{"product_id":"tahiti-tiare-wide-strap-knee-length-empire-sundress","title":"Tahiti Tiare Empire Smocked Back","description":"\u003ch2\u003eTahiti Tiare Empire Smocked Back Dress — pull-on comfort with a forgiving back\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTwo kinds of customer buy this dress. The first wants something she can step into on a warm afternoon with no zip to reach behind her back. The second has hips and a waist that don't agree on a dress size — the fully smocked elastic back solves that, because the back panel stretches to you rather than the other way round. Wide straps mean you can wear a proper bra under it, which is not true of most sundresses at this length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSizes\u003c\/strong\u003e — Large, X-Large\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour\u003c\/strong\u003e — Black\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e — knee length\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFit\u003c\/strong\u003e — empire waist, pull-over style, fully smocked elastic back, roomy through the hips\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBodice\u003c\/strong\u003e — gathered, with a centre gather stitch that reads as a smooth pleat when worn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStraps\u003c\/strong\u003e — wide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFabric\u003c\/strong\u003e — 100% rayon, handmade in Hawaii, USA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLabel\u003c\/strong\u003e — RJC, Puanani\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow This Fits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe elastic back does most of the sizing work, so this dress tolerates a wider range of bodies than the L\/XL labels suggest. Go by your bust and shoulders, not your hips — the hips are cut roomy already. The empire seam sits high, just under the bust, so the skirt falls away from the waist instead of gripping it. Rayon hangs closer to the body than cotton, so if you want it skimming rather than clinging, take the X-Large. There's no zip, no buttons and nothing to fasten: it goes over your head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWear It For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLu'au evenings, condo-to-restaurant afternoons, humid days when a waistband is unbearable, and any occasion where you'd rather not ask someone to zip you up. Black at knee length also works for a casual dinner out without reading as beachwear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCare\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCold wash or dry clean, hang to dry, warm iron if needed. Keep rayon out of a hot dryer — heat is what shortens it. The smocked back should be laid flat or hung rather than wrung, so the elastic keeps its recovery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy Shop MauiShirts?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e28 years of Hawaiian clothing shipped from our Maui showroom, since 1998\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe tell you how a cut actually behaves on a body before you buy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSizing questions answered by a person who has handled the garment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree shipping to anywhere in the USA and its territories — no minimum order. Priority Mail and FedEx available if you need it faster.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eI'm between a Large and X-Large — which one?\u003c\/strong\u003e Take the X-Large if you want the skirt to skim rather than follow your shape. The smocked back gives on both sizes, so the difference you'll feel is mostly in the bodice and drape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I wear a regular bra with it?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. The straps are wide, which is the main reason customers pick this style over a thin-strap sundress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the smocked back stay stretchy after washing?\u003c\/strong\u003e It does if you keep it out of hot water and the dryer. Cold wash and hang dry protects the elastic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs knee length too short to sit down in comfortably?\u003c\/strong\u003e No — the skirt is gathered from the empire seam, so there's plenty of fabric through the hips and thighs to sit and move in.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MauiShirts","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ Large","offer_id":59771972911390,"sku":"188O-ER-BLACK-L","price":63.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black \/ X-Large","offer_id":59771972944158,"sku":"188O-ER-BLACK-XL","price":63.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1086\/8608\/2334\/files\/tahiti-tiare-wide-strap-elasticized-back-roomy-hips-sundress-58_dc2e169e-1e0b-4245-8551-6ae2ac5a1cbb.jpg?v=1786844009","url":"https:\/\/mauishirts.com\/products\/tahiti-tiare-wide-strap-knee-length-empire-sundress","provider":"MauiShirts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}