Maxwell & Geraldine Dress

I am glad I held out for the size medium, as it accommodates both a pear figure and an upper deck if you get what I am saying.

the maxwell & geraldine brooke dress

The Maxwell & Geraldine Brooke dress, specifically in the green and white stripe, caught my interest about a year ago. Truth be told, I would not have been interested in the dress had it not been available in this colorway. Nevermind that green was our wedding color. Nevermind that, along with yellow and soft grey, green was one of the Pamper Pirate’s nursery colors. Nevermind that it evokes thoughts of nature. The green and white stripe just looks so crisp and clean on the cotton poplin fabric.

I made a conscious effort to avoid the Napdress®, and Napdress®-adjacent styles. At the time of its release and subsequent fever pitch, I had an infant and though he was napping, I went without in order to keep a house. As such, I always felt bitter about the sleep deprivation, so much so that I could not stomach a dress branded as one in which to take a midday snooze.

Basically, I avoided stretch smocked everything, until I ordered this dress via J.Crew, and only because I had not seen puff sleeves like it on any other style. Smocking jumped back on my radar last summer in the form of the Brooke dress but I did not buy it as I wanted the sold out medium in green.

Cut to the green and white becoming available in what I believe to be a singular dress in my size, probably uncovered in a stockroom somewhere. Or at least, that is how I imagine it. I was doing my Fourth of July sales round up, checked the Maxwell & Geraldine site, specifically the Brooke dress page and lo and behold, the dress was available and at thirty percent off at that. One coupon code for an additional ten percent off later, and I hit a great price.

Sold!

I am glad I held out for the medium as the bottom has enough fabric and volume to accommodate a pear figure and the top is stretchy enough to not be strained by my upper deck, if you get what I am saying.