Off the Rack ~ Introducing Miss Candyfloss (a Review of the Odette Dress)

I’ve long admired the brand Miss Candyfloss, especially after seeing a few reviews on the Miss Victory Violet website. It’s a vintage reproduction brand that’s inspired mostly by styles of the 1940s. Some of the garments are totally era-accurate, while others have a more modern twist (such as the many jumpsuits they make). If you’re looking to cosplay as Peggy Carter (from Marvel’s Captain America and the Agent Carter TV show—the new season of which premiered this week!), this is the brand to buy.

However, prices are a little high and the brand is located in Sweden (with manufacturing in Transylvania), so the Euro exchange rate is usually not in my favor, I’d be limited to under $200 per order to avoid US customs fees, and shipping is expensive. Occasionally, a piece will pop up on ModCloth.com, but those are few and far between. I’ve been scouring eBay for the last year, but the brand rarely shows up there either. It seemed I would be limited to admiring the clothes from afar.

But then I got really lucky, and was given the opportunity to shop through a pre-sale offered by a US-based sellers’ group—at a heavy discount, no less! The first two times I opted into the pre-sale, there was a 4-quantity minimum for each garment, so only the most popular items ended up being available. But I was able to purchase my number one coveted item—the signature Odette dress in navy blue.

The Odette dress is Miss Candyfloss’s most signature, well-known item, appearing for sale on several other European retail sites. It features a pleated bust, high collar, cap sleeves, zipper up the back, and full flared skirt, and ranges in size from XS all the way to 5X. It also comes in a long-sleeve version called Vedette. A combination of polyester, viscose, and lycra, the fabric is soft and not too heavy, so it’s appropriate for all seasons.

I wore Odette to a wedding last week, and went full vintage (well, vintage reproduction) with brown low-heeled Oxfords, pearls, and red lips. I’m so in love with this dress, and it’s amaaaaaazingly boob-friendly. Let’s get to the (many) photos, and then I’ll discuss fit. (I thought it looked really swell with my custom Etsy coat that I reviewed last year, so I included a bunch of poses with that as well.)

Miss Candyfloss’s size chart puts me between medium and large for bust, and between small and medium for waist. As such, I’d say I’m probably a medium, but of course that size was sold out. Luckily, I was advised that this particular item is stretchy and very forgiving, so I would be safe to size down to a small.

Readers, it fits like a glove. It holds in my midsection just a little, like built-in light shapewear, and there’s more than enough room for my boobs thanks to the pleating. However, I would probably go with medium if I were to buy the same dress in another color. I think a medium would be a better fit for my shoulders, and the pleating on the bust wouldn’t be pulled as flat as it is here.

However, even in the small I felt perfectly comfortable, and could eat, drink, and dance to my heart’s content. In fact, after the wedding when everyone changed into street clothes for the after-party, I kept my dress on instead. It was more comfortable than the jeans I’d brought with me!

I was so taken with this dress when it first arrived that I immediately had to have more from Miss Candyfloss. Sadly, my number two most coveted item, the navy Margit top, didn’t have enough interest to be included in the pre-sale. But then the jumpsuit version popped up on eBay as the “ModCloth Ship Off the Bold Block” suit for a mere $30. So I bought the jumpsuit, took it apart, and added a new zipper to the back, leaving myself with a crop top and offering the pants to a seamstress friend. It ended up being even cheaper than buying the real shirt!

The fabric content is different than the Odette. I don’t remember exactly what it is since the care tag was attached to the pants, but there’s significantly less stretch. In this case, medium was definitely the right choice, as a size down would have been way too tight around my waist and very difficult to pull over my shoulders. The boobs are just about perfect. So I’ll definitely be sticking to size medium going forward. In fact, just recently the minimum order quantity was done away with and there was another pre-sale, so I bought two more dresses and two tops, including a—GASP—button-up blouse. I can’t wait to report back!