Review: Dresses by Shabby Apple

How gorgeous are these little dresses? Seriously, as I was trying to choose the best pictures to post in this review, I couldn't stop cutting and pasting. They are all so fun and unique and obviously designed for little girls. There's clearly no way I could pull off any of these looks, but Nadia is a different story. She's got the energy and spunk to pull off the bold prints and interesting styles.

Shabby Apple sent us this oh, so cute Peach Cobbler dress which Nadia wore this summer. Granted, it's too pretty for wearing to the park, but it was a great dress for special occasions this summer. I love the wide polka dot sash and the straight fit. Nadia was a little disappointed when she first discovered that it doesn't flutter around when she twirls, but I loved how it looked on her anyway. The orange background was a nice change from pink while the flowers made it plenty girly. You might think that the fancy design is going to have a lot of complicated buttons going up the back, but you're wrong. These cute designs are truly made for kids. There is only one simple little snap on the neck in the back, and the sash is attached at the sides so it won't get lost or fall off it would happen to get untied. It's frustrating to me when clothing made for kids requires a lot of effort to get on, or constant maintenance, but the people at Shabby Apple have definitely given their designs plenty of thought. Regardless of how cute they look, kids will still be kids, and I need clothes that don't take an eternity to get on my little squirmer!

As if the beautiful styles and great prices (which I will address later) aren't enough, Shabby Apple shares a percentage of its profits with Unitus, an organization working to bring life-changing micro-loans to the world's working poor. Each dress comes with a personalized tag telling you all about one of the women whose life was changed by the support she received from Unitus. It's a very personal touch, and it makes you feel like you really are a part of the giving. You can read more about what Shabby Apple is doing to help women worldwide here.

Read the full review below, based on a four-star scale:

Comfort ***1/2 - Once the dress was over her head, I think that Nadia was completely comfortable, although getting the particular style that we were reviewing on was a little tricky. There is not a lot of stretch to the cotton, so, Nadia struggled a little getting her arms in, even with help. Once the dress was on, it was so simple to get it snapped and tied, though. She never complained about being uncomfortable, and I can't see any reason why she would be. The skirt was "fitted" without being tight on her legs. She had plenty of room to move and run in it which, regardless of the reason why she's wearing it, is important.

Washability/Wear ***1/2 - Again, I just threw this in the wash with everything else. However, I didn't dry it and hung it up to dry instead. I'm not sure this was a necessity, I think it was more of a mental thing on my part, I just felt like such a pretty dress needed to hang up to dry. I never needed to iron it, but I'm not a real stickler for perfectly ironed clothes. It looked fine, though. No major wrinkling. While Nadia didn't wear this dress every week, she did wear it a handful of times, but there was no fading or visible wear. It still looks great.

Style **** - This is clearly a matter of taste, but I love these dresses! Many of the styles you won't find at any old chain clothing store, and the patterns make them perfect for little girls. Nadia would have loved the little kangaroo pocket on the front of the gorgeous Watermelon Summer dress on the left, and I also just love, love, love the Queen of Hearts dress on the right. It's on sale right now (along with lots of other styles) and if they still had it in Nadia's size, I would be buying it for next spring for sure!

Price ***1/2 - This is the part of the post that I usually dread writing because I never really know what to say since price is so subjective, but not this time. These dresses really are affordable, especially for boutique clothing. Not one of the styles is over $40! For a special occassion dress that is still comfortable and casual enough to get wear beyond the wedding or party, these dresses are an amazing bargain! Shabby Apple is also running a sale until September 30th and almost every style is marked down! Be sure to go check it out before it's too late!

Sizing ***1/2 - Nadia is 2 and has been wearing a 2T dress. She's right in the 50th percentile height and weight, and the dress fits her just right. I'd say the dresses are very true-to-size.

Overall Rating ***1/2 - I love the unique style and the affordable prices for "fancy" dresses. The fact that I'm helping support a bigger cause makes the purchase even less of an indulgence. Shabby Apple/Shabby Baby will be one of our first stops when shopping for a special occasion dress.

Oh, and did I mention that Shabby Apple is not just for little girls? They make dresses for mommies as well. Their mission is to "return to what dresses were always meant to be — a one-piece outfit. No need to add anything...no tank tops, no cardigans, nothing (except accessories, of course!)." - That's just what a mom needs. Simplicity.