Disclosure: This dress was gifted by wool& for review. As always, this review will be 100% my opinions. This post also contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for checking out my review!
For reference, I’m 5’6″, around 200 pounds, and wearing a size Large.
I’ll be honest—when Wool& first released the Acadia, I assumed it probably wasn’t for me.
Ya’ll know…I’m not especially outdoorsy. I don’t hike, run, or spend my weekends paddle boarding. My idea of spending time outside is an open-air shopping opportunity. My wardrobe leans much more toward casual, classic, and maybe a little girly, rather than athletic. Even the back style (a racerback) just doesn’t seem to fit my vibe.
Since wool& was kind enough to offer this option as a gift I thought it was the perfect opportunity to pretend I’m sporty and give it a try. To my surprise, this dress will be a true summer hit that I’ll keep reaching for. I’m serious! Here’s why:
The Design
This isn’t the same jersey fabric used in many of wool&‘s classic dresses (although you guys know how much I love that). Instead, it’s incredibly lightweight with a smooth, slightly technical feel that definitely makes sense for hot weather.
The fabric breakdown is: Lightweight, technical, quick-dry stretch woven. 61% merino wool, 35% nylon, 4% spandex. 135gsm – it’s the new “stretch tech lite” fabric and there are currently three pieces in the lineup.
I don’t notice visible panty lines and the fabric truly doesn’t highlight every bump and lump (this is very important at this point for me). It somehow manages to feel airy without feeling flimsy, which makes ME give a sigh of relief as a 44 year old woman in July in South Carolina.
The Fit
One thing I love – the Acadia is totally pear-shape friendly.
Many athletic dresses either cling to my stomach or become too fitted through the hips. Or they gap at the arms because my chest is smaller than my lower half. Instead, Acadia skims over everything and looks relaxed without being oversized and well-fitting without being skin-tight. It’s the perfect middle ground and it also doesn’t seem to relax quite as much as the typical wool& fabric. So I would say it will probably fit right out of the package the way you can expect it to fit going forward.
There are several details that really work for my body:
- No gaping armholes.
- Good coverage around the neckline and underarms.
- No cling through the midsection.
- Plenty of room through the hips without looking boxy.
- Smooth pocket/zipper area (will talk more about this in a sec!)
That “no belly cling” factor alone moves this dress way up my list.
The side slits also deserve a shout-out. They make it much easier to walk, sit, and move around without being too showy.
I even wore it to church while helping in the nursery, which involved plenty of bending, squatting, and sitting on the floor with little ones. I was comfortable and free to move. I wore a floaty kimono over it to dress it up a bit.
Let’s Talk About the Pockets
Pockets can be handy but I don’t like the ones that poke out awkwardly or make my hips look even wider than the wide they already are. Acadia’s pockets virtually disappear when zipped close and when they are open they don’t hang awkwardly, they’re still subtle. Flat and streamlined BUT the capacity is big! Lots of space for any valuables and the zipper makes it super secure. I was thinking it would be a great option for a concert because I could get away without carrying a bag at all!
The Lint-Free Lifestyle
This stretch tech fabric also seems to repel lint, fuzz, and all other little hitchhikers that are always clinging to my favorite clothes. I’m sure it would also do great with pet hair. Fortunately, my two doodles don’t shed but they still make messes in plenty of other ways, don’t worry.
Another thing I noticed about this black color looks just slightly softer than a true jet black. It still reads as black, but it isn’t quite as harsh, making it a nice soft, wearable casual piece.
What I Could Live Without
The only feature I’m still not completely sold on is the racerback.
I totally get the design choice and I know a lot of folks love them, I’m just generally not a racerback person. I do wonder, though, if the racerback is part of how the top fits me more nicely than some of the other dresses in this size. Possibly I like the racerback style more than I thought?
The Foundation
I avoid compressive clothing whenever possible, and that includes most racerback bras, so I didn’t have any in my wardrobe.
For some of my pics, I wore CAKES sticky covers, which worked well. For my second wear, I wore my black Branwyn Essentials Bralette, and I just didn’t worry about the straps showing. It was intensely hot, I was at a street market and I’m pretty sure no one was disappointed in my undergarment decisions.
The racerback itself is actually fairly moderate compared to typical athletic dresses, so if you normally like racerbacks, I don’t think you’ll have any complaints. It’s not a dramatic cut in, if that makes sense.
Who I Think This Dress Is For
I originally assumed this dress was designed primarily for hikers, travelers, and active women. After wearing it, I actually think it’s much more versatile than that.
I could easily see myself wearing it for:
- summer errands
- travel days
- sightseeing
- church
- casual dinners
- walking the dog
- long car rides
- outdoor festivals
- anywhere the weather is hot and comfort matters
It’s one of those pieces that looks simple but ends up being super wearable. I can see it layering well too but I only tried it with a couple options because it was just too dang hot.
You haven’t seen the last of Acadia
wool& Acadia ended up surprising me.
It wasn’t a dress I would have necessarily chosen, but after wearing it, I completely buy into the stretch tech magic. In fact, you might just see me testing the Canyon Pants soon, because the heat-proof factor just can’t be ignored.
This dress is lightweight without being sheer, flattering without being tight, comfortable without looking sloppy, and functional without screaming “athletic wear.”
If you’re like me and initially dismissed it because you don’t consider yourself particularly sporty, I wouldn’t write it off too quickly. Time and time again, I am proven wrong about my wardrobe assumptions and I love when new pieces nudge me out of my clothing comfort zone!