I picked this dress up off the rack on a whim, and did not expect to love it. i was so delightfully surprised! this dress is made of a lovely, thick, starchy cotton--i found i didn't require a bra. which is great because the back is a gorgeous feature of the dress. the white band across the midsection makes the waist appear small. the dress has sort of a retro feel with the tea length and looks best with heels. i did note a little bit of gaping under my arms but not enough to keep me from buying