It loves me? It loves me not....(Extensive reviews: Antique Magnolia Blouse & Grass Court Dress)

So I have been drooling over this little pretty number here and curious as to how it fits since my local store doesn't seem to carry it. I decided to order it before free shipping ended last week...and it arrived today!
I tore the box open.

Ooooh Ahhhh

oh gosh, this blouse is so pretty..and I love the details. This is one of the very few pieces that I love from Anthro's last year's 2011 collection. It's very well made and it's safe to say this is a classic, timeless piece.

I have a thing for close up pictures on precious details such as these...

The blouse consists of 3 layers: soft mesh on the outer layer (flowers are embroidered onto this layer), then the lace in the middle, and a yellow-ish tan rayon, cotton blend (from what I read in the care tag) inner layer

definitely not sheer! which is a nice change : )

and it's not a surprise it's dry clean only

Anyways, onto the fit. this is the part where it disappointed me.

I ordered this in a size 6 which is the size I usually generally take and the fit is a bit off on me.

There are darts under the chest to give it a shape. This fits my bust well (36B) but it bunches in an odd, unflattering way. The waist fits a bit big for me as I can pinch a good inch on the side. The structured shape is...sort of there but not really..It just kind of hung on me. from looking at the photo again, I think it makes me look a bit bigger than I really am.

Also another problem area for me is the cap sleeve. It pinches my arms when I extend them forward..actually any kind of arm movements in this blouse feels uncomfortable for me. If I were to get this, I would take it to a tailor and have the sleeves cut off. Also, I wouldn't be able to size down because it fits just right in the bust area for me due to my wider rib cage and sizing up will just be extra loose everywhere on me.

I was curious if this particular cap sleeves problem is just an isolated case of mine. So I had my sister tried it on for me as she is usually a size 6 or 8 depending if the clothes would fit her bust.

Details on her measurements:
Bust 36D (she took my share in that department)
Waist: 28

So this is what it looks like on her...

She said it fits well in the bust and feels comfortable for her though it does make the neckline gape a little bit (she actually doesn't mind this). She also doesn't have the cap sleeves-pinching-arms problem so it is probably because I have a bigger frame up top (broader shoulders). The waist area is also a bit big on her but I do think it looks more flattering on her because she fills out the top more than I did in it.

What do you all think?

I will be returning this since not only it's still at a steep price tag of $188, this top simply does not love me back. Yes, I'm sad this blouse isn't going to work for me as I already styled this blouse in my head in many different ways. boo. I might still buy it if I happen to stumble on it with a 3rd cut price then have it tailored. Oh well, I think I'll live vicariously through the other ladies who are made for this blouse!

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Next up is the Grass Court Dress $168 *not by Moulinette Soeurs btw, I believe it's by the same maker as the Bike Lane Dress*

I was intrigued with this dress when I saw it online though my initial reaction is somewhat indifferent. I don't love it but I don't hate it..sort of..meh. When I saw it debuted in my local store, I was willing to give it a try so I took it back with me to the dressing room.

the eyelet details are cute but I don't care for the belt at all. I suppose it goes with the Tennis theme (which I'm really bad at) but I would definitely use a different belt if I'm going to wear it. As you can see from the picture above, the area under the bust have been modified to flatter the chest area which works with me.

I took a size 6 and it fits perfectly; not too tight or too loose. although I have had to size up in some dresses due to my rib cage area so someone with a smaller frame up top might find it a bit loose. I also feel the top have enough material to accommodate larger busted ladies without having to size up  (my sister wasn't with me to try on this dress for comparison) but there was a lot of space in the chest area for me. I did not encounter an issue with the waist sitting too high like the one reviewer on the web site, although it's probably because she also happens to be a bit taller than I am by 2 inches according to her description so it's likely she is with a longer torso. Lengthwise, It's similar to the Bike Lane dress since this one also came down to my knees so shorter ladies might find it a bit too long. The color is more accurate in the second picture instead of the first. Also, it is lined with cotton lining and does come with pockets : )

yep, that's the label. anyone knows what it's called? it just looks like a postcard to me.
Overall, I'm still feeling unsure. I suppose it's a cute dress but it doesn't wow me as much. I'll be considering it again when it goes on sale.

As always, you can always email me for further questions and I'll try my best to answer it thoroughly : )