Tall empire-waist mini dress in gingham cotton poplin

I bought this hoping it would be similar to the j crew cotton “fit n flare” style dresses from last summer, which I love and wear constantly. Unfortunately this didn’t even come close. The fabric feels much cheaper/flimsier than my other j crew cotton dresses and the fit was incredibly odd. I found the bust to be exceptionally large and baggy (not a problem I encounter often at 34D…) and the tie top does nothing to sync it in, it’s just for show. The ribcage and stomach felt tight and restricting by comparison. I’m a 28” waist, 34D, 5’8” for reference, and ordered a tall 6. On an aside, it’s incredibly disappointing to have to pay $7.50 to return this by mail when every other comparable retailer offers free return shipping. Sigh!