Is Christy Dawn Worth It?
For years, I’ve seen people in the sustainable influencer space (as well as people who, frankly, are just richer than me) rave about Christy Dawn.
I’d always click over to the site, balk at the $200+ price tags, and quickly shut the tab before I could convince myself to buy something.
If you’re not familiar with Christy Dawn, they’re a California-based, woman-owned brand known for their dreamy prairie dresses, boots, and other romantic and vintage-inspired items. They use deadstock fabric for most of their garments and are size-inclusive.
They also just introduced a regenerative line, which has gotten quite a lot of buzz. You can learn more about that on their site or in this Vogue article. It’s really impressive!
Christy Dawn was offering a substantial discount during Memorial Day Weekend this year, so I decided to take the plunge. I purchased the Dawn Dress in Goldenrod, which is made with a lightweight block-printed cotton fabric. It was made in Erode, India by dressmaker, Teresita, as part of the Regenerative initiative.
Fit
I purchased the Dawn Dress in a size medium, which is my usual size these days. My measurements are 34-30-41″.
This dress fits about as expected, but since I’m pear-shaped, there’s the usual issue: the circumference at the bust is intended for a larger bust, which creates a bit of gaping at the neckline. The waist and hips pose no issue, however. There’s a drawstring at the waist so that you can wear it tighter or looser depending on your preference.
It’s also oddly tight at the shoulders, but only at the front of the shoulders. Which, to be honest, is the weirdest fit issue I’ve ever experienced. I think if I had a larger bust to fill out the front of the dress the seam at the shoulder would rest more evenly on my frame. (It’s kind of hard to explain, so let me know if you need more info on this!)
On my 5’7″ frame, I love the length of this dress. It’s right between midi and maxi, which makes it super versatile without there being a risk of tripping on fabric. I bought the color, Goldenrod.
Quality
The Dawn Dress has the weight and feel of other block-printed Indian cotton garments. It’s lightweight and slightly textured to the touch (by which I mean it’s not as soft as pima cotton or rayon). I expect it to get softer with washing.
The details on this dress are what reveal its quality, though. There’s subtle gathering at the collar bone in the front and near the shoulder blades in the back that lend a mid-century day dress feel to the garment.
So, is Christy Dawn worth it?
The Dawn Dress runs $198 at full price. That’s a hefty price tag for a cotton dress.
That being said, there are several high marks for sustainability that necessitate a higher price point: organic cotton, regenerative practices, and ethical production.
And the details reveal that this isn’t just a cheap garment you could buy at H&M.
With these things in mind, I would say that Christy Dawn’s pricing is about what you would expect. Of course, at my income level, this is not an item I could purchase every season.
But if you’ve been looking at a particular Christy Dawn item for a long time, wondering if it was worth the price, I would say it’s worth going for it. This is a truly beautiful dress that will work year-round with the right layers.
I know you have issues with the fit, but that dress looks great on you! At least in the photos.
Thank you so much! I decided to keep it because I felt so good in it. Once the fabric warmed up a bit on my skin, it felt more comfortable. I’m thinking it’ll wear in more over time.
@Susan, I was going to say the same! I recently stumbled across this brand and was trying to decide if it was worth the splurge and it looks quite flattering and comfortable on Leah!
Thanks, Christina! I still love this dress almost a year later!
I’m really into sustainable womens clothing so I really love Christy Dawn, https://coalatree.com/collections/women and other sustainable clothing brands! I remember buying dresses last year as a present for myself on my birthday and I really loved them!
I’ve tried the Dawn dress once and had the same issues as you (fellow pear-shaped and non-busty gal here). But also, the colorway I ordered was in a deadstock fabric that was pretty scratchy and awful to the touch. (Granted, I’m really picky about fabrics, but I was disappointed since it is pricey.) I’m excited about their organic cotton/regenerative lines, though, and I might try the Dawn dress again in cotton!
I almost returned the dress just because of the shoulder tightness issue, but to be honest, I really love it and it made me sad to think about sending it back. After I wore it around a bit more, it loosened up, too.