Yesterday I managed to time my son's sometimes-nap with a little shopping trip to Kohl's, where I scoped out the new Milly for DesigNation collection. While my store didn't have a huge selection, I was able to try on a few dresses and assess the quality and sizing. Here's what you need to know: Fit is true to size (similar to Kohl's ELLE brand). The fabrics feel soft and substantial. I had trouble with some zippers but no deal breakers with quality or fit. Be careful to note that some pieces which look like Milly are in fact part of the ELLE collection (like the lemon dress and the matching crop-top skirt sets you'll see featured below). The similarities are...awkward. But if you find yourself preferring some of the ELLE pieces, no harm in that!
The first dress I tried on was this colorful floral scuba dress ($51, down from $68) in a size 6. Longtime readers with an uncanny ability to remember strange facts may recall that I used to be a size 4 but this mama is now a size 6 and the dress fit true to size! My only concern with this dress is that the scuba fabric might get really warm and uncomfortable. To be honest I don't have any scuba pieces in my wardrobe so if you can shed some light on the fabric, that would be helpful! I love the length on this dress and comfortable short sleeves. You could pair this dress with opaque tights and a blazer in winter or nude sandals/heels in the spring/summer.
Next I tried on this pleated shirtdress, also size 6, in a stretchy sateen (cotton/spandex) - love the nautical, Parisian feel (the collection is inspired by Capri but still). Again, I felt the construction was good although I was just barely able to button it up (but no puckering/pulling). You could wear this with a cardigan for a casual Friday office attire in the summer, then out for dinner and drinks. Or with flats and a floppy hat on the weekend.
Finally I tried on this simple striped tee-shirt dress ($40.50), size medium. Love the soft cotton and it's thick enough to hide pantylines LOL. But I couldn't justify the price. Sorry to sound like a broken record but I guess I'm just cheap. I thought all the pricepoints were still a bit steep for Kohl's, even with the 25% off.
The lemon and stripes dress ($45) I tried on was from the ELLE collection (not to be confused with this lemon Milly dress).
Overall, the Milly for Kohl's collection has some standout pieces worth shopping. The colors were vibrant, the cuts flattering and the fabrics smart - if you're doing a budget line, pick fabrics that don't look cheap. Milly did just that. Also? Nothing's sold out (to the best of my knowledge) so you can shop in store or online at your leisure. Cheers to that.
Photos by The Budget Babe
Next I tried on this pleated shirtdress, also size 6, in a stretchy sateen (cotton/spandex) - love the nautical, Parisian feel (the collection is inspired by Capri but still). Again, I felt the construction was good although I was just barely able to button it up (but no puckering/pulling). You could wear this with a cardigan for a casual Friday office attire in the summer, then out for dinner and drinks. Or with flats and a floppy hat on the weekend.
Finally I tried on this simple striped tee-shirt dress ($40.50), size medium. Love the soft cotton and it's thick enough to hide pantylines LOL. But I couldn't justify the price. Sorry to sound like a broken record but I guess I'm just cheap. I thought all the pricepoints were still a bit steep for Kohl's, even with the 25% off.
The lemon and stripes dress ($45) I tried on was from the ELLE collection (not to be confused with this lemon Milly dress).
Overall, the Milly for Kohl's collection has some standout pieces worth shopping. The colors were vibrant, the cuts flattering and the fabrics smart - if you're doing a budget line, pick fabrics that don't look cheap. Milly did just that. Also? Nothing's sold out (to the best of my knowledge) so you can shop in store or online at your leisure. Cheers to that.
Photos by The Budget Babe
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