Petite-friendly statement dresses: Clover Canyon (Taj Mahal)

clover canyon taj mahal dress2

Clover Canyon Taj Mahal Dress (XS here, other sizes here), Philippines clutch, eBay heels (similar)

I first came across Clover Canyon via Blair, and was interested to learn that the line is designed and produced in Los Angeles using original prints. I then got to try on a dress during vacation, and fell in love with the bright colors and surprisingly petite-friendly style. After returning home (to lower domestic pricing), I pored over all the print options available and had a tough time deciding what to try in the right size.
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I was most drawn to the Indian-inspired prints, with their vibrant and whimsical designs. I ordered this Taj Mahal sleeved dress and another sleeveless one (not yet arrived), and plan on keeping my favorite one. I wanted to snap some quick photos to share the sleeved option in detail, as the cut seems to be a Clover Canyon classic and the fit has been fairly consistent for me across different patterns I’ve tried.

In-person, I thought the print was striking with a little surprise on every corner. Up-close with unedited colors:
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Material: Interior, unlined white backside of the neoprene (90% poly/10% spandex with wetsuit-like feel), which is one of Clover Canyon’s signature materials. Likes: The weight of the neoprene does a bit of shapewear work but holds its structure, unlike bodycon styles that would be inappropriate at work. Dislikes: Not sure how this will feel in stiffing hot weather. There’s a short zipper at the upper back neckline. All the raw edges were serged except for the lengths down both sides – I thought this was unusual.
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Fit: The fit of this dress off-the-rack is very similar to one of my all-time favorite ponte pencil dresses. That old dress was an H&M; sz 2, and I had done extensive alterations customizing the shoulder width and hemming the length. The Clover Canyon in size XS requires no alterations for me. The shoulders and back armholes are a little big on someone my exact size, but not enough to get tailoring done. I look forward to trying the en route sleeveless dress to see if armholes are an issue.

The neoprene dresses are probably designed to be very snug and mid-thigh length, which translates into a slightly snug fit and knee-length for smaller-framed ladies (not a bad thing if you plan on wearing this to work too). I also tried one size up while in London. The S did not hug my butt at all which is ideal for work, but the shoulders were noticeably wide, and the neoprene material just looks better with a closer fit.

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Measurements of an XS (stretchy): 13.75″ across shoulder, 15″ armpit to armpit, 12″ across waist, 15″ from top of shoulder to printed waistline, 14.75″ across widest part of hips, 34″ length.

From Clover Canyon’s website, “the team design original prints, and hand-engineer them to frame and enhance the body….garments are designed, patterned, cut and sewn in-house.” I did notice deliberate placement of prints to enhance the figure (ie. hourglass bamboo lines along back sides), and (probably unintentional) petite-friendly proportions. Both styles I tried on have a horizontal waist band print that hits right at my natural waistline. This placement is ideal for a lengthening look, and is usually a deal-breaker for me when trying regular-sized garments. The dress length also hits at my current favorite right-above-the-knee, which makes fitted styles more demure.
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Value: Retail price points are higher than those where I usually shop, but I don’t think they are unreasonable given the domestic design and production, and no alterations to be done. This item passes my versatility test for work (colleagues loved it out of the box and voted it’d be appropriate w/ neutral shoes and blazer), a night out as shown, and can be toned-down for casual wear with a denim jacket and flat sandals.
clover canyon taj mahal dress I purchased through Revolve Clothing and had a very good experience. They offer 2-3 day free shipping and free returns, plus an awesome 30% refund on your first item for new customers (not sure how long this offer is going on for, and there may be brand exclusions). Email sales@revolveclothing.com after purchasing with “New Customer Discount” as the subject and your order/invoice number to get the refund.

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63 Comments

  1. PetiteAsianGirl wrote:

    Hi there – thanks so much, and yes I am wearing falsies. They are Model 21 brand (http://www.model21eyelashes.com/) from about 2 years ago, and I can't find the style # unfortunately. I'm thinking of ordering the following to try because they are allegedly shorter in length for a more natural look: http://www.model21eyelashes.com/Model-21-False-Eyelashes-No63_p_113.html and http://www.model21eyelashes.com/Model-21-False-Eyelashes-No20N_p_152.html

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  2. Angel wrote:

    love it

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  3. Anonymous wrote:

    I don't see why that's a problem.

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  4. Regine Karpel wrote:

    Love the dress and heels!
    http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  5. Victoria Tran wrote:

    Hi Jean,

    I have been reading your blog of a while and simply love your wardrobe! I was wondering if I could get your opinion on something. In a couple of weeks I will be heading to Boston for an internship and was wondering if you had any tips on dressing "business professional" and weekend-wear for Boston summers. Also, I was wondering if you had any recommendations for attractions in Boston. Thanks!

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  6. Petitetomatoes wrote:

    I love how you alter your clothes. The colors and pattern on this dress is gorgeous!

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  7. Anonymous wrote:

    Love the dress and the pattern… just hate the fabric. I knew the poly % was going to be high from the photos. I would LOVE to buy a dress in a similar pattern but in silk.

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  8. Julie wrote:

    I am obsessed with this dress on you! Absolutely stunning!

    xoxo, Julie @ OBSESSED

    Posted 6.27.13 Reply
  9. Malika wrote:

    hi jean…im from india n this print here ws v porpular in flowy fabrics…especially used in womans tunics , kaftans…this dress is a refreshing change …i like the dress and colours however im very unsure how this would suit the humid weather in Mumbai, India.

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  10. Jessy wrote:

    Their dresses are so pretty and I love the fit on you out of the box! I actually had to look twice because I thought you were wearing a necklace. The placement of each print was definitely well thought out.

    Revolve's new customer discount has been going on for years now, so I think it'll be sticking around for a long time. : ) It's not valid across all brands though, so customers should be aware of that.

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  11. lisacng @ expandng.com wrote:

    What a great fit and the Thai clutch goes perfectly. The options you mentioned for work, casual, and night are great too. Hope to see the dress a lot more on the blog or instagram!

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  12. Dice wrote:

    Cute dress! You look great, Jean!

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  13. SIYAAM wrote:

    This looks absolutely stunning on you!!
    http://www.simplysiyaam.com

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  14. Tanya wrote:

    Cute dress! I'm new to blogging and would appreciate any advice you can give. How did you get such a great following? Thanks!

    http://laptopsandheels.com

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  15. drama wrote:

    WOW! Amazing dress! And you're so beatiful =*

    http://aboutdrama.blogspot.ru

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  16. Carla Krae wrote:

    If you want to get a swimsuit top in a bra size, measure yourself the same way you would be fitted for a bra, so if you wear a 32 bra normally, go try on swimsuits in that size. Victoria's Secret offers a TON of separates tops starting at 32A with removable padding.

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  17. Jeetly Petite wrote:

    A really nice dress, gorgeous patterns. Fits well on your frame.
    http://www.jeetly.com

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  18. katattack2000 wrote:

    Really pretty dress Jean 🙂 Suits you perfectly 🙂

    katattack2000.wordpress.com

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  19. Fictitious Fashion wrote:

    woww.. the dress looks fab on you! Beautiful Taj Mahal 🙂

    Maybe you have time to see my new Outfit post: Mint Monochrome Mode

    You are welcome to visit my First Blog Sale hosted on Facebook page. I'm selling New Items at one-third price as on websites For Indian Residents Only.

    Love
    Akanksha

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  20. Victoria wrote:

    I love the dress!! You wear the print so well. I love the shoes too, they are so simple and chic for the summer. Would you mind doing a quick review of them? I am also petite and have narrow feet.

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  21. pumpkinmommy wrote:

    Beautiful dress! I checked out the website and it says dry clean only. Do you plan on following that? Also, I hope you do a follow-up post on how the dress does in hot weather. Neoprene is a warm fabric, which can be a good thing and a bad thing…

    Posted 6.26.13 Reply
  22. AlexisB wrote:

    Love it! Makes you look very sophisticated.

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  23. jules wrote:

    beautiful dress, love the print!

    xo julesinflats.com

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  24. Yuen Lim wrote:

    That is one insanely gorgeous and unique dress!

    The Craziest Paradigm – a 'lil bit of rust & stardust

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  25. Anonymous wrote:

    Wow what an amazing print! I love all the different colors/designs. Like another commenter said, its like wearing a piece of art. So I was looking at one of your older posts (https://www.extrapetite.com/2010/06/life-with-pag-lobster-y-weekend.html), and I had a question. So I've been looking for a bikini that would fit (and flatter) a small-framed, small-chested girl like me. I liked the one you wore in that post and it seemed to fit you well, I think it was a 32b. Anyways now I'm curious (and hopeful) that maybe a 32a/b would fit me but I have a small underbust (26 inches) and am not sure if it'd work. Just for sizing reference, would you mind telling me what your underbust and bust measures?

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  26. Christine wrote:

    The dress looks stunning on you! What an amazing array of patterns and colors. I've been so attracted to the beautiful pieces from Clover Canyon as well but haven't had time to go try on any in person – so this helps a ton! 🙂 Your pictures are colorful and bright as usual – love it! Have a great week!

    Christine
    thefashionpledge

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  27. Sunday Desire wrote:

    Wow, stunning dress! loving the fit and print

    http://sundaydesire.blogspot.com

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  28. Chloe Zee wrote:

    Its perfect on you Jean! Turquoise toes matches so well 🙂

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  29. Beeba Ademowo wrote:

    what a beautiful dress and you wear it so well. stunning

    http://www.beebaswardrobe.blogspot.com

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  30. Petite-ish wrote:

    Gorgeous, love the vibrant colors on you! (Although loved the print on the one you tried on in London even more).

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  31. Suzie Q wrote:

    The dress is beautiful! I love the vibrant prints, and how the prints are so different but all fit so well together on the same dress. It looks great on you!

    Suzie Q
    http://www.StyleCueBySuzieQ.com

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  32. Anonymous wrote:

    why does everything you post/wear have to be either expensive or DIYed =T

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  33. Crimarisabel Carpenter wrote:

    i like this dress!
    ❤CriMarIsabel❤

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  34. Michelle wrote:

    Great find!! The arm length is perfect. I cannot stand when an item hits halfway on my armpit. Love the fitting room pic! I should be getting a new phone this summer, so I will be joining Instagram soon. 🙂

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  35. SydneysFashionDiary.com wrote:

    What a beautiful dress, Jean! It’s like wearing a piece of art. Even though I adore the dress, I can’t imagine getting a lot of wear out of it. It is such a recognizable piece since the print is so bold and dramatic. Regardless, the dress is stunning and you wear it beautifully. BTW, loving your makeup in this post. You look so fresh =)

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  36. Cindy Ann wrote:

    Wow, that's beautiful. If I had a place to wear it I'd put it in my closet right now.

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  37. lamariposablog.com wrote:

    Amazing pattern on this dress- looks beautiful on you!
    -Rachel

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  38. Anonymous wrote:

    Hi Jean,

    You look beautiful – love your hair and makeup! If you don't mind me asking, are you wearing falsies in the pictures above? I have such a hard time finding natural-looking ones and would appreciate any recommendations. Thanks!

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  39. Life's too short...buy the shoes wrote:

    The dress is beautiful and looks amazing on you Jean!

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  40. SincerelySammie wrote:

    This dress is stunning on you!

    sincerelysammie.com

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  41. the-glitter-life.com wrote:

    Obsessing over this dress! Love love LOVE! X0

    http://the-glitter-life.com/2013/06/25/currently-coveting-summer-shoes/

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  42. Meghan Silva wrote:

    This dress is so gorgeous on you .

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  43. Anouka K wrote:

    The dress is so pretty! You look great in it.

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  44. Jen Lavenders wrote:

    You look beautiful. That dress is so tasteful 😀

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  45. Amanda wrote:

    I really like that dress. Good choice.

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  46. Carla Krae wrote:

    Shame it's neoprene. Gonna be hot in hot weather unless you're wet.

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  47. TheOfficeArmoire (Nailah) wrote:

    My gosh this is simply gorgeous!

    http://www.theofficearmoire.com

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  48. Ann wrote:

    Rofl, I'm guessing CS just scrolled through the pics without reading the post.

    Anyway, love the design of the dress Jean! Amazing how it fits you so well without altering it at all!

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  49. Anonymous wrote:

    she didn't alter it..

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply
  50. Closet Struck wrote:

    Love the dress. You are very talented in altering!!!

    Karin

    Posted 6.25.13 Reply

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