**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 two of a Retro Stage Review featuring Mrs Maisel dresses. To read part one about the Yellow Catskills dress, please go here.

During this lockdown, I have been binge-watching the Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and I know I can’t be the only one drooling over Midge’s wardrobe. 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.

Photos by Angie Delarie Pinup Photography.

Retro Stage – Rainbow 1950s Stripe Pocket Swing Dress

When I first saw the image of this dress on the website, I was worried that it was indeed more of a dress that was closed in the front and was really happy to find that was not the case at all. The dress is a halterneck style dress with a low back and an open at the front skirt. The dress came with matching green shorts and belt. I was really happy with the colours in the fabric as they were really lovely and not too bright or dull. They perfectly matched the outfit in the tv show. I kind of wish the fabric was cotton rather than polyester as I think it would have sat and felt nicer on the body. I was a huge fan of the pockets sewn onto the front of the skirt! They were large enough for a phone and some snacks but they did stick out a little when something was placed inside of them.

I did run into a few issues with this dress so let’s start with sizing; it was a really odd fit for me. I ordered a small after looking at the sizing chart (and I also got a small in the yellow Catskills dress which fit fine) but this one was really big and gaping in the back. The back billowed out and wasn’t well fitted and the bust area was a bit small and I was worried I will be flashing a bit of bra. The back of the dress has an elasticated seam which I’m guessing is to help with the fit but for me it was the opposite and it made it too big. The elastic seam also meant that the dress doesn’t sit against my back smoothly and when it puffed out, it made me feel a bit frumpy. The back does have an invisible zipper which I might use when I alter the dress to fit me smoothly.

My next big issue were the shorts. They were not flattering or my correct size at all. There is no room for anyone with a bit of booty in these shorts and I would have had to size up to make them look semi-decent. It would be great if you could order the shorts separately in a different size for those who have a bit more junk in the trunk. The shorts also were really oddly seamed down the front which caused unflattering rouching and an epic camel toe. It was hard not to laugh at them and I personally couldn’t wait to take them off. I will not be wearing them in the future because no one likes crotch hungry shorts. I feel awkward sharing photos of them so please be kind; I want to be honest.

The final major issue I had with this dress was the belt. Now I love me a matching fabric belt but unfortunately, being made out of polyester which is super slippery, the belt did not stay tight for long at all. The belt had no proper fastening and the buckle may be too big as once it’s fastened tightly, a bit of a wiggle and it would fall off. The dress also has no belt loops so I found that after a minute or so it would slip off and fall down. Even whilst walking from the car park to the ticket machine, the belt fell down. To fix the issue, I just tied the belt into a knot around my waist and left it that way. It’s a real shame that the belt was pointless as it had the potential to make the dress more flattering and look better fitted.

I’m feeling like a bit of a negative Nancy here; the dress isn’t the greatest and I will personally be altering it to fit me better. For the price of $56AUD, it’s not too bad but personally, I’m feeling a bit disappointed. This outfit would be great for a costume party or perhaps a lovely summery outing but I would definitely making sure to fix up the fit. I don’t even know if I should suggest to size up or down as it was such a mix in the fit; I suppose you can always make things smaller so size up…? The dress is available in sizes  S/M/L/XL/2XL.

Final thoughts
Now that I’ve reviewed two Mrs Maisel inspired dresses from Retro Stage, it turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag. We had one almost perfect dress and one that needs a bit of work. For this halter dress, I would recommend it as a costume or if you want to practice resizing an outfit to fit you. Personally, I will be altering both the dress and the belt and there’s no saving the shorts so I’ll sew up another pair myself. I would have loved this dress to be in cotton especially if it is a summer dress. I hope to wear this dress if I get around to fixing it before summer but for now, it might just be a fun Halloween costume.

It was a lovely change from the lockdown life to go out and review these two Retro Stage outfits. As a huge Mrs Maisel fan, it’s always nice knowing of ways to embrace a characters style. Both of these outfits are beautiful for summer and don’t need too much in the way of styling. Simple sandals and a cute summery hat would be perfect with both. I’d love to know your thoughts on both the Mrs Maisel Retro Stage outfits. If you want to read my first review, please go here.

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

A special thank you to my dear from Angie from Angie Delarie Pinup Photography for taking these photos for me. You’re a gem!

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.