The dress does not have any blemishes - I bought the dress this year new and wore it this year.
I love the style of this dress because I carry some weight in my midsection and I thought that this dress hid that well. I love that it was fitted but was still comfortable. The neckline was flattering on me. I chose this dress because it was comfortable, fit me very well, and didn't have a lot of bells and whistles. I liked that it wasn't heavy. I loved the buttons on the back of the dress that gave it some uniqueness.
I did not need to do many alterations to the dress. I had it shortened (the length off the rack was meant for someone 5"9' and I am 5"6.) The seamstress took a couple of inches off the bottom to graze the tops of my shoes. She also added an under-bustle in the back. There are ribbons that can be tied together that will pull the dress up and keep the train from dragging.