Free trial of medium size dress

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Walmart. As always, all words and opinions shared are honest and my own.

There are times when I do one of those fashion posts at Walmart and find some things that would be fun to add to my wardrobe, but when I looked at the new Free Assembly launch, I found so many things that I loved. I mean, the number of boxes coming home was ridiculous. I had to tell Jeff it was for a partnership so he wouldn’t look at me sideways. I loved the colors, the fabrics, the silhouettes, and the classic design. I decided to try a bunch of the things so I could show them to you and give them an honest review. Since I got so many things, I’m going to split the reviews into two posts. In this one, I’m sharing a bunch of their beautiful dresses…

White Midi Dress Clockwise from Top Left | Navy Blue Pleated Shirt Dress | Front Pleated Cotton Dress | Pleated Puff Sleeve Dress | Sleeveless V-Neck Cotton Dress | Belted Maxi Dress | Midi Denim Dress | Midi Dress with Ruffle Neckline

First and foremost, I love shopping at Walmart online and trying on clothes at home. I always respect clothes and shoes and try them on just like I would in a store. I keep the product tags and make sure they aren’t stained with makeup or anything else. I leave them hanging so they’ll look like new if I decide to return them. But what I love most is that I can try them on with other items in my closet. I can try on different shoes, jackets, shirts, pants, etc. to see how they interact with things I already own. I feel like I’m able to make better decisions when I can do that.

I decided to keep a lot of these pieces because they were well made, reasonably priced, and fit my shape, but I did return a few that didn’t look right on me. Walmart makes returns super easy, and as a Walmart+ member, I can even request a pickup from my home, which makes the process incredibly easy.

Well, let’s take a look at some of these dresses and how they look on an average body. Here’s an Instagram video of her trying them on, so you can see how the clothes fit and move…

I took screenshots of the dresses so I could provide a little commentary on the material and fit, and whether I would keep the dress or return it.

Before we get too far into this, let me explain how out of my comfort zone this is! Every time a sponsor asks me to stand in front of the camera, I cringe. It’s not that I’m shy (definitely not) or that I think I’m ugly, but I didn’t start this blog to become a model. It’s just not my thing. I did all of that in my theater days and would rather draw, write, and be behind the camera. But I also recognize the value of seeing clothes on the human body. I know I’m a pretty average size because my clothing and shoe sizes are usually out of stock. Sizes 2s and XXS are still almost always available.

Okay, here we go. I take a deep breath and hope everyone realizes that I’m not a model, I’m not trying to be one, and I probably need a haircut.

The first dress is this belted dress, which I love. I love button-down shirts and shirt dresses. I always think of Ina Garten and how she had a successful career wearing a blue button-down shirt. You can never go wrong. I’m just under 5’6” and wear a size XL Petite. (Actually, I wear an XL in all of these dresses, but this is the only petite.) I always order a petite in maxi dresses because I tend to sit on the short side of regular dresses and the long side of petites. I’d rather have my ankles show than my dress touch the ground. The fabric is cotton, and since I tried it on, I’ve washed and ironed it and it’s washed well.

I don’t find ribbed fabrics very comfortable to wear on dresses, but I’ve found that they work on most body types and are worth a try. I tried this method on a navy sweater I already had and it looked really cute too. The navy knitted slippers I wear with all of these dresses are also from Walmart HERE. I wear them a lot because they’re so comfortable and versatile.

I think this combination was one of my favorites. I paired the sleeveless cotton dress with a striped ruffled neck shirt (embroidered with dots and ruffled sleeves). I wasn’t sure how this combination would work, but I think it’s super cute. I don’t like wearing sleeveless shirts or dresses, so I usually wear a shirt underneath or a jacket over it. I think I could do either with this dress. I love the classic shape and the crisp cotton fabric. It looks a lot more expensive than it is.

This ruffle neck cotton dress is a mix of a shirt dress and a ruffle neck shirt and I loved it too! I’ll show it off in the next review, but I’ve also worn it with jeans and a white shirt and worn it like a jacket. It had an artist jacket feel to it, which I really loved. Like the shirt, the sleeves are ruffled and the dots are embroidered which really adds to the look. It was nice to keep too.

I really wanted to wear this pleated dress on my body. The fabric has a silky feel which makes it look a bit formal. I also loved the print and the pleated skirt. The dress didn’t fit my body shape. It wasn’t bad, but I thought other dresses would fit me better.

This last twisted cotton dress was also very cute, but it fit me a little awkwardly in the chest. Still, it was one of my favorites after hanging it on the hanger. I think the shape would be flattering on most people and it’s a great dress for late summer.

So, I ended up returning the last two dresses, but kept everything else. The only other dress I tried on from the picture above but didn’t include in the video was the white one with the tie straps. It definitely wasn’t made for me! I was skeptical when I ordered it and I was sure of that when I tried it on. It didn’t have enough shape for me and looked like a bed sheet. I think it would look great on someone who can wear loose dresses like this. It would also make a cute cover up for a swimsuit.

I hope you enjoyed my experience and commentary. As I said, I have a lot of pieces I want to share, so we’ll be working on another one in a few days.

Let me know if you have any questions about any of these pieces. Free assembly usually sells out quickly, so I suggest you check it out and get what catches your eye if it’s available in the right size for you.

I’ve also put together a collection of outfits that will transition you from summer to fall. The collection is classic and great pieces that can be mixed and matched. You can find links to everything here.

Stay inspired by Marianne’s daily blog posts.