Sezane Spring 2021 Clothing Review

I know I’m not alone in getting caught up in Sezane’s beautiful marketing campaigns and imagery. And their recently launched spring collection made my heart sing. It’s no secret I’m a neutrals girl through and through, but I found myself itching to add a couple of playful statement tops to my wardrobe (an area currently lacking).

Shopping online can be really tricky, as you can’t feel the fabrics or get a true sense of how an item will drape and fit on the body. I’ve always believed that it’s such a tactile experience. So I thought I’d focus a bit on that along with sizing/fit in this review. 

Sezane Emmy Blouse | worn in size FR36 (kept)

Special, statement blouses were kinda the whole reason I was browsing Sezane in the first place. The one that absolutely caught my eye was this Emmy blouse; a ruffled delight in an autumnal-toned ditsy floral. As someone who doesn’t tend to wear many prints, this probably comes across as a wild card choice for me. But I loved the idea of adding in a classic ditsy floral to my wheelhouse, currently comprised of stripes, checks and spots. 

And if it’s not been obvious, I’ve really been leaning into neutrals of late. I find that lighter tones and earthy hues work well with my complexion, so this was right up my street. 

It’s 100% cotton, and has a light, airy feel to the fabric. It’s what gives the Emmy blouse a beautiful lift and volume through the sleeve. There’s ruffles all over, which don’t feel too much due to the busy nature of the fabric. At the cuffs, around the sleeves, on the shoulders and also across the chest. The buttons are fabric covered – real attention to detail here.

The fit is true to size, for a relaxed fit. I’m an AU8/US4 and wear the FR36 which is loose through the body, but just so. A size smaller and the armholes may have been a little tight. 

Aside from all the beautiful details, I just loved the print. It also ticked all the practicality boxes; 100% cotton so can easily be laundered, and if I do get the odd mark on it, the busy print will help to disguise it!

Sezane Bamba Blouse | worn in size FR36 (returned)

The other long-sleeved blouse I added to my cart was the Bamba Blouse in ecru. White is a risky choice for me as a mum to a 13 month old, but I figured, why not. I was drawn to the crochet lace detailing which adorns the collar and cuffs, and covers a larger area across the bib/chest of the blouse. There’s also a fabric roped effect which gives extra dimension and shape. The back does up with round shell buttons.

For me, this felt wholly reminiscent of one of my French favourites: Isabel Marant. Right down to the silhouette. 

Similar to the Emmy Blouse, the fabric has a gauzey/airy feel to it which gives a nice floaty shape through the sleeves. Fit is also on par – the EU36 being perfect for me. The crochet lace feels elevated and special, and is truly what makes this a standout. Worth noting that it’s not fully opaque, however a skin-coloured bra works fine underneath.

This is one where I think you’re getting excellent value for money; an interesting shape, a lot of detailing, and beautiful quality – right down to the fabric.

Sezane Vahine Blouse | worn in size FR34 (returned)

Of all the items in my order, this was one of the ones I was most excited about. The linen/cotton mix fabric looked so special, and in person the beauty of the embroidery far exceeded my expectations. 

The Vahine Blouse is a sleeveless top with a ruffle along the neckline. A wide, U neck; a tie at the back, and a swing style shape through the body. The thing that really let this down for me (aside from the way it fit on my silhouette) was the fabric. The embroidery truly is something special, and hopefully that’s reflected in the photos above, but I didn’t love the hand feel/the way it felt against my skin. This is totally personal preference, but it had a slight texture to it that didn’t feel “soft”. Not quite what I was looking for.

I also found that the ruffle along the collar and incredibly wide scooped neckline didn’t suit me. Another element that I couldn’t anticipate just from looking at photos online. I tend to find a most ruffles around my face challenging to pull off, so I knew from the get go this could be a gamble.

For this top I took at size FR34 based on the e-store guide, but found it a little too tight under the arms. I’d recommend taking your usual size.

Sezane Joanie Bodysuit | worn in size S (returned)

Two things I’m a sucker for? “Boat” necklines and ruffles. Didn’t take much more convincing to give this bodysuit a go; a style I often admire for its practicality, but find challenging to execute in my outfits as I have a long torso for my height.

Rather than beat around the bush… upfront, this one didn’t work for me. The length through the body was just far too short. I’d need a “tall” version for this to fit me right. Disappointing as everything else about it is just perfect. Lovely soft cotton/merino fabric (I’d recommend a lighter colour as it dust attract lint/cat hairs); slim fit through the body; and an interesting neckline. Ignoring the length issues, I did actually like how this fit on the body. It hugs your frame in a very flattering way. Plus that low V at the back? *chef’s kiss*

I’m wearing the size S and would say it fits true to size. One other thing to note? It’s not the easiest style to wear a bra with so you might want to wear it with nippies for modesty.

Sezane Travis Cardigan | worn in size FR36 (returned)

Knitwear is one of my ultimate weaknesses. Despite having an abundance already, I added two cardigans to my cart. Clearly having a moment focused on style uniforms, and thinking of how to mix things up.

The Travis Cardigan was the first contender. I loved all the little details. Crochet-style florals woven across the top portion of the cardigan; the knit covered buttons; scalloped edging along the collar. I’ve said it before and have to say it again, Sezane do details well. 

As much as I loved the vintage feel of this, it ended up in my (growing) returns pile. Perhaps of all categories I’ve tried from the brand, knitwear is the one area I’ve had the least amount of success with. But the styles and beautiful colours are what keep me browsing.

This is a heavier knit. One for the weather just as it’s starting to warm up, or as a cool weather option for those heading towards A/W. Another one where I loved the details but the fabric let it down. Composition is 50% wool 50% polyamide, which is always a bit disappointing for me as I’ve never found that these polyamide blends wash considerably well. 

Worn here in the size S and would say stick with your usual size for a relaxed fit. Sezane knits tend to be a boxy but through the body, and often have that beautiful blouson-style blouse. Feminine/Masculine combined. 

Sezane Artie Jumper | worn in size S (returned)

I didn’t even have to try on the Artie Jumper to know it wasn’t “the one” for me. As I mentioned earlier, shopping for clothing is such a tactile experience, and I really didn’t gel with the 80% cotton 20% polyamide blend for this yarn. It actually reminded me a little of something I might have found in my grandmother’s wardrobe; both in feel and in style. And it’s that vintage element that I’m often drawn to. That and the versatility of these reversible knits.

Then there’s the colour. Based on the imagery I’d anticipated the Artie Jumper to be a true navy hue, but in person it’s more of a marine blue. Which don’t get me wrong, is pretty, but not right for me for a couple of reasons. I don’t feel like it’s the right colour for my complexion; and this is something that will differ from person to person. Further to that, I don’t really have any marine blue, or complementary tones in my wardrobe. I’ve focused on building up soft neutrals and earthy hues which effortlessly mix and match. My general rule of thumb when it comes to “colour” is that when I open my closet it should feel like I’m telling a story. Like there’s some sort of cohesion. Yes, I have the old wild card, but they’re generally statement pieces. I wanted this knit to feel like an everyday style, so that was the second reason why it wasn’t really right for me.

That aside, the details are beautiful again. You have the slightly wider crochet lace along the neckline with scalloped edging; the fabric knit covered buttons; the low scooped back which can also be worn in front. I went with the size S and it fits true to size for a relaxed fit.

Sezane Lia Dress | worn in size FR34 (returned)

Go big or go home, right? The statement piece in my order was hands down the Lia dress, in this beautiful textured leopard jacquard. I was especially drawn to the colour palette of the print. Warm earthy colours and neutrals balanced out perfectly. The type of thing I could easily see slotting into my wardrobe.

I actually thought of this more as an autumnal piece; despite the shorter puffy sleeves, I figured you could throw on a dark brown merino (like this one I have from Arket), some tights and little booties and you’re good to go. Only trouble would be finding the right coat to throw on top when it’s a little chilly.

For someone who tends to be quite reserved in their wardrobe choices, this really was and out there pick. Not just the print, but the voluminous puffy sleeves, and ruffled detail on the shoulders. As much as I loved it online, I knew it was something I’d have to try on in person to see whether it would work for me.

I opted to size down to the FR34/US2 based on the e-store’s recommendation, and in hindsight wish I’d purchased my usual size. The top half fits perfectly, but I found myself wanting a bit more width across the hips and length through the leg. The skirt itself is quite short, and I could foresee the odd wardrobe malfunction, given where the final button sits (on me anyway)… For reference, I’m 172cm tall, with a longer torso.

The fabric itself isn’t smooth to the touch; it has a textured element which is something you’d expect from a jacquard. It’s reasonably thick (looks and feels nice quality) and is fully lined. So even if you find it slightly scratchy, you don’t have to worry about feeling that on your skin.