Playing with prints

[Manuela]

After I came across this picture, I started wanting to play with print - and big polka dots in particular. The biggest (cotton) dots I managed to find are 4cm....



Here my (very) wearable muslin. The dotted side could be 1" longer and I managed to make the mirror image of what I wanted to make. The floral fabric is a cotton sateen I found at the Hawker's Bazaar.

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The 'proper' dress is cut, with the dotted part on the correct side and a bit longer. This one will become my 'go to the pool/beach dress' 

I see a few versions of this coming, still have some leftover black and white stripes as well as dots and prints.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

That looks great, what a lovely huge floral patterned fabric.  I prefer the way you've stuck to black and white rather than the totally different colour in the original picture.

[MrsThrifty]

Very stylish, I love your taste in clothes and I am very into print clashing, although timid about going too far and stick to monochrome like you've done, so I love this.
I'm also one to make the mirror image of what I wanted. Almost all my crossover tops cross the wrong way  .

[mammafairy]

fabulous in the black and white.

[DementedFairy]

Elegant, and quirky.  Brilliant!

[Surest1tch]

I really like that, you have a wonderful eye and I think you could have been one of the top designers in your own right

[BrendaP]

That's great, and much nicer with both fabrics in black and white.

[Nevis5]

I like the cohesiveness of the black and white too.  You are so creative, @Manuela! 

[Sandra]

That's great @Manuela .

You really do make the loveliest things...and you make them so well. I wish I had such creativity and imagination.

Sandra.
xxx

[dolcevita]

Oh my, I think there may be another Manuela knock-off coming on!  I love the asymmetry of the hemline as well as the prints.

[Ravingdoll]

You have done that so well Manuela.  You really do have great style.   

[Manuela]

I love the asymmetry of the hemline as well as the prints.

I admitted a while ago to being vain... that probably comes naturally after all those years in the fashion industry.
Having severely damaged my right ankle a few years ago, I can't wear heels anymore (max is 2") and thought hard about how to wear dresses with flats without looking matronly. This article here made me experiment with hemlines, and it really works (it also explains the number of dresses I have with asymmetrical hems  ).

How to wear dresses with flat footwear
 

[dolcevita]

I understand completely, Manuela, as this has been a year of flats for me after my ankle break and knee surgery late last year.  I don't know if I'll be able to wear heels yet, or what the max height will be, but our heatwave made it such a logical choice anyway.  I also like to be able to wear flats with dresses as I walk a lot but can't do any distance in heels.

I must investigate the asymmetric hem, although I'm not sure that I'm tall enough to carry it off well.

[Manuela]

@dolcevita - you don't need to be tall to carry asymmetrical hems off. Play with proportions and see what looks good on you. The blog post I linked shows a number of examples - shirt tails and 'mullet hems' look great too with flats.

[Manuela]

Hmm, I see a 'combining prints' competition coming...... @Francesca