My husband and I are very united in our finances. We budget, review and make all our decisions together. So when we heard the price of this romper while standing at the register in Bloomingdale’s, even after the discount and my gift card applied, I knew it was a no without having to ask my husband if we could splurge. Because it wasn’t up to him — it was up to the numbers. While I would have LOVED to pretend that numbers meant nothing at that moment, in the grand scheme of our life I was all too aware that they did. I was sad, of course. It was my birthday weekend and I really wanted something new, pretty and bright to wear the next day at Vizcaya, where me and Brett got engaged. I had a bit of the birthday blues — a little weight gain since last year, a slash in finances to get out of debt and save for a house, a lot of (good) change I didn’t feel I was managing too well. It would have been a little lift to have something that fit better. But we had agreed to spend very little money on birthdays and holidays this year. My one request was a small bouquet of hydrangeas for $12 at Publix, and my husband graciously obliged the afternoon before my birthday, taking an hour off of work to purchase and arrange the bouquet for me.
So yes I was a little sad, but overall content knowing we were making the right decision.
We were spending the weekend alongside my parents in West Palm (using the last of our free Marriott nights before they expired). They were waiting in the car. My mom asked if I’d found anything. I said “No,” and that $50 stood between me and the romper, but we chose not to buy it for our greater goals. And she said, “Oh, well I was going to give you a little bit of money for your birthday. You could use that if you really like the outfit.
“Turn the car around!” I said.
We went back to the same sales lady and I got my romper. It was really a birthday treat!
Last time I was at Vizcaya, my husband was proposing. It was broiling hot, and I could not have cared less about what I was wearing that day. It was a cute outfit. I wore a terracotta linen blend skort and floral shirred top – more autumn than summer.
Looking back at pictures and videos, I do wish I had been prepared with a slightly cuter and more location-appropriate outfit. I’ve always wanted to return and take more pictures.
This time, we picked the right day and the right outfits! Vizcaya was beautiful. The air was light. Breezy in the shade but warm in the sun, probably a little too warm by 3pm. Anything tipping over 80 degrees and 50% humidity and I would’ve cut the romper off, but after spending 5 hours walking around outside, I can say it’s perfect for a Florida spring or early northern summer.
The Farm Rio romper is made of Linen and Viscose. The linen is what really makes it so light and airy. Normally, I can’t wear rompers. My torso is obnoxiously long which means I either have a super wedgie or escaping boobs. This romper had a good, appropriate length to it and room enough for me to pull up my hair or reach above me without worrying about my rear end getting sliced.
I was iffy about the sleeves — when you have shorter limbs, those awkward sleeve lengths can foreshorten further — but I ended up liking them a lot. They were breezy and the armpit of the sleeve hung a good distance from my actual armpit. Over time, that will minimize sweat stains — always a consideration one should bear in mind if they sweat like a hog, as I do. Now, as far as the color, I’ve been trying to avoid wearing so much white, but I gave myself a pass because of how floral the outfit is. The delicate colorful pattern helped keep my skin tone bright.
There was some wrinkling throughout the day, but nothing atrocious. (You can see it in some of the images, especially in the shoulder area.) That’s the advantage of the added viscose.
My only issue with the outfit was the buttons. Suffice it to say, I got stuck while trying to undo the buttons in the bathroom stall — with a very stiff neck I’d been battling for a few days and with a very full bladder. It was probably my own fault. I couldn’t bend my neck down to see the buttons properly or the elastic loops provided. I attempted to do it by sight which worked earlier that morning, but I somehow managed to double twist the elastic around the button in an attempt to release it. The whole ordeal was about 10 minutes, during which time I nearly called my mother into the bathroom with me. In any case, most of that is likely user error, but I’m still not a big fan of the elastic loops for the button. Also something to note: there are no spare buttons provided.
Here was the cost breakdown. The total price of the romper is currently at Bloomindale’s for $220 and as a jumpsuit on the Farm Rio website for $298. I bought the romper from Bloomingdale’s for 25% off initially thanks to the sale, bringing the price down to $165. Then, because I opened a credit card (which I will cancel after this), I got an additional 25% off the romper, which brought it to $123.50. After also using my $75 gift card, I owed $48.50 plus tax for which I used the gift money from my mom.
I do recommend the romper, get it on sale. I think it is too highly priced. If I hadn’t received the discounts or had the gift card, I would not have paid more than $50 cash for it. Fortunately, that’s all the cash that was paid towards it.
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