Strapless black dress - mini dress discontinued by Coquette - review by LambChop

This is an amazingly smokin' hot dress! WOW!! This 80% Nylon / 20% Spandex (think bathing suit fabric) tube dress features a mesh middle panel that is about 7.5" -8" wide. That peek-a-boo effect takes this little black dress into a whole other realm. It goes from being simple to being simply sexy. The mesh middle features four bands of black piping evenly spaced about 1.5" apart. The end result of this style is a figure-flattering, waist-whittling look. Even if you don't have a tiny waist, this dress will accentuate what curves you do have. The dress is body hugging overall, and the mesh, while not 'power mesh', definitely does its part to smooth your lines.

As for sizing, the Coquette size chart says a medium fits 8-10. I'm normally on the small side of medium (more of a 6-8) but due to the spandex and cling of this dress, I went for a medium instead of small. That was a smart choice. I would say this dress runs a tiny bit on the small side. When I took it out of the (gorgeous hot pink tissue paper) wrapping, I thought, "There is NO WAY this will fit me." It looks tiny, and it is tiny, but there is quite a bit of stretch. It fit perfectly. Laid flat, the top (very narrow elastic) band is about 12" across. The hem is about 14" across, and the narrowest part of the middle mesh is around 11" across.

Hand wash this gorgeous dress and hang to dry, according to the care instructions on the label. I won't be afraid to use my standard 'lingerie bag on the gentle cycle' method, though. There is no packaging to speak of, just the pink tissue from Eden. The dress arrives with a tag and a package of clear straps, both attached to the dress with black satin ribbon and a tiny safety pin. I didn't need the straps, but I'm not busty. I can imagine these would come in handy if you need a little more support. While you could wear this with a strapless bra as well, I found that I didn't need a bra. The spandex is tight enough to hold my breasts in place and the top band stays up with no problem.

This dress is still gorgeous. Hand wash or wash on gentle in a lingerie bag, and this should last a while.