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Trick or Chic: An Honest Review of Quince’s Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress

Alyssa wears the Quince Cotton Poplin Maxi Dress in black and stands in front of a Victorian home

Alyssa wears a black cotton poplin dress from Quince and walks in front of a blue wall

Sharing an honest review of the 100% Organic Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress from Quince.

Well, I wasn’t planning on sharing any Halloween content this year, but I’ve been sitting on this review for several months and figured it would be a good one to launch in this spooky season.

Not that it was necessarily my intention to purchase a spooky dress to review for you here, but I think we can all agree that this dress does fit the late-October vibe.


This post is not sponsored and I purchased this dress out of pocket, however, this post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links.

Despite its autumnal leanings, I actually ordered the 100% Organic Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress in early July, when it was already sweltering here in Charlotte and I was craving something simple yet beautiful to wear in the heat (preferably something that allowed for a little airflow – IYKYK). It’s such a great dupe for Anthropologie’s Somerset Dress, which gets a lot of love from the internet, but $100 less.

And while it’s true that literally any of the other colors (a classic Navy, bright Cornflower Blue, or punchy Vermilion Red) would have been more seasonably appropriate than a full swath of black in the middle of the summer, I just wasn’t drawn to them the way I was drawn to the more mysterious black version. In the cart it went!

Quince’s shipping speeds are either lightning-fast or molasses-slow, and thankfully this order arrived just three days later. Right out of the packaging, the cotton felt light and cool and crisp – and looked wrinkled as all get-out.

I’ve been out of the traditional office environment for so long now that I’d forgotten this dark side of cotton poplin – it always perplexed me how dress shirts are supposed to look pristine, yet they are frequently made from this type of cotton weave that wrinkles if you so much as look at it funny.

Oh well – up and over.

Alyssa wears the Quince Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress with sandals and a basket purse

Alyssa faces to the side and walks while wearing the Quince dress

Alyssa twirls the cotton poplin dress from Quince

Thanks to the elastic waist, the only closure is a strategically placed snap at the bust, which makes getting dressed a breeze. The fabric feels cool on my skin, and really just skims the surface everywhere except the waist.

On my 5’4″ frame, the dress hovers a mere two inches from the floor, and in a size Small, it sits snugly at my bust and waist without hugging my hips too tight. The shoulders puff somewhat dramatically but are easily deflated under the weight of my bag or my hair. The dress feels good on, as long as I lift the bottom hem when walking on uneven surfaces.

But mostly what I see in the mirror and in these photos are the wrinkles.

I confess I’m somewhat of a lazy blogger, shooting photos for these reviews when it fits into my life – hopping out of the car mid-errand or strategically routing an afternoon walk around a pretty place. But this was one of those rare times I remembered to prepare for this shoot in advance, and I deftly steamed the dress before heading out for the evening.


Looking for more honest style reviews? Check out my index of reviews, sorted by brand.

Even so, it crumpled beneath my weight sitting in the car – and though I wish the fabric appeared as smooth as it does in the model photos, it’s not enough to make me want to return it.

Instead, I’m grateful to have a dress that fits in with the generally ultra-femme style of my hometown (catch it in action at a local rooftop bar launch) but in a color that feels like me. Clothing is a helpful tool for navigating the world confidently and comfortably – that’s why I share a destination-specific packing list after each trip! – and this is one more beautiful tool in that toolbelt.

Alyssa wears the Quince Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress with sandals and a basket purse and turns her head to the side

Alyssa wears the Alyssa wears the Quince Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress with sandals and a basket purse and walks out of frame

Outfit Details // Dress // Sandals // Bag // Sunglasses // Earrings

But to make it even more versatile, I’m pretty confident I will hem the 100% Organic Cotton Tiered Maxi Dress by several inches. As it stands, the dress looks a little odd with close-toed shoes; bringing it up will allow me the option to dress it down with sneakers and will make it look a little more proportional on my frame.

I guess this means I’m off to get the scissors!

If you found this review helpful, please consider shopping through my Quince link or other links in this post. It doesn’t cost you anything extra (pinky promise!) but generates a small commission to help offset the cost of running this blog and allows me to run it ad-free.

Thank you for your support!


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