The weather is really conspiring against pretty clothes lately. Between the “frankenstorm” hurricane and Wednesday’s nor’easter snowstorm, I’ve been wrapping myself in layers and boots in an attempt to stay warm and dry. But there were a couple days that held off on freezing temps or precipitation, so I finally got to try my DD Atelier Diva dress.

My first impression of the dress, before I ever put it on, was that it’s stunning. I love the navy blue, I adore the buttons on the sleeves, and the shape is really pretty and feminine.

My second impression, upon putting it on (and I can’t believe I’m going to say this), is I think my boobs are actually too small for this dress. It’s a 75F, and now that I’ve tried one, I would definitely order a 75D.

This isn’t anything new, really. I’m also on the smallest end of the spectrum on Urkye, BiuBiu, and Pepperberry. And according to the size charts of all four, my hips are too big compared to my waist and bust to fit into anything that isn’t stretchy or open.

Anyhow, let’s start with the photos. Here is me in the dress, from three different angles:

You can see in that third shot that the chest is rather droopy. In fact, if I leaned over the right way, half my boob popped out. Yikes! But I think if I had the appropriate size, it would’ve been fine.

Anyhoo, I was a little worried that the waist would be tight on me, since I’m 28.5 inches and size 75 covers 27-28.5 inches, but it’s just perfect. It’s not tight at all, it basically skims over my waist and I can move just fine.

The fabric is 100% viscose, and it is not at all what I was expecting. It looks and feels like crepe. It’s a little thin, but it looks very professional (though it does wrinkle terribly). It is not stretchy, so make sure you follow the size guide.

The best thing about this dress is the attention to detail. The shoulder construction, the poof sleeves that go tight at the wrist, and the buttons lining the tight part of the sleeve (which you can’t see in the above photos) are all masterful. Here’s a shot of the sleeve, followed by a closeup of the buttons:

I can’t tell you enough how much I love those buttons. They are high quality and look really sharp. You can actually open them and they’re not the crappy plastic I’m used to seeing. However, they’re placed on the back of the sleeve so you can barely see them. That defeats the whole point! And they’re in exactly the right location to clack on my desk at work as I use the computer mouse or type on the keyboard. It was really annoying.

Before writing this review, I read questions in some online forums regarding whether DD Atelier prices are worth it, since they’re quite a bit higher than Urkye and BiuBiu. For basic stretchy tees, I can’t really see paying DD’s higher prices since the others carry such similar items. But for the tailored and dressy items, I think DD is totally worth it. The craftsmanship and quality is just so fantastic, and they offer styles unlike any other brands I’ve seen—big bust or otherwise. I really like the classic trench coat, the Sophie dress, and the zip-down dress. Plus many of the store’s items are on sale right now!