Plaid Distressed Cotton Flannel Maxi Dress

Back in the early 1990s, when GenXers were the ultimate target market, looks like these dominated the runways and GenX girls like me worse them like uniforms. And considering that most dresses like these were under $50, you could. R13, which seems to specialize in a 90s grunge retro vibe, delivers all of the same stuff (down to Nirvana t-shirts) just at a substantial price hike. And I can't help but think that shoppers like me who wore this stuff 30 years ago aren't feeling a little cheated when they get their orders...and not just because of the cost. Because that certainly was my experience. What looked cute turned out to be a glorified ripped up flannel shirt with a super prominent back zipper that added neither style nor substance. The deliberate distressed details and uneven hem, much like the zipper, offered elements of the past with elements of the future, combining to make something not quite as good as either. The only authentic feeling punk/grunge detail the dress had was purely coincidental: my dress arrived still with a security tag attached. Unfortunately, this only made returning it more challenging. Two stars because it was at least well made and they did get the shape of a dress style I know very well right, so if you're a big 90s fan and weren't there for it like us aging hipsters, this dress might be everything. But at least for this GenX fashionista, some things are better left to memory...including this purchase.