Birthday Dress

[nararabbit]

Caroline's Birthday Dress was my least favorite of her pieces. The fabric is very thin, with a strange texture to it, sort of like those nubby t-shirts from Old Navy. The "decal" design on it looks pretty cheap IMHO, though as it's been pointed out on the forums, one could merely use it as a GUIDE and embroider on top. It is very detailed, so I imagine that it would be expensive to embroider, but I'd rather pay $6 more for that! The neckline on the dress is extremely cute, it does show the doll's body fabric for those who don't like that.

The shoes it comes with are darling and the main reason I won't be returning it. They're shades of blue with a very low heel.

[irishnurse68]

I agree that the texture of this dress is very strange. It is thin, and textured, almost like a gauze. The color is beautiful, and that is why I won't send it back. I love the shoes as well. The dress could have been done so much better, for a little more money. Instead of the cheap looking decal, real embroidery would have made it so much nicer. Overall, my least favorite outfit, but it does look lovely with Caroline's coloring. B-

[Catlin]

The material is a little thin, and of course there are the decals, but I still think it is a lovely dress. It looks fantastic on Caroline, and her shoes are adorable. B+ because of the decals.

[ipodgrannie]

I loved those shoes. I liked the fabric but would have liked machine embroidery instead. Not sure about the long part of the sleeves and that white around the neck.

[Cyn]

I really like this dress. I actually think the fabric is supposed to look and feel like silk, and I think it's nice. I'm not thrilled with the decals instead of actual embroidery, but I still like it, and the shoes are wonderful. Here's Audrey, modeling it -


IMG_0027_rev by cbddallas, on Flickr


IMG_0033_rev by cbddallas, on Flickr

[miniartchik]

I am one of those who really like this dress, despite it's issues. The decals are disappointing but I love the fabric and the style is wonderful to me. It really represents what I was hoping for in a "winter" frock with the cap top sleeves and the longer sleeve portions. I can't get what Mrs Bennet said in the 1995 P&P too Mrs Gardiner at the Philips Christmas party out of my head when I think about the fashion and sleeve-length. Yes I am a dork.

Anyway, the shoes are very cute and they fit over Felicity's meet stockings- which I put on my Charlotte (55) so she'd look more like Caroline, without the pantalettes of course since I only have the one pair and Caroline was wearing them. The stockings were cream not white but I couldn't tell in the pictures. The shoes were easy to put on also.

I give the outfit an A-.

Pictures:

*mod edit to remove broken image links*

[KitandKat]

I really like this dress too.

Dress: I love the styling, very pretty. I like the fabric. It is thinner but not poor quality - I think it was purposefully a thinner fabric because it was supposed to be a lightweight dress. I actually love the texture of the fabric too, it adds interest to the dress. I would have preferred embroidery as well, but I don't think the decals look tacky or anything. Grade: A-

Shoes: Okay, I have to admit I was really worried these would look like a ridiculous 1812 version of saddle shoes. They are actually pretty cute in real life. I am still not totally in love with the colors because the lighter blue doesn't *quite* match up to the dress and so they just seem a little off. Also, I think a simpler shoe might have suited the dress better since it has so much detail going on already. I'm not sure if I will keep pairing the shoes with the dress but they will work great for mix-and-match. The shoes fit well, too. Grade: A-

Overall Grade: A-

[sharayahlynn]

The color of this dress is absolutely beautiful! The material is quite...different, but I do like it. The shoes are adorable and slide on and off easily. I haven't tried the outfit on Caroline yet, but it looks very nice on my Maddie (#24), who decided that she wanted to go back in time to be Caroline's friend until I get around to finding someone to be my Lydia. Grade: A

[Scarlett]

I must agree that the fabric of this dress is different, but it is lightweight and textured, and kind of a nice change from plain cotton. The decals are what they are, but I don't find them too distracting. The bottom border of the design does extend around the back as well, which was something I was concerned about. That helps it to be a bit more believable, at least.
Overall, I appreciate the look of this dress for it's realism. It's perfect for a special occasion, but it isn't over the top, and could be used as a practical every day dress, too. I love the fichu detail on the neckline. The two-toned shoes are very well made and have a laced look to them, as if the bow were really functional.
Another grade A from me!

Annie in Federalist Birthday Blue! (wm) by scarlett1854, on Flickr

Caroline's Birthday Dress Fabric Close-Up (wm) by scarlett1854, on Flickr

[sixthruler]

I love this dress, and have to say it's my favorite of Caroline's outfits.

A lot of the reason I love it is because of it's attention to historical detail. Some people complained about the texture/weight of the fabric, but it is supposed to represent the lightweight, gauze muslin that was popular during the regency era. In fact, the lighter and gauzier the fabric, the more prized it was at the time. Of course women would wear shifts and petticoats under the gowns, but the gowns themselves were often very sheer. I think it is absolutely elegant.

The white fabric around the neck is supposed to look like the white scarves women would tuck into their bodices as a means to protect their chests from the cold climate, while still allowing them to wear the lightweight gowns. It looks classy, in my opinion.

I was a bit disappointed when I first found out that the white floral detailing is not actual embroidery, but after seeing it in person, it looks lovely anyway. In pictures you can't even tell. Yes, it would be nice if it was actually embroidered, but I don't find it distracting or tacky looking at all. It still looks very pretty to me.

The only thing I don't like about the outfit are the shoes. I think the color is unattractive, as it does not match the dress. Also, the shoes are difficult to get on over stockings, and any classy regency girl would have worn stockings with such a gown. The shoes are not bad as a stand-alone item to be worn with other outfits, even as ballet flats for a modern girl, but I don't like them with this dress.

Overall, I give this dress an A. If the shoes were a different color, black even, I would give the ensemble an A+.

The light blue is lovely on blonde dolls, but it also looks really nice on darker complected dolls like Josefina. It pairs well with Josefina's mantilla and the undergarments from her Christmas dress.

I highly recommend this dress. For those of you on the fence, it looks truly beautiful in person. For those with an eye for historical detail, this dress is the one for you!