy fabric (think a sweater from ages ago whose arms are so pulled out, it looks cheap). So immediately, I knew this dress won't last a long time in my closet, and for the price, I felt it would be best to return it. On top of the fabric quality and fit, the dress itself is unbelievably sheer. It's not wearable in public without some layer underneath, most likely a slip dress or a shirt and leggings. All in all, it's not a feasible investment or a quick throw on sweater dress for the winter/spring. It's too high maintenance to keep, so I'll be returning this one, despite how beautiful the color and feel is.