One of the reasons I left my fashion design career to become a stylist was because I wanted to help women navigate the often unpractical world of fashion. I'm a practical person by nature, easily captivated by anything that promotes efficiency or solves a problem. Yes, pretty clothing can be lovely to stare at, but if it does something to make life and getting dressed easier, well, I am on board.
Recently, I decided to book an appointment at the MM.Lafleur showroom here in New York. Several of my clients had been checking out the clothes, one who recently shopped their pop-up shop in Washington DC, and with no experience with the fit and feel of the clothing, I felt like I needed to acquaint myself with it. With MM.Lafleur boasting that some of their clothing is machine washable and travel friendly, I knew this could be an excellent resource for my time-starved professional clients.
My Visit to the MM.Lafleur Showroom
Despite wanting to stop by as a stylist, to book an appointment to visit the showroom, I still had to fill out some questions about my personal style, my profession, stores I commonly shop, clothing and bra size, along with any other pertinent information I felt necessary to share. When I arrived at MM.Lafleur's bright, modern and spacious showroom, there was a rack of several things already pulled for me by my stylist, Erin. It was kind of funny being on the other side of things. Normally, I am the the one doing the pulling.
I had informed Erin ahead of time that I was coming as a stylist looking to get more of an overall view of the line so she took me through some of their classic pieces, styles they recommend, best sellers, fabrications and special features. What I immediately appreciated about the line was the minimalism and modern look and feel of everything. Designing for the professional woman can be hard. On the one hand, the clothing needs to be classic, work appropriate, uncomplicated and easy to wear. Yet, on the other, it can't be boring or too uninspired. MM.Lafleur manages to create pieces you can get excited about that will also be workhorses in the closet.
After reviewing the line I decided to try a few things on just to get a feel for the fit and how the fabric felt on the body. Not one thing I tried on was uncomfortable and in all cases the fabric felt amazing against my body. Their clothing has movement and structure. Fit-wise, I would say the clothing runs a tad small if I am comparing it to other sizes I wear. In Theory, which I also consider to be a trimmer fit, I wear a size 12 and found this size fitting me best at MM.Lafleur, as well.
Being a curvy woman (you'll see photos of me below), while some things fit me better than others, I found the fit of their dresses not suited perfectly for my body. To compensate for my bust and thighs, I found the waist placement of the dress to not be good for my body. Not horribly so, but enough that I would likely feel more comfortable taking them to the tailor and having it reshaped a bit.
Dresses
This is me in the Mona dress in Rosewood. The color is stunning and I definitely felt like Joan Harris from Madmen in it. I wish I was wearing Spanx though. I'm not loving the drag across my abdomen. I think this drag was also caused by the placement of the waist.
Self hemming pants!
This outfit sort of shocked me. With the shape of my body I typically avoid boxy tops like this because they bypass my waist and make me look huge, but I would totally wear this outfit.
I want to start with the pants because they are amazing. This is the Foster pant and there are a few amazing things going on with this pant to make it noteworthy. Let's start with the fact that they are professional pants that are machine washable. I mean, come on! They're also super comfortable and won't bag in the knees or butt. Score! But, I am saving the best for last. I was already sold on these pants when my stylist, Erin, started rolling up the hem of my pants to reveal two interior buttons that can be used to shorten the pants. That's right, they are self-hemming, which means that you can wear them with flats and heels. I'm 5'7″ and the pants went from full length to a cute cropped ankle length style. The pants come in a variety of colors and I am wearing the Monsoon grey shade.
The top doesn't have the same wow-factor bells and whistles but it is machine washable. It's also that perfect top for those days when you want to look stylish but don't feel like pouring yourself into anything too constricting. It's a boxy top that doesn't make you look and feel like a box. That's enough to sell me.
Ponte
I tried on the Pippa pant more because I wanted to know what the ponte fabric felt like on the body. Who doesn't love ponte after all? To my surprise I also fell deeply in love with this pant which is so cute and figure flattering. Seriously, they felt like I was putting on a super comfortable pair of yoga pants. MM.Lafleur also sells a very cute Colvin top, which I am wearing, in the same fabric that isn't necessarily sold to be worn with the Pippa pant but actually looks super cute. Sadly, the ponte fabric isn't machine washable but it does get major points for comfort.
Additional stand out MM.Lafleur pieces
There were some other pieces I really liked that I didn't remember to photograph myself in that I am highlighting here.
Morandi 2.0 Sweater
My stylist, Erin, was wearing the Morandi 2.0 cardigan belted in the back over a black dress when I met her. It's hard not to sell me on anything in this almond color, but when I tried it on I fell in love. It's so chic and pairs so well with black and navy, and any color, really. Plus it is machine washable.
Woolf Jardigan
A jacket that is a cardigan, a jardigan! There are a few jardigan styles that MM.Lafleur sells but the Woolf stood out to me because it is slightly longer and has this really nice blazer shape. I also like the sharpness of the viscose nylon yarn that holds a nice shape and feels professional. This style is unfortunately not machine washable.
Etsuko Dress
The Etsuko dress is considered the starting point dress that a stylist uses to help determine your size. It wasn't right for me because the higher neckline made it look like I was trying to smuggle cantaloupes out of the showroom under my dress. Although, I will admit, I was expecting it to be far worse than it was. It's a good classic style that is machine washable and travels well.
Mastering dressing professional is all about learning how to dress in a way that has you stand out and fit in at the same time. What I love most about MM.Lafleur clothing is you can easily do that. You can take advantage of their knowledgable stylists, by ordering a Bento Box, or by trying a few pieces on your own. After viewing the line myself I definitely think it's worth taking a look.
