Keep this dress or send it back?

[ketzeleh]

I nabbed this dress in the TOAST sale. From the photos I was expecting a coffee cream colour. It's a slightly deeper brown in real life, and when I unwrapped it DH blurted out in horror that I'd look like I was modelling the Bristol stool chart. My own first thought was along the same lines. Then I tried it on, just in case by some magic it looks better on me than on the hanger. It did. The fit is just what I want (fitted bodice, swingy skirt) and the fabric is a lovely weight and good quality. DH also thinks it looks nice on, and as you might have guessed from the stool chart comment, he isn't one to sugarcoat things if he doesn't like them. His verdict was to keep it.

I'm torn. I also don't think the colour looks too bad on, but £95 is a lot of money even in the sale. Do I keep it or send it back in the hope I can find a similar dress in a different colour? Recommendations for other places to try are welcome! It's such a comfy flattering fit that I'm reluctant to let go of it unless I can find a better option first.

My first thought was dog diarrhoea-sorry!

Yes, I was about to edit out my initial poo thoughts, but then saw that's what you're asking. It is decidedly dun coloured, sorry.

There's much nicer Toast stuff. Better luck in the next sale.

Nope its a horrible colour sorry!

OFC the third option is to dye it. If the fit is really that good. Toast fabrics are good quality. Dylan pods are so easy. It should work well but there's an element of risk.

It's also, for me, got very Soviet industrial worker vibes.
I do like Toast dresses I think they are very well cut and good fabrics but they don't always get the print or the vibe right.
I think it's a send back. Would be lovely in a print or another colour but the colour plus severe style just nudges it into a bit nasty.

I would send it back. I don't like the style much but the colour is horrible.

If you like it, keep it.

When I'm making a purchase, if I don't instantly love an item then I send it back. Life is short. Wear stuff you enjoy unreservedly.

It's quite dull - a difficult colour to style

I'd risk dying it dark green and keep it if it's as comfortable and flattering as you say, but I would never have bought it in brown in the first place, and hence my firmly-entrenched "no brown, ever" views are not yours to start off with .

If you dye it, chances are the thread won't pick up the dye.

Yeah, that's the colour of calf scour, you can find something less agricultural I'm sure.

The description says it was garment-dyed already. So it will be all cotton including the thread, which will take dye fine.

Yes the thread is probably polyester, but I think that on an informal garment like that contrasting brown thread would probably look fine, and Toast garments are sufficiently high quality that you shouldn't get random stitching errors.
That's always a risk when redying cheap clothes, they have crap stitching that escapes notice with matching thread but stands out a mile when it's contrasting.

Another vote for dye it. I regularly buy clothes in the full knowledge I’m going to dye them before I ever wear them. As someone said, thread may not pick up the dye, but I like that in this sort of thing.

Well I like it! I'd wear that in summer with Birkenstocks or trainers and in autumn with a cosy earthy cardi and some brown boots or my Boston clogs.
It would look nice with greens.

But if you don't love it send it back. It's a lot of money to be unsure.

That's true but sometimes a contrast stitch is nice. I would dye it possibly dark red (it will come out more dark rust, because you're mixing it with brown). Whatever dye colour (apart from black), you need to imagine mixed with the fabric colour and that's roughly what you'll get. It's an expensive experiment but I love dyeing stuff and very rarely had anything I didn't like much more.

It's very drab, not just the colour it looks like a housekeepers dress or something from the Handmaid's Tale. If it looks a lot better on you than it does on the model and you love it keep it.

To quote phoenix night

”send the buggers back!”

(I have one dress that has now been four entirely different colours … 🤣 Fabric like that will come out fine, so if you like all else get ordering a Dyson Pod.)

Jesus i just saw that it's a hundred quid, no way! It looks like something Brown owl wore when I was at girl guides in the 70s.

Sorry but you did ask for opinions. I don't think the dress has any redeeming features.

Goals?

Committment to idea

Reality

Surely this is your ideal shop?

https://rendez-vous-store.com/category/women/women-dresses-rendez-vous-store/

If the colour suits you, keep it. It’s a nice dress. I wouldn’t dye something as an alternative to getting a refund.