Clothing should never intimidate you. Think of your closet as an office, and you’re the domineering boss. Every article of clothing is one of your employees. (You paid for THEM, after all.) You should crack the whip to ensure each item works hard for you — but each employee should work well with the others, too. Here’s how:
This first look reminds me of all the vintage dresses I perused with my mom at Miami Beach antique shows back in the 90s. The darts and pleats on the bodice are straight out of a 1940s Butterick pattern, and the geometric print is a nod to the Art Deco movement. The flounced sleeves and slim silhouette are lovely on their own — but I wanted to see how much more work I could wring from the outfit.
So, I layered — starting with a sturdy black tank UNDER the dress and a skirt OVER it.
The simple addition of this hi-lo A-line skirt (made even easier due to the elastic waist) completely transforms the silhouette from svelte to hourglass. There’s a small, but discernible, fast-forward from the 1940s to Dior’s famed, tight-waisted New Look from the 1950s. Similarly, the slender trim of blush peeking out from the skirt’s folds reminds me of a flower’s stamen emerging from its petals — a small reference to Charles James’ 1955 Butterfly Dress (although this is a VERY loose interpretation).
Fast-forward again: to now, right this minute. You have to get uptown, it’s a million degrees and there’s no time to go home and change.
It takes all of 30 seconds to lose the pink dress, keep the skirt and the tank, and throw the heels into your bag. And THAT’S the kind of hustle I expect from my faithful employees.