I Wore This Effortless Dress on a Night Out and Got So Many Compliments

We all have those rare moments when you order something online, and upon its arrival, it truly meets your expectations. Well, those feel far and few between, but it happened for me when I pulled the trigger on this Zara dress. I first discovered it when I was scrolling through my co-worker's article, and it caught my eye. Soon, it popped up in a few pieces of my own, and the next thing I knew, I couldn't stop thinking about it. This went on for a few days before I even thought to make the purchase. What had stalled me in signing the bottom line was the fact that I didn't have any upcoming plans that made sense for a dress like this. But it didn't leave my mind, so I decided to get it and wait to see when it naturally fit into my plans.
After ordering it, I came to the realization that I did indeed have the perfect occasion for the dress. An intimate dinner party at a glamorous Manhattan restaurant had been hiding in my calendar, and I hadn't yet thought of what I planned to wear. My mind immediately went to the dress I had just ordered, but since I didn't expedite the shipping, I thought it wasn't going to arrive on time. Serendipitously, it arrived the morning of. I had quite the agenda on that particular day, so I actually ended up popping the dress into my bag with a wide assortment of accessories and changing into it while already out and about. When the look came together, it just magically looked even better than I could've imagined.
Now for my honest review. There were two things about the dress that were not entirely clear when I was ordering it on the Zara site. The bunching that you see on the model doesn't really happen when the real deal shows up. I found the way that it casually floats atop my body to be more flattering anyway, so I was still happy with my order. The way you see it photographed on me is how it will look when it arrives. Additionally, the back has some scrunching that I didn't notice before and honestly am not in love with, but the benefit of that aspect of the dress is that it has a bit of stretch and can mold to your body more easily. It's true to size, so keep that in mind if you choose to order it.
The dress:
How I styled it:
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Sierra Mayhew is a fashion editor at Who What Wear, bringing a decade of industry experience to the editorial team. Since joining in 2021, she has made her mark by blending luxury and accessible fashion, decoding runway trends, and curating must-have shopping lists. Before joining Who What Wear, Sierra sharpened her skills at Harper's Bazaar and Elle, with bylines in Bazaar.com and collaborated with iconic brands such as Gucci and Ferragamo. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Sierra translates editorial expertise into viral social content, making fashion engaging for a new generation. Her unique perspective is rooted in her love for travel, music, and discovering the hidden gems that make New York City a constant source of inspiration.
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