"Every time I have a fancy event to go to, I end up panicking about what I’m going to wear and how much it’s going to cost. Occasion wear is typically expensive, and while it’s fun to wear a fancy dress for the night, it’s not as much fun to pay for something you’ll only wear a couple of times. So I was intrigued when a neighbor mentioned she’d seen Old Navy’s new line of occasion dresses on their website, and even more interested when I saw their glowing reviews.
Typically, I’m a big fan of renting dresses for special occasions to save money and to be able to wear something high end. But as a result, I don’t have any standby options for events in my closet. No, I don’t often get a last minute invite for a fancy gala. But I have had plenty of rentals not fit and been scrambling to find something to wear last minute. With a cousins’ wedding coming up in a few months, I’ve already been on the lookout for options that could work.
I decided to order a bunch of The Occasion by Old Navy dresses to see first-hand what the quality and fit was like (and review them for all of you!). I’m a big fan of Old Navy for affordable staples like T-shirts and shorts. I also love all of the cute options for kiddos. But if I’m being honest, I’ve never gone into Old Navy expecting to find anything that looks super high-end.
Read on for my honest review of Old Navy’s occasion line, plus what I would and wouldn’t wear to my upcoming event.
All of the dresses and sets from the occasion line are $65 or less, which really caught my attention. That’s a similar amount that I’ve paid in the past to rent a dress for an event. And it’s certainly cheaper than what I’ve paid for all of my other occasion dresses.
I also liked that the dresses in The Occassion by Old Navy are available in XS-4XL and petite and tall sizes for inclusivity. The sizing felt true to what I normally wear in the brand, too. For reference, I’m 5 feet 3 inches, about 150 pounds, and a DD. I comfortably took a medium in most of the options. I sized up for some of the clingier jersey dresses based on personal preferences, but could have stuck with a medium.
Overall, the dresses felt like a steal for the price point. As I reviewed The Occasion by Old Navy, I was genuinely surprised by the fabric quality and feel. I can be hard for me to find a dress I feel like is flattering with my large chest and “mom pooch.” But I felt comfortable and confident in these options, which would be worth paying a lot more for.
This was my favorite of the dressier options from the Old Navy occasion line. It’s a heavyweight jersey material that felt high end, but I loved that it would be an option that won’t wrinkle easily. It felt understated but glamorous at the same time. It made me feel like I was wedding or black-tie ready in about five minutes. This dress also seemed like it would be comfortable all night long.
I’m a sucker for a black dress for a fancy event, but this option also comes in a dark chocolate brown and coral color, too. It was only $50 but easily looked like it could have cost triple that amount.
Off-the-shoulder styles intimidate me, so I wasn’t expecting to like this dress. But I was obsessed! It was more red in person than coral like it says online, but I actually liked that. It felt fun and flirty, and the seams running down the front helped it be a flattering option, too.
The site describes it as having a slight sheen to it, which would make it dressier, but I didn’t think it had much of one at all. Still, this would be a great option for a cocktail attire wedding or for a fancy party.
Old Navy really nailed the little details with a lot of their occasion options, like having adjustable shoulder straps. That’s something that I’d normally have to get tailored for the right fit and spend more money on.
This was the only option that I tried that had numerical sizing, and the 10 fit like it was made for me. The plunge on the neckline allowed for a bit of cleavage, but it didn’t require any sort of special fashion tape to keep the girls in line. I could still wear my strapless bra.
I’m typically not a big fan of floral prints, but wanted to try a range of the patterns that the Old Navy occasion line offered. I thought the solid black option would be a bit too boring in this style, so I was glad to have tried the floral one.
This is another LBD option from the line that would be great to have in your closet. At $45, I’m probably going to keep this one around to throw on for fancy date nights or holiday parties. It’s the same thick jersey material as the off-shoulder maxi dress. I thought the neckline looked very refined and stylish.
I might look to get this one tailored a bit as I think a slightly shorter hemline would work better on me. But even with alterations, it’ll be a cost effective option that I’ll have for many seasons to come.
Made from satin, this option felt dressy enough for an evening wedding. I was shocked by how much I liked it. Satin usually shows every bump and flaw, but this fabric was thick enough that it skimmed my body without highlighting my perceived problem areas. Like many of the other Occasion by Old Navy dress reviews, buyers rave about how flattering this dress is (even though it’s satin!).
The bias cut makes it even more flattering, and I appreciated the cap sleeves to cover a bit of my arms. I especially loved that I wouldn’t need to wear a strapless bra with this dress.
This dress is screaming for a statement necklace to complete the look. While the other dresses felt more complete without a lot of jewelry, this one would need a bit of accessorizing. It would still be one that I’d consider tossing on for an event, though.
I loved the weight of the fabric and the twisted knot in the front helped the fabric drape so that it hid my stomach area that I’m not super confident about right now. I’d also be able to wear this dress with a regular bra which is a serious plus in my book.
I didn’t think this dress was as occasion-worthy as the rest of the options, but it’s an option that would be great for any night out on the town. The back comes up high enough that a regular strapless bra works with it, and I like that you can adjust the belt to for a relaxed fit or to define your waist. The flouncy detail at the bottom takes it from what could be a plain dress to a more interesting one.
I also think this would be a bump-friendly option for the first and second trimester given the structure. It would be an option you could also wear postpartum to really get a lot of value out of the dress.
The taffeta fabric used for this set really makes it seem like it should be on the rack at Neiman Marcus, not Old Navy. It’s a luxe-feeling material for sure and well worth the $65 price point for both pieces.
A two-piece set is not something I would ever try on as I don’t love exposing my stomach, but it looked so fun in the pictures that I had to give it a go. I appreciate how Old Navy is selling this as two separate pieces, as I would be more likely to buy the skirt and pair it with a black silk cami or an elevated white blouse for a sophisticated look.
6 colors and patterns available
Don’t forget the matching top!
This dress has pockets, adjustable shoulder ties and smocking in the back. This makes it able to accommodate different sizes, which I love. I felt more exposed in this option as I don’t typically wear short dresses. It’s not one that I would normally see myself buying. That said, when I looked back at the pictures I’d taken I was surprised by how cute it looked.
I’m going to order this one in black to have more of a playful option in my closet. I think the black will be more my style versus this floral option. This dress would be perfect for a garden party or your baby shower.
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Elliott Harrell, Contributing Writer
Elliott is a mom of two little girls and is based in Raleigh, NC. She spends her days running a sales team and doing laundry and her nights writing about the things that she loves. She’s passionate about all things motherhood and women’s health. When she’s not working, writing or parenting you can find her trying a new restaurant in town or working on her latest needlepoint project.
Feature graphic images credited to: Elliott Harrell and Old Navy.