It was sooooooo hard for me not to walk out of the NYC store with the Bravissimo dress I’m reviewing this week…but I am on a major budget crunch, so I very sadly had to leave it behind. Maybe I’ll come back to it in the new year!

This is the teal “Lottie” dress in size US 6 (UK 10) Really/Super Curvy. I measure 38”-29”-43”, height 5’6”, and bra size UK 28GG/30G. In these photos, I’m wearing a Bravissimo “Flo” soft-cup plunge bra in 30G.

Teal is one of my favorite colors to wear, and this shade was positively glittering. Velvet also seems to be really in this year, with loads of brands offering their own plush options. I don’t have any velvet in my closet, and seeing it everywhere is really making me want to rectify that! It’s perfect for Christmas and New Year’s parties and can be worn casually in the fall as well.

Since these photos were taken on a fall day, I happened to be wearing boots and a leather jacket so you can see some fall styling:

The fit of the Lottie dress is extremely flexible. It has a wrap shape with a tie on the side that can be fastened tighter or looser depending how cinched you want the waist. It features short dolman sleeves; however, the sleeves are sewn shut at the area under the arm, so it highlights your shape and doesn’t show any visible side-bra.

The shop gal at the NYC Bravissimo store suggested that I could size down to US 6 Curvy/Really Curvy if I wanted more cleavage. But in looking at these photos, I think it’s just right as is.

The skirt has just a slight A-line shape to it. Honestly, I would have preferred a fuller skirt such as a circle shape to make it a little flirtier. However, I do very much appreciate that the inner skirt panel hits far enough over on your leg so that there’s no threat of the skirt blowing open at the slit:

As usual, I also wish the bodice was longer. On my extra-long torso, it’s nearly an empire waist silhouette, which isn’t my most flattering cut. But if it was longer, then the cleavage would likely be out of control (see my ancient post about wrap vs. faux wrap dresses).

As for the fabric, the velvet was so incredibly soft, I couldn’t stop petting it. And as I mentioned above, it really had a glittery effect. As the sun was starting to set, I had Darlene snap a photo of the fabric in “golden hour” sunlight, and it looks stunning:

Darlene also snuck a shot of the whole tableau, and I think the dress is just absolutely charming in the sunlight/shadow mix: