Black billow top dress - mini dress discontinued by Espiral - review by ~LaUr3n~

When Espiral's line debuted on Eden this was the first piece to make it to the top of my "NEED THIS NOW" list. Unfortunately, it was unavailable in large, and I waited in agony to get it. I absolutely love mini-dresses because I love wearing heels and showing off my legs. I think a dress that shows off your legs or your back can be a lot sexier than one that exposes a lot of your chest. This is the perfect dress for that. It can show a lot of leg and/or peak some sensuous shoulder. It is very forgiving because of the rouching and is incredibly comfortable. However, a lot of confidence is required to wear this dress. It'll shows all the curves you got. The rouching can hid small blips in figure, though. The only bad parts are the cheap zippers and the fact that it isn't completely as pictured. It's pretty true to size, thankfully!


Show a lot of leg! BTW, I'm wearing this product on my legs. The silhouette mask on the photo makes my legs look slightly darker, but you can see unedited photos below.

*Contents/overview:One piece Mini-dress

The Black Billow Top dress by Espiral is a ruched mini-dress made for wearing out. It is a little see through if it is stretched too far. It has no built in bra or support. The shoulders have zippers that can be undone to show more shoulder or an off the shoulder look. It comes in two colors: white and black. It is available in sizes S, M, L, and XL.

*Material: Good, but cheap zippers



The mini-dress is made of 93% polyester and 7% spandex (elastano). It feels somewhat silky, smooth and soft. In certain light, the material can have a slight shine to it. If you don't order the correct size, it's possible that the material will be somewhat see through because of being stretched too much. Light colored undies can be seen through when pictures are taken, regardless of sizing. The material stretches well and returns to its original shape. It's also very comfortable to wear.

*Design/craftsmanship: Great

The Black Billow Top is a mini-dress. This means that it will end very high up on the thigh, much like a mini skirt. However, the dress does stretch a lot and can be pulled down further than it appears in the pictures. I just don't prefer to wear it that way. The boat neckline is almost straight across, and can be altered with the zippers on top of the sleeves. Without undoing the 8" long zippers, the sleeves and top are billow which basically means loose. The sleeves have larger openings and are a bit longer than normal T's. The zipeprs are cheap. They are made of plastic and are painted with metallic silver. I have no doubt that the paint will wear off eventually. The zippers do not come completely undone. This prevents a wardrobe malfunction.

Right below the bust area, there is a seam. It is 9 1/2" below the neckline. On the majority of people, they won't have cleavage unless they unzip the sleeves to drop the neckline. In the model picture the rouching doesn't start til around the hip bone. In actuality, the rouching starts immediately after the seam below the bust. It goes all the way down to the bottom of the dress. The back looks the same as the front. There is actually no distinction between the front and back. A very small white tag is sewn into the side.

*Cleaning/care/storage: Hand wash

The dress comes in a reusable plastic bag and has a cardboard insert showing the model wearing the dress, the different variations of the dress color, and then other dresses offered by Espiral. The company website is listed. It says to hand wash in cool water, then let it hang dry. It has done fine being washed in a lingerie bag on a short cold cycle, but I still allow it to hang dry.

Made in Columbia.

*Sizing/fit:Runs true to size

The first dress I got by Espiral was in a large and that seemed to be almost made for my body size/type. I chose to get a large again. It fits very well, is flattering, and is true to the size chart. It'll fit many body types and as long as you fit in the chart, you should totally buy this dress - short or tall, slim or less than fit, small or large bust, pears and apples... this dress will make you feel sexy.

The large says is should fit 38" bust, 29" waist, and 38" hip. I weigh ~142 pounds (size ~8); curvy but fit, with size 34/36 D breasts. My waist is about 30" and hips 38.5". My band measurement is about 34" and I wear either a 34 or 36 band for a bra. My bust is around a 41" mark. I'm not sure if the 38" on the sizing guide is supposed to be for band or bust. It's totally possible that it could mean band because I have some room. It also could be bust because my measurement goes down an inch or two when in a bra, and it seems to fit pretty perfect there. So, I've completely re-done the size chart.

The waist and hips fit like a glove and are very close to the body, but it doesn't feel tight at all. I have no restriction in movement.

My Re-done chart: For the largeRuns pretty true to size - forgiving though!
Dress: 8-10 (possibly 12, but there will be less rouching)
Cup: C-D
Bust: 36-40 (around the fullest part of your breasts)
Band: 34-37" (underneath your breasts)
Waist: 29-32"
Hips: 37-40"



*Possible accessories:

With a dress that shows this much leg, you want to play that up and wear a high heel, as high as you can manage really. I am wearing Pleaser's Indulge 542, shown below.



*Conclusion: 5 stars ★★★★★

I have to give this 5 stars. It's a super sexy dress that will fit a lot of women and will flatter many figures and sizes. The price is a tad high for what it is, especially compared to the first dress I tried which is $10 cheaper, but it is worth every penny! I can't wait to try it in the white.

This dress is still one of my favorites. I have not worn it more than twice because of the cold weather, but I can't wait for it to warm up to be able to wear this out more often. I'll be getting it in white as well.