A Letter From Michelle — The Alina
A Letter From Michelle
Somebody who loves you has already told you to wear more color.
On the band of white that keeps a bright print from shouting, where the pockets are, the six things I would not compromise on, and why the Alina is $59.95.
It is usually a daughter, and she is usually right. One of our customers wrote that hers put it exactly so: Mom, you always wear navy, try something fun.
The reason you have not is that most bright dresses really are too much. The pattern runs edge to edge with nothing to break it, and you end up wearing the print.
Look at the one place on this one where the pattern stops. A band of white openwork across the front and around each sleeve. That small piece of quiet is why a print this bright reads as a painting instead of a jumble.
Six things I would not give up on.
The white trim is the only quiet place on it
It runs across under the bust and around each sleeve, and that is all it does. One pale line through a bright print gives the eye somewhere to land, and an eye that has landed stops reading the rest as noise.
“The little white trim across the front and on the sleeves is my favorite detail. It breaks up the colorful pattern so nicely. Very pretty.”
Cynthia W., AshevilleIt falls from under the bust and stops touching you there
The seam sits high, under the bust, and everything below it is released. Nothing is shaped to your waist, because the dress stops paying attention to it. It skims past the stomach and the hip without touching either, and does the same when you sit down.
“I’m 68 and have become rather particular about dresses fitting around my middle. I like the loose shape and how it falls without hugging every little curve.”
Kathleen M., FrederickTwo pockets, set into the side seams
Deep enough for reading glasses, the only pocket test worth running. A phone goes in. Keys stay in when you sit. It is the difference between carrying a handbag and having both hands free.
“Those pockets are wonderful! I can keep my reading glasses and phone handy when I’m out shopping. Why don’t all dresses have them?”
Joanne R., BloomingtonThree-quarter sleeves, and a slit at the side
They come to below the elbow, so the tops of your arms are covered and there is no cardigan to carry. The slit runs up from the hem at one side, so you walk at your own pace. Two small things, and why it does not read as a kaftan.
“Wore this to my granddaughter’s school concert with flat sandals and a simple necklace. The three-quarter sleeves and side slit make it feel a little different from my usual everyday dresses.”
Barbara T., RoanokeThe fabric is light, and it is crinkled on purpose
A soft, lightweight cloth with a fine crinkled texture through it. The crinkle stops a printed fabric looking flat, and it is why the colors have depth rather than sitting on the surface.
“I wore my Alina to lunch with my two sisters and they both commented on the colors. Paired it with simple tan sandals. Such a cheerful dress!”
Rosemary B., HendersonvilleEight sizes to 5XL, and the one thing I would rather say here
S through 5XL, every one the same price. It comes in ten prints, and they are not shades of one another — so check which one you choose. And the honest word: this is not a quiet dress. People will mention it, and if you would rather they did not, it is not the one.
“I wasn’t sure about such a bright print at first. My daughter said, Mom, you always wear navy, try something fun! Well, she was right. 😊”
Darlene P., LancasterThe Alina, against what else $60 buys
| Most $60 print dresses | The Alina | |
|---|---|---|
| The print | Edge to edge, with nothing to break it | Interrupted by a band of white openwork trim |
| The middle | A seam at the waist, right where you feel it | Released from under the bust, touching neither |
| Pockets | None, or two that will not take your glasses | Two in the side seams, deep enough to be useful |
| The sleeves | Sleeveless, so you carry a cardigan all day | Three-quarter, covering the tops of the arms |
| Sizing | Stops at XL, if you are lucky | Eight sizes, S to 5XL, every one the same price |
Why we are clearing them out now
The Alina was $200, and that number was for a print developed rather than bought by the yard, a band of openwork trim set into the bodice seam and both sleeves, two pockets dropped into the side seams, and a light crinkled cloth that holds color. Trim set into a seam is the slow part, and most makers lay a tape over the top instead. But the store turns twenty this year, and my daughters Julie and Amy are both at the counter most days now, which is not something I let myself count on in 2006. We wanted to mark it by handing something back to the women who kept those doors open, so it is going out at just under a third of what it was.
And the honest reasoning. A dress like this is not an investment and I will not dress it up as one. It is what you put on when you want the day to feel different. At $59.95 that is worth finding out.
★★★★★4.8 out of 5 — from 3,369+ reviews
$200.00$59.95
20th Anniversary Sale — Save 70%
- White openwork trim at the bodice and sleeves
- Released from a seam under the bust
- Two pockets set into the side seams
- Three-quarter sleeves over the tops of the arms
- A slit at one side of the hem
- A light cloth with a crinkled texture
- Ten prints · the one shown here is the Multicolor
- Eight sizes · S to 5XL, every one the same price
- Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
Every size the same price · while sizes last
One more thing, and then I will let you go.
Think who last told you to wear something brighter.
They were not being polite. People who love you notice when you start dressing to be overlooked.
Then put the Alina on and let them see it. If it is not you, send it back within thirty days and we will refund you.
Go and find your size.
With love and gratitude,
— Michelle · The Hayes Family Hamptons
SEE THE ALINA — $59.95 →This is a personal letter from Michelle Hayes, co-founder of The Hayes Family Hamptons. Customer reviews are quoted as written. · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.