Pattern Chic: Floral Print Shirt Dress

A big trend over the last few seasons and still going strong in 2013 is floral print.  From blouses to bags, ditsy to bold floral prints, these blossoming buds add a uniquely feminine touch to any article of clothing and are must for a warm day outdoors.

1.  Route 66 Pin-tucked Floral Print Shirt Dress
2. Old Navy Circle Macrame Woven Wooden Belt
3.  Steve Madden P-Haylee in Coral

A pin-tucked-shirt dress (1) is the great way to wear a pattern -it takes out the guess work of having to mix prints with colors.  When belted with textured macrame belt  in a complimentary color (2) and cutout peep-toe pump in a delicate shade (3), the floral print of the dress seems to bloom!

1, 2, 3 Chic!

 

1, 2, 3 Chic!

One of my favorite accessories are my collection of wooden bangles.  The rustic, earthy feel of these timber trinkets, are not only uniquely shaped, but give a distinctive sound when 'clanged' against each other.  The top stack, I found at various markets around Sicilia varying from a Euro to 3 Euros a piece.  After missing an opportunity to buy the three below from a department store website, I found these colorful bangles on clearance at Old Navy the following year.

Nothing like a bag to bring a little attitude to your outfit; although I love a structured leather bag, on a day like today, where sightseeing and shopping are on the agenda, I prefer an over-sized cotton tote bag that plays double duty: a purse and a shopping bag.  The fabric is light and airy like the dress, yet sturdy enough to hold any souvenirs I might pick up as I spend the day 'hopping-on-and-off' trolleys!

 

How Did I Style It?

1, 2, 3 Styling is so easy with a floral print dress like this.  The dress came with a tan belt, which I believe limits my accessories, whereas this olive green macrame belt with the wooden details matched the leaves of the floral print, and I used the wooden O-ring in the belt as inspiration for the bangles.  I chose the bag for it's functionality as well as the fact that it wouldn't detract from the beauty of the dress, and for the shoes, I went to the Academichic color wheel and used the two-thirds rule of the color triad (violet, green and orange): pairing coral (which is a lighter shade of orange) with olive (which is a darker shade of green)!  SN