Hi shoppers!!
First, let me apologize for skipping May’s second newsletter — recovering from my burst ovarian cyst and then having an IUD inserted and then being in my worst adeno flare in years has had me laid up in a way I haven’t been in a while. My energy, even for writing — and shopping, if you can imagine it — has been lower than usual so the next few editions we’re gonna keep it nice and tight; everything you need to know to shop the best stuff, but I’ll be skipping the recipes (I’m definitely not in any condition to be standing and cooking) and swapping tv recs for book recs.
Today, we’re gonna talk about my favorite summer dresses — ironically, the most important part of my wardrobe during a pain flare. I am a hardcore dress over pants person year round, but summer especially is a great time to break out the flowing dresses, and skimpy stretchy ones and everything in between.
Hill House Daphne Dress: I’m a Hill House evangelist and I more Ellie’s than I can count, but the Daphne was recently gifted to me by the brand and holy shit is this dress my new favorite thing. The skirt is full but not heavy, and the top has a side zip and some smocking — it gives me enough support to forgo a bra and gives me the renaissance boobs of my dreams. This is an XL which I’m glad I got to fit my chest, but I think if I really wanted to be corseted up a L would have fit too!
Norma Kamali Slinky Strapless dress: Norma is my number one go to for sexy dresses that are also the most comfortable things you will ever put on your body. I have the classic strapless dress but this rouched version is a sexy and slightly more stylized version. I have a 34G chest and it stays up without issue; it holds me in all the right places and I find her sizing to be pretty forgiving (I wear a M).
Doen Sofia Dress: Doen is one of my favorite places to shop when I want to splurge a little and this is one of two Doen dresses (don’t worry I’ll list the other next) that I plan to wear to death this summer. The fabric is so delicate and lightweight and it’s perfect for sweltering hot days. I also find it pretty hard to find peasant-y style dresses that are big bust friendly and I have a few from Doen that all fit my boobs really comfortably.
Doen Ortensia Dress: Speaking of Doen, this is one of those dresses that as soon as I saw it on their website I knew I needed it. It’s magnificent. The fabric is a beautiful crepe with a slightly heavier feel than the Sofia which gives it the most delicate movement. Again, super flattering for fuller chests — I wear a L in both!
Beyond Yoga Featherweight Dress: If you’re a regular MG reader, you know I really stan Beyond Yoga, especially their spacedye collection. This dress is made from the featherweight version of their best selling fabric and holy shit is it incredible. It was gifted to me and I think I’ve worn it 70% of the day since it arrived at my home. It’s double lined so I don’t really need underwear or a bra and it has all the softness of their classic spacedye fabric but in a lighterweight material. Think modal but more delicate. I wear a L pretty much across the board in BY!
AYM Halter Dress: Another brand we’ve covered on here before, I love AYM because it’s super size inclusive and their dresses are built with tie waists so you can adjust the waistline on them to be as hourglass-y as you like. They’re *super* supportive — double lined so again, no underwear, shapewear, or bras required, but the fabric is stretchy enough that you’re not going to feel constricted or uncomfortable. I wear a L or XL in their dresses depending on the style, but their returns are *super* easy so don’t hesitate to try a few sizes to get it just right!
Material Girl Reads:
Again, since we skipped one newsletter last month, I want you guys to get a little more bang for your buck so here are some recent reads I’ve been obsessed with (spoiler alert they’re all nordic noirs!)
The Forgotten Girls: A really nuanced portrait of small town gossip, and the terror of alienation.
The Lost Village: A tale of the way we treat women with mental illness with an ending that will haunt you and remind you that none of us are immune to the lies society spews about women and pain.
Jar City: An all time classic for a reason, this one is dark and visceral and not for the weak stomached.
Keeper of Lost Causes: I FLEW through this one; it’s the first in a series about a unit that deals with cold cases and holy shit did this one have me up until 5am with my stomach churning at the visceral descriptions of the sheer horror it’s characters endure.