You haven’t heard from me for a while because I bought an apartment! Buying property in a foreign country is maybe one of the most stressful self-inflicted decisions that I have ever made. I am extremely happy with my new apartment (it needs some work!). You won’t be hearing from me again until late summer as I learn how to do small renovations and oversee a new kitchen installation. And you know, figure out where all of my clothing is going to go in a 290 square foot studio apartment (27 square meters) without a closet.
These photos are from last summer and I assume that Old Navy will be selling similar dresses again this year. Old Navy isn’t available in Germany, but I was in Michigan for a family party last July. All of the photos pictured are in XXL Tall. As a cusp size, I also tried the plus size 2X but the XXL fit me better. In these photos I am 5’7 and my measurements are 51-43.7-48.4 inches.
One thing all three of these dresses have in common? Smocking in the back. For anyone full-busted, this is an easy way to have a fitted dress. Smocking gives you the ease of stretch without looking like a stretch dress — it adjusts to your curves.
The first black dress up for review was $22.49 when I purchased it and it is 100% Rayon. The back of the dress is smocking, giving the dress a personalized fit on my fuller bust. I wore this dress on my 46th birthday to see my favorite band, Counting Crows, in New Orleans with my sister.
This is my 46th Birthday selfie, as you can see this is probably not a dress for most full-busted ladies to wear to the office.
You can see in the side photo that the dress is longer in the back than the front from the size of my chest and that the armhole is large.
From the back you can see the smocking back gives the dress a better fit.
You know that I have a habit of buying dresses in multiples…
I also bought the same dress in floral print for $15.99.
You can see in the back picture that part of my bra straps are showing, an issue that we couldn’t see with the black version.
Also, if you have issues with bra bulges this dress does show them depending on the bra you are wearing.
Like the black version, I would not wear this dress to the office but it works for home office or weekends.
The final Old Navy Dress is this black linen blend one that I purchased for $24.99. Unlike the other two dresses this one can definitely be worn to an office. The linen blend gives it some structure, the square neckline is flattering, and once again, the smocked back makes it fit better through the chest than it would otherwise.
The sleeves are a bit loose on me.
Back to 2026, I unpacked my summer dresses recently and pulled them out of storage… And I wore this dress this past weekend to brunch with a Curvy Kate Lifestyle bra.
By the time I got home the dress was a bit lower in front, but fine for brunch with friends and an unplanned trip to a Beer Garden.
Smocking is prevalent in summer dresses, and these dresses actually work on a full bust without gaping or pulling, which is rare at this price point. Will any of you check out the Old Navy summer dresses this year?
