Ahoy there, Gentle Readers! In honor of my blowing through The Brog’s One Year Anniversary with nary a how-do-you-do, I’d like to begin my return to the world of blogging with a review that harkens back to those new and innocent times…
*cue wavery flashback music*
April 2nd of 2013. A delicate flower of a tough broad of a woman tentatively puts forth the first review in her new fashion blog, although she isn’t calling it a fashion blog and doesn’t actually expect anyone to read it. She’s thought a lot about what she wants to start out with, and in the end she’s picked something simple and homey. Something that always feels comfortable and is well-suited for fun, as she wants the blog to be like a hug and a laugh with a good friend for those who read it. Luckily she has just the thing, a dress from a much-beloved company in Poland that had been her introduction to clothing made especially for busty gals. The review of Urkye’s Kieska dress was a modest affair, just a few pictures taken by the window one afternoon on a sunny day, but people seemed to like it, and it spurred her on. Review after review, goofy lingerie Christmas post after manifesto on modesty, sports-bra-review-turned-body-positive-take-on-fitspo-memes after Huffingon Post feature (couldn’t resist, sorry) always inspired by the kindness and interest of her Gentle Readers,whom she adored…In this way, The Brog was born. And one long, interesting, and fashion-filled year later…
*cue return of the flashback music, perhaps in retrograde motion*
So here we are. April of 2014. 20-frickin’-14 people! My, where does the time go? In any case, thank you for being here, whether you are a longtime reader or a new friend. I’d like to bring things back to the beginning now with a review of something familiar but new: Urkye’s Kieska Long.
A (long) while ago, Urkye contacted me and offered to let me preview and review a new offering they were coming out with: a long-sleeved version of the Kieska dress I already knew and loved so well. Obviously I jumped at the chance, and not too long afterwards it appeared on my doorstep. I was going to be the first blogger to review it! My first premier! It was so exciting! I decided to review it as I had the first – in a comfortable setting, in my apartment (which I love). I wanted to spice it up a bit, so I planned a dinner party theme. Pasta, merriment, and well-fitting clothing… What could be better, I thought? Well, Gentle Readers, it turns out that it is really surprisingly difficult to just get some people to come over for dinner these days. Who knew? Two weeks or so and two failed dinner party attempts later, Holly over at The Full-Figured Chest put out her lovely review, and the premier was lost. I could have wept, lovelies. And then there were all sorts of photography issues, and, and, and… And now it’s some-undisclosed-amount-of-months later, and I’m finally putting this up. With apologies to Urkye for my egregious timing, I must admit that there is a part of me that is happy to be doing this now. It feels like I’ve come full circle, and it’s a happy start to the brog’s second year. So without further ado (THANK YOU, say the readers), here is my review of the wine-colored Kieska Long.
This dress is definitely a casual one, but there’s something about it that makes me feel like it works for low-key special occasions as well. A stay-at-home date, for example, might be just the right sort of thing for which to slip on this form-fitting but comfortable little number. I love to cook, so I planned a quiet evening (well, as quiet as an evening involving me can be), wiggled into the dress, and got to work.
The dress clings to curves and only rides up a teeny bit now and again, so for me it’s a perfect dress for comfort with a bit of sex appeal in which to waltz around the kitchen. I’m both short and disorganized, so the stretch factor is good for all the bending down to rustle through cabinets looking for this or that kitchen gadget and tippy-toe-standing to get a wine glass or two that I end up doing over the course of the evening.
Ease of movement also good for when your date decides to steal a moment for a cuddle while the water is coming to a boil.
If you remember the Kieska from my first review, you might have noticed by now that there is a distinct difference in fabric here. The original Kieska was made of a thicker and dare-I-say fluffier fabric (the better to poof up the sleeves!) which was much less clingy and gave it more of a cute feel than a sexy one. The fabric on the Kieska Long is sleeker, which makes it feel a bit more…. Sophisticated, perhaps? I want to be clear here that I don’t think it’s better, just different. The original Kieska remains quite literally the most oft-worn dress in my closet, and for good reason. It’s comfy and quirky and fabulous. But sometimes you want something a little more grown-up feeling (only a little; it does still have the over-sized pockets, after all), and that’s when the Kieska Long should make an appearance.
The tight and clingy fabric does have a tendency to show little things like panty lines, so I usually opt for shapewear if I want to wear nylons or something else that might disrupt the smoothness of the look. In this review I am wearing a smoothing thingee I got at Target – it doesn’t really compress or change my shape at all, but it does smooth things out. On a typical day, I would probably just forego nylons and shapewear and try to wear some relatively smooth knickers and then hope for the best, but I wanted the pictures to be nice for you all, my dear Gentle Readers, so I went the extra mile. I’d love to say I took a non-shapewear photo for you just to show the difference… But I forgot. Sorry. Will work on that for next time. 
So thus wraps up another Kieska review and my first year of blogging. And I think it’s time to wrap up date night, too… Maybe with a little bit of popcorn and a movie? And a break for the Kieska – it’s pajama time!
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Okay, so I know I said this review was over… But I have a little bonus to tack on. Think of it as an anniversary present (sorry I couldn’t afford champagne, darlings). So yes, while we’re talking Kieskas, I also happened to pick up a 3/4 (sleeve length) Kieska a while ago, and I thought I could give you a few photos to show what that has going on as well. The fabric is the same thinner and clingier type as the Kieska Long, and the orange version is delightfully bright and cheerful. I just happened to have this 1960’s hat that matched perfectly, so I went for a bit of a mod look. If only I had some gogo boots! (Note to self: post haste on the gogo boot purchasing, eh?)
I really need to wear this outfit more often.
*****
Company: Urkye
Item: Kieska Long (and Kieska 3/4 at the end of the post) – I just noticed that the Kieska Long in Wine is sold out (NOOOOO!) but the 3/4 in orange is still available, as are other colors of both.
Size: 34oo/ooo
Price: Kieska Long is 145 PLN (approximately US $48 at time of posting), and the 3/4 is 139 PLN (approx. $46)
*****
Ratings:
Fit: 8/10 Overall the fit is lovely. I just wish it were an eensy bit thicker or less clingy or something along those lines so as to not show my undergarments quite so readily.
Quality: 9/10 Obviously this is not a high-end piece meant to last a lifetime, but it’s well-made and of good quality for a basic wardrobe staple.
Comfort: 9/10 Super comfy overall, with nice stretch and smoothness to the fabric. The occasional issue with the skirt riding up a bit is the only detracting factor.
Fit Comments: I think it’s mostly covered in the post, but here’s a summary. It fits true-to-size against other Urkye items, so if you know your usual size in stretchy items, you should be fine. It is snug and clingy, so be aware of that when choosing whether or not to size up if you’re between sizes or otherwise on the fence. The Kieska Long and Kieska 3/4 fit identically save for the sleeves.
*****
Thank you to Sage Seitz for the photography,
and to Beau Pignatello for playing my date and being such a good sport.
*****
Do you have a Kieska, gentle readers, and if so, which one?
How do you like them?
And, if I may be so bold…
Do any of you want to sell me one of the original (short-sleeved) Kieskas in 34oo/ooo or 36oo/ooo?
I’m so sad I didn’t snap them up in every color before they were gone. :( Isn’t that always the way, though?
Love, Miss Shapen