When I heard that Marimekko was collaborating with Uniqlo, I got excited. These are two brands I love — together! Marimekko’s bold prints brighten up my day. I was a fan of their collection for Target in 2016. Back then, I snagged a few housewares items. I also couldn’t help myself when it came to the cute clothing for girls. (I bought something for a friend’s kid.)

As for Uniqlo, I love them for providing clothes that fit petite me at prices I can afford. However, as someone who is trying to shop more ethically and avoid fast fashion, I’ve tried to temper my shopping with them. The chain was cited for abusive practices in 2016. It has since said it’s putting better processes in place.

As it turns out, my excitement for this collaboration subsided when I saw the promo photos. These prints just seem kind of hard to wear.

Nevertheless, I checked out the collection in store when it launched a few days ago as I happened to be walking by. (I swear!)

A mannequin wearing a top with big colorful circles and wide-legged pants greeted me in the store. Hmm. This is an outfit I can’t see myself wearing. This circles print, called Nonparelli, reminds me of a circus, though it’s supposed to invoke cakes.

The tote bags seemed a decent size. But in comparison to the ones made for Target, they were less of a deal at the same $20 price point. The Target ones were huge and made out of sturdy canvas. The Uniqlo ones are made out of a thin polyester.

There’s a summery vibe in this collection with T-shirt dresses and sleeveless tops. I didn’t try on these T-shirt dresses as they seemed to run big and I already wear an XS. But I can see this being cute with a belt to define the waist. They even have pockets!

One nice thing about the collection is that most of it seems to be made out of cotton. Personally, I am trying to buy more clothes made out of natural fibers, as opposed to synthetic fibers, which pollute our oceans when they’re washed. Cotton isn’t perfect either as it takes a lot of water to produce, but I figured at least it’s not generating tiny bits of plastic that fish and other wildlife accidentally eat?

One thing I didn’t see in store: the sneakers in the dots print. Or any sneakers, for that matter. (The sneakers also come in a plain black or white with the dots pattern as the interior. The sizing starts at 5.5, but only goes up to 8.)

I took a few things into the fitting room to try on.

This sleeveless top was a bit tight in the arm pits. I’m a dress size 4 and usually an XS or S at Uniqlo. I’m wearing the XS here. It probably would have fit better in a S, but I didn’t try it because the trapezoidal shape was a no-go for me. It gave me a bunch of volume right in the middle of my body, which was not flattering.

See? Fitting room fail.

This sleeveless cotton dress had the same kind of tent shape as the sleeveless blouse. Is it comfortable? Yes. Does it look good? No! As I noted on my Instagram stories, this is not a good look for petites. The shape overwhelms me and I’m wearing the XS here. I’m not sure who this would look good on. Someone tall and skinny?

The best fitting item for me was this cotton T-shirt. I like the boatneck, the elbow-length sleeves, and the boxy shape, which is a bit cropped. I’m wearing the XS here with high-waisted jeans. The length of the shirt is 23″.

Out of all the prints, this floral one, called Maija, is my favorite. As someone who is a bit prints-shy, I think it’s the most wearable one.

I also thought the big polka dots were pretty cute too. So is the description of this print: “The Polle (horse) pattern is based on an image of round hoof prints left by a plump small pony.” Now I want a plump small pony as a pet.

You could pattern mix with a similar polka dot pattern in smaller dots.

Overall, I thought the quality was nice (with the exception of the totes). The cotton fabric used for the sleeveless dresses and blouses is finely woven and doesn’t have stretch. It helps those items keep their shape. The T-shirts have a nice, soft feel. The collection is available in select stores and online, though some items are selling out fast. (The totes are already gone from the website.) If there’s something you want that’s sold out, I’d keep my eye on the site. Sometimes things get restocked as people return their orders.

As for me, I’m not sure if I’ll keep these T-shirts. I really like the cut, but I’m not sure about the prints. If you’re going to wear big dots, you gotta own it, and I don’t know if I can. I’m contemplating keeping the floral one, though. Sometimes it’s good to get out of your comfort zone.