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Talia Ergas
At Insider Reviews, we’ve long been fans of Quince’s clothing staples sold at affordable price points. In our full Quince review, we were largely impressed with the quality of everything from workwear basics to leather totes.
The brand sells dresses, skirts, blouses, tees, robes, and pajamas made from 100% mulberry silk — and the price tags are much more reasonable than you might find elsewhere. Take, for instance, their $79 silk slip dress, which is comparable to $250 options from other retailers.
Quince claims their silk attire is hand or machine washable (on a cold, gentle cycle), eliminating the need for dry cleaning and making it easier and more affordable to own a luxe silk item. We put Quince’s claims to the test by trying various products from their washable silk line by washing them according to the brand’s instructions and wearing them for over a year. We found some inconsistencies in quality since one dress did tear, but ultimately, it is an accessible source for genuine silk.
Washable Stretch Silk Tiered Maxi Dress
Talia Ergas/Business Insider
This dress has become my most-reached-for item of clothing this summer. While elegant enough to dress up with some heels and a clutch for dinner, I mostly pair it with sneakers for an elevated and comfortable daytime look. (The sneaker look works for me because, at 5-foot-7, the dress hits me right above the ankles, but if you’re shorter, it may fall closer to the floor.)
I particularly love the tiered A-line silhouette, which is very flattering, and the forgiving elastic high waist. The v-neckline is fairly deep (which I like, because it adds a feminine touch to balance out the baggier silhouette), but I was still able to wear it with a bra. It’s not see-through at all.
On particularly hot days, I did sweat in this dress (usually I pick sleeveless items when I think I may sweat), and the sweat was fairly visible through the silk fabric. That’s the only downside I found to this dress. I washed it cold on the delicates cycle and hung it to dry. I steamed it to remove wrinkles (ironing silk is not recommended). Each time I wore the dress after washing, I found it as soft and shiny as before.
100% Washable Silk Slip Dress
Samantha Crozier/Business Insider
This midi length, bias cut slip dress is crafted from mulberry silk with a satin finish. It has adjustable spaghetti straps, and the brand claims the fabric is naturally thermoregulating to help maintain body temperature. It comes in nine colors in sizes XS through XL.
“Trust me, nothing feels better than coming home from a long day of wearing restrictive clothing and putting on this buttery-soft slip. In the summer, this is the ultimate at-home outfit. And it’s so incredibly chic to lounge around in a silk slip,” says Samantha Crozier, style and beauty editor at Insider Reviews.
Update after over a year of wear: Even though it’s a flattering, classic style that style editor Samantha Crozier was able to wash and wear for about nine months, the dress finally tore at a corner seam. That being said, it’s an easy dress to throw on, with a beautiful sheen that makes you feel polished in no matter where you wear it — and it’s highly affordable for genuine silk.
You’re likely to get a lot of use from this dress before you experience the same disappointment. However, its shelf life does put it in the category of fast fashion, so we can’t call it a sustainable option.
Jaclyn Turner/Business Insider
“I love a gorgeous slip dress, perfect for dressing up or down, depending on my mood. Make it washable, and I’m in love. This silk dress has a nice bias cut down the side seam with extra room in the hips, showing that it was designed with curvier bodies in mind. It hits right below the knee. Adjustable straps helped me position the dress comfortably across my chest. Being in between sizes, I preferred the slightly roomier fit of the 2X to the 1X. The 1X felt too tight and pulled in the back, while the 2X was a little large under the armpits but nothing too noticeable. I’m not wearing shapewear in either of the photos,” says Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor, Insider Reviews.
Read more in our full Quince plus size clothing review.
Washable Silk Skirt
Talia Ergas/Business Insider
A silk skirt is such a versatile wardrobe staple. It pairs well with sneakers and a t-shirt or slouchy sweater for a casual ensemble or can be worn with heels and a matching silky camisole for a dressy evening look. I was super excited to try Quince’s version, which comes in an impressive range of nine colors.
This skirt, which hits just below the knees, did not disappoint. I’m currently between a medium and a large in bottoms, and sizing up to a large ended up being the right call. The elastic waistband falls loosely at my hips and the skirt is plenty flowy, so it doesn’t show any panty lines.
100% Washable Silk Halter Top
Talia Ergas
I absolutely love this halter top as a comfortable and breezy option for an evening out. My favorite way to wear it is tucked into ripped jeans and paired with heels. It looks elegant and dressy. I think it would look equally good tucked into a pencil skirt and topped with a cardigan for days in the office.
Just like the tiered maxi dress, the halter top washed well (in the delicates cycle and hung dry) and remained soft and shiny. The black version isn’t see-through at all, although I’m not sure if the lighter champagne color would be (there’s also a navy option).
Washable Stretch Silk Notch Collar Blouse
Jaclyn Turner/Business Insider
“I’m forever on the hunt for a good button down and I wanted to love the Washable Stretch Silk Blouse. I typically size up in button-down blouses because I have a large chest. Sadly, the silk blouse in a 2X pulled at my chest and around my middle, making me feel a little too self-conscious. The ivory color was also quite sheer, and the slight stretch of the fabric only accentuated the parts that I didn’t want to show off more. Ironically, the model in the product photo wears the bottom half of the shirt unbuttoned, as a foreshadowing of my experience, while another model wearing the blouse in wine appears to be swimming in it. If the shirt would fit me right, I think it looks very classy and sophisticated and a great workwear, or day-to-night piece; just the sizing is off, in my opinion,” according to Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor, Insider Reviews.
100% Washable Silk Pajama Tee and Pants
Talia Ergas
With a super roomy silhouette, this cooling pajama set is comfy and elegant for both sleeping and lounging around. You could totally get away with wearing the T-shirt out with a pair of jeans as well.
One huge benefit of this combo (both pieces available in sizes XS through XL) is the mix and matchability since the top and bottom are sold separately. You can pick different sizes, but you can also interchange the styles (there are also a button up shirts, a tank, or shorts available). The pants, shorts, tee, and tank are available in seven colors (sizes XS through XL), while the button up top only comes in five colors.
I picked a medium in my top, which fit perfectly. For the bottoms, I picked a large since I often wear large bottoms from other brands and have previously tried other Quince medium sweats, which were snug. The large was very big on me, and I wished I had sized down to a medium. I would recommend sizing down in the bottoms, if you’re between sizes.
I washed these in the gentle cycle and hung them to dry. The smoothness and softness of the fabric did not change due to laundering.
How do you wash washable silk?
As per the instructions on Quince’s website, we washed the garments in cold water in the delicates cycle and hung them to dry. We steamed the garments because they wrinkled easily, but this caused no damage.
Cons to consider
If you wear and wash your silk casually, your Quince washable silk may not last you very long. We also found the sizing to be a little inconsistent with this line. While sizing up was a good choice in the halter top and tiered dress, it led us astray for the pajama pants, where sizing down would have fit better. Thankfully, though, Quince has a generous return policy with a full refund on unworn items with the tags on available for 365 days from the purchase date. So, you can feel comfortable to take your best guess at a size and return it if the fit isn’t perfect.
The bottom line
We found that Quince’s washable silk line looks great, but one piece only lasted nine months before tearing, so we don’t qualify it as high-quality. We also found some flaws in the fit of its extended size silk collection.
Quince’s silk products are much more affordable than traditional retailers, and you earn extra savings by avoiding dry cleaning. It may be worth a try if you intend to wear it for special events, but everyday wear proved too much for its weak seams.