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If there’s one thing I don’t understand about nursingwear, it’s this: 95% of the styles appear to be solids or stripes. Solids show every dribble, and stripes often make you look wider. Neither is ideal for a new mom.
The Blaire Stripe MOM Dress sold by ROOLEE is an exception. While it is striped, the pattern alternates directions for a flattering look.
This neutral seersucker dress has a nautical flair, so I’ve paired it with some red Banana Republic heels.
I’m wearing a large – the biggest size available. When I first purchased this dress, I couldn’t zip it. While I can get it on now, it is still a bit tight across the bust, which is surprising considering I’m small chested.
A note on fit: while this dress is sold by ROOLEE, the tag says Ces Femme. I purchased an “Easy” dress from ROOLEE on the same date and it is a true ROOLEE item. The Easy dress fits perfectly. So… you might have to do some guesswork when ordering.
I’m a little disappointed Ces Femme’s sizing runs so small. When you’re a new mom, you’re not at your smallest, so things should run true to size if not a little loose. I’m particularly surprised that the chest is so tight fitting given that it’s a nursing dress and a breastfeeding mom’s breasts swell. This was one of the first nursing dresses I purchased and it made me feel a little down on myself after I’d lost a tremendous amount of weight. But… ROOLEE isn’t to blame for that. I anticipate they are the buyer and are not involved in the manufacturing process. The lesson here is: order a size up, and try to avoid this line if you’re a true large. Fast-forward to eight months postpartum, the dress zips, so I’m sharing it for small-to-medium sized ladies.
Wearing this dress to a friend’s wedding rehearsal. The nautical look was perfect for the venue!
The A-line fit accentuates the bust and disguises postpartum bellies. I love the modest hemline for work, and the longer sleeves (with cute detail!) guard against office chills.
There’s a side zip for nursing access. It uses a soft zipper and is fairly easy to unzip with one hand, though re-zipping requires both hands (and in my case, carefully exhaling to make my chest as small as possible).
Unfortunately, the dress isn’t loose enough to easily pump from both sides simultaneously. While it’s well designed for nursing, it may not work for pumping moms unless you’re able to order a size up.
I love the seersucker element to this fabric. Stripes alone don’t always hide spills, however the seersucker texture is forgiving. The fabric choice also means you don’t have to worry about wrinkles when doing laundry!
I’ve only worn this dress once so it’s hard for me to comment on quality at this point. Despite being tight, the zipper has held up (my biggest fear is pumping at work and having a nursing zipper break… eek!). The lightweight fabric isn’t cheap, but it’s not as substantial as some of the other pieces I’ve reviewed.
This flattering, feeding-friendly dress is $49. ROOLEE doesn’t appear to have many sales, but they do discount their items as they rotate their inventory, so check out their site often!
Here’s my high-level recap of this piece. While it isn’t the highest ranking, it is more cost effective than some of the other pieces I’ve tried. Plus… it’s a classic beauty that will still look good when you’re done breastfeeding!
| Characteristic | Rating |
| Flattering | Great |
| Work appropriate | Great |
| Pumping-friendly | Poor |
| Nursing-friendly | Good |
| Camouflaging | Great |
| Quality | Good |
| Easy to clean | Great |
| Affordable | $$ |
Would you give this style a spin? Comment below, or chat with me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!
28 karat life 