**Please Note: since the release of this review, it has been drawn to my attention that Retro Stage has been engaging in unethical practices. Customers have not been receiving their orders and all attempts at corespondance has fallen on deaf ears. Furthermore, pinups have had their photos used to promote a dress of Retro Stage despite the original dress being from a different brand. I am now aware that they are using stolen images and even captions to promote their brand which I find unacceptable. Despite being contacted about their actions, Retro Stage has done nothing to change this and the issues continue. I will be leaving my original review up but just wanted to add this note.

This is part one of a Retro Stage Review featuring Mrs Maisel dresses. To read part two about the Rainbow striped Catskills boating dress, please go here.

All aboard the Maisel fan train! Toot toot!
We are all binge-watching the Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and I know we are all drooling over Midge’s wardrobe. It can’t just be me right? In season 2, we followed Midge as she went with her family to the Catskills and we got to see an absolutely stunning summer wardrobe. Since it’s airing, all the vintage sewing Facebook groups I’m a part of were filled with girls wanting to recreate certain dresses and outfits from the series the two most popular being Midge’s now famously iconic yellow floral dress with matching infinity hat, and Midge’s Boating date outfit featuring a halterneck striped long top with shorts. Everyone wanted their own version of these outfits and we all took to the internet to find matching fabric but very few results were a perfect match or within budget. Now we can all rest easy knowing that we can simply buy some of Midge’s iconic items already sewn up for us.

Vintage and retro reproduction brand Retro Stage has gone through a bit of a re-brand lately and have changed their image and the type of clothing they sell. I have previously reviewed Retro Stage before focusing on their 1920’s dresses see here and here. I was asked to review some of their new products and I took to Instagram to ask you all what you wanted to see and the results were overwhelming “ANYTHING MRS MAISEL”. So that’s what we are doing today; we are reviewing the ‘Rainbow 1950s Stripe Pocket Swing Dress‘ (Midge’s Boating outfit) and ‘Yellow 1950s Floral Lace Swing Dress‘ (Midges famous yellow floral dress). As I have collaborated with Retro Stage before, I found their customer service excellent with all their responses being polite, respectful and open to ideas and suggestions. Once my items were sent, it took just under two weeks for them to arrive which is pretty great especially with postage being slowed due to the world wide lockdown. Retro Stage also very kindly offered a discount code to all my followers MONMON15 for an extra 15% off any purchase. Please note, this is not an affiliate code and I do not benefit from any purchases made.

Retro Stage – Yellow 1950s Floral Lace Swing Dress

In my recent Instagram poll, this was the most voted for dress that you wanted me to review as it’s arguably one of the most iconic looks from The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. When Midge arrives at the Catskills for her summer break, she is wearing a stunning yellow dress with a heavy floral print, to match she dons a yellow infinity hat and some very cute matching accessories. I’m on a lot of vintage sewing groups on Facebook and this dress caused quite a stir and rightfully so. With its flattering straight square neckline, short sleeves, buttoned bust and fitted underbust/bodice, it’s an absolutely stunning dress. I was personally a huge fan of its colouring as I love yellow but also the fullness of the skirt. After much internet research, I eventually found the fabric that was used for the dress in the tv show but oh my goodness, clutch your pearls because it’s over $100AUD a metre, it’s pure silk and the whole website is in Italian. Hmmm, maybe I’ll just wait it out and I’m so glad I did.

That’s where Retro Stage stepped in with this Catskills replica. It took them a little while to be happy with their final product and they got pretty close to the actual dress itself. Let’s start with the fit, I wore a size S/small and it fit really well all over. The tightest part for me was just under my bust but that could also be because I’ve been a heavy snacker over this lockdown period. I didn’t find much stretch with the dress and its fabric (polyester) so I’d really pay attention to the sizing chart if you plan on ordering it. I think the sizing may be a bit on the smaller size. The dress is not as bright as it appears on the show and is a fair bit duller so don’t except a bright yellow dress, but it’s very light and soft to wear. The dress has an invisible zipper in the back which was smooth to use and didn’t get stuck.

My main issue with the dress was the front bust buttons. When the dress was laying flat, the buttons were straight, as soon as I put the dress on, they were skewered to one side. Odd, I thought it was just me but found that my friend Miss Vintage Orchid who was also reviewing the dress, had the same issue. It might just be the grain that the fabric is cut on which is causing this issue so please keep that in mind if you plan on purchasing. I was really happy with the length of the skirt which hit me just under the knee and the length I prefer when it comes to summer dresses. I was happy to see that the dress is fully lined which made wearing it a bit more comfortable.

Final thoughts
Overall, I’m actually pretty happy with this dress. It’s not an exact replica of the actual one Midge wore but if you want to dress as Midge for Halloween, this would be absolutely perfect. It’s a lovely and simple summer dress with a great design which I found to be very flattering. I’d love to see Retro Stage offer this dress in other fabrics such as a red floral or even a deep green (not necessarily the same floral pattern but something cute) as it’s a beautiful cut. When it warms up and I can wear this dress on a lovely summers day, it’ll definitely make me smile.
For the price, it’s a great little day dress or a perfect costume for any events you may have planned after lockdown. I think for around $55AUD, it’s a good price to be able to add a little Mrs Maisel to your wardrobe without breaking the bank. The dress is available in Size S/M/L/XL/2XL. Even with the world in shambles, shipping was still very quick at around the ten-day mark.

It was lovely to swan around in this outfit and I did feel very fabulous and happy. As I went about my day in these outfits, I did have the Mrs Maisel soundtrack bubbling around in my head which gave me an extra pep in my step. This dress is perfect for anyone wanting to go as Midge to a costume party or perhaps Halloween (can you imagine a zombie Midge? So cool!). Although these items are a direct copy of the originals, depending on how you wear them, they can be a simple dress or a costume; I do plan on wearing this dress once summer comes around again.
If I could improve the dress, I’d make the pattern and fabric a deeper yellow colour and not so washed out. I don’t think the fabric can be changed and keep the dresses flowy-ness and softness but maintain it’s lower price tag.

Use my coupon code to get 15% off MONMON15.
Shop Retro Stage here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions and thoughts expressed are solely my own and not influenced in any way. There are no affiliate links and I do not benefit from any link clicks or purchases made.