Making the Cut Women's Winning Look Gary's Dress

I wore this dress for the first time today - a perfect warm first day of Autumn! This could be a year-round dress, probably but it's just right for fall. The colors are great. I was in the city of Boston and got compliments everywhere I went from strangers (as well as friends). The fit is wonderful. It's flattering. It's original and eye catching without being obnoxious. I would say the only thing I would change would be the addition of pockets. This would be my favorite dress of all time with pockets. Let me tell you why I say that. I am NOT a big "pocket fan." However, this dress has a LOT of fabric to it. Also--important to note--the fabric is rather heavy and somewhat stiff, almost akin to a light canvas or woven sailcloth--sort of like a very very light awning material. Don't let this put you off. It doesn't LOOK like canvas, but it is not swishy flowy material in the least. THEREFORE, given that there is a lot of fabric in the skirt and given that it is a heavier material, it would be incredible to have pockets because the fabric would be stuff enough for any objects in your pocket not to fall out. AND it is the type of dress---again, I am not typically a pockets fan---where the wearer would look very cool and awesome with their hands in pocket. In any case, no pockets but not an issue. I wore the dress with tights and boots and a bolero sweater (not pictured) and it looked cute. I am 5'4" tall and usually weight 125lbs (and wear a Small). BUT currently have 65 lbs of COVID weight and am at 190lbs(!!!!). Wearing a size Large in these photos, and it fits like a dream. I loved designer Gary--as a personality and as a BRILLIANT creative force--and am so thankful to be able to purchase this original gorgeous fun playful dress.

I tend to lean towards vintage/pinup styles so I've been excited about purchasing Gary's dresses. He adds that vintage touch. This dress...pros: It's true to size. I'm 36-29-39 and a medium fits me very well. The material is very heavy--the wind will blow it but not all the way up--and the print looks like real wood. The detail in the print is stunning. It doesn't need a belt because of the "frayed" looking seam where the bodice meets the skirt. I was concerned at first--I saw somewhere this dress referred to as a drop waist, and I feared that meant an 80s style waist that goes closer to the hips, but this falls at my exact waistline. The con: It's awful long on me. I'm 5'3 or 5'4 and it goes 4 to 5 inches under my knees rather than falling at my knees like models shown. Suggest they offer this dress in two different lengths.

I absolutely fell in love with this dress on the show and was cheering so hard for Gary to win so I could get this. I didn't care for the jacket at all, but this dress looked amazing, the textile, the style and the fit would be perfect for me, aligned with what I usually wear and goes with pieces I already have.I'm 5'8" and 155lbs, usually wear M, but ordered L out of abundance of caution. It fits OK over my upper body, but seems that if I lose a couple of pound it will be a bit baggy. The fabric is stretchy and I think now that this dress should be bought true to size.The textile design is excellent, very vibrant and reminds me of viking shields, rather than carnival something. "In person" this part didn't disappoint.My issue is that the skirt actually looks much longer on me than it looked on the show and on the models on this site. It was quite a letdown. I'm seriously debating taking scissors and cutting 3-4 inches. It goes below my knee and it is the longest dress in my wardrobe. It is a colder weather dress, however, so may be just keep it as is so I could feel warm.

So ever since my mom and I saw this on Making the Cut, we both wanted it. After a year-ish, I decided to bite the bullet. When the package came, first I pulled out mine and then I surprised my mom with the another, in her size of course and she happily squealed. Of course we tried the dresses on and it looked great on both of us. Now for context, we are not the same body type/height and somethings that look good on her don't look good on me and vice-versa. Anyway we are both so happy about it and the material is a lot softer than it seems

I honestly did not know what to expect because in the past, it has seemed like the Amazon offerings of Making the Cut and Project Runway styles were, um, of questionable quality. BUT I loved this outfit on the episode (I have been a Gary Graham fan for years but could not afford his clothes), and the reviews of Graham's dress from Episode 1 were so uniformly good that I decided to give this dress (and the jacket) a whirl. WOW! I could not be happier. Truly. The material is substantial, and the colors are rich. The cut is just right. I got a Large, but I could probably have gone with a Medium. I'm keeping the L, though (I think), because it's perfect through the shoulders and the waist actually hits my waist (I have a long torso). I am so impressed. My one hesitation was the piping on the sleeve does not extend all the way around, having a raw edge under the arm, but I realized this factor actually gives the cap sleeve more ease, plus the raw edge is stitched underneath and will not fray. It's also a detail that echoes the waist and hem. Overall, I am impressed and delighted! Yay! Can't wait to wear this dress out and about (along with the jacket)!