Penniless Socialite: Banana Republic Issa London Review + Giveaway!

The day the Issa London Collection came out at Banana Republic I rushed out after work to try on as much as I could carry into the dressing room.

Before I get into my individual reviews....my overall impressions of the line. I was a little disappointed in some of the fabrics. Many of the dresses and shirts were jersey knit-like and I was expecting a more substantial fabric. However, all of the clothes really mold to a woman's shape and have this ruching around the waist that hides a belly and makes a waist look thinner.

Short Sleeve Pleated Dress ($130)

Unexpectedly, I really liked this dress. I thought it looked a little boring on the rack, but the ruching is in all the right places. The color is fabulous and the fabric has a little bit of shine to it. It's 100% Rayon and pretty thin, but I liked this fabric better than the jersey knit in the next dress.

Three Quarter Sleeve Wrap Tie Dress ($130)

This dress is probably the crowning jewel of the collection, as it's a reproduction of Kate Middleton's famous engagement dress. However, I was disappointed that it was jersey knit rayon spandex blend and not a tougher, thicker fabric with more shape. I was also a little disappointed that it didn't have any sort of shine to it. AND the tie waist is really difficult to tie and make it look like all the pictures. However, with that said....it's already sold out in blue and is really flattering. (The same goes for the corresponding shirt)

Olive Zebra Printed Ponte Dress ($130)

This was the only dress that I tried on that I thought had fabric worth of the line (and the price tag). The darts hit all the right curves and the design is interesting yet so simple: the hallmark of Issa.

Printed Wrap Dress ($130, sold out online)

And my favorite dress of the collection...which is of course sold out after I decided not to jump on it. The pattern and colors are perfect for summer or fall. It has the same shape as the royal blue Kate Middleton dress, but made out of nicer thicker fabric.

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And now I'd like you to meet one fancy, fabulous lady: Erin of Simply Just Lovely!

Hey, I'm Erin and I blog over at Simply Just Lovely, where every Monday you can get a glimpse into my life as a mother. Most other days I share my daily outfit choices and what inspires my personal style decisions. I am a high school fashion teacher who loves to sew, craft and design jewelry on my free time.

Erin is giving away a $25 credit to her Etsy shop.