Fun Friday: Castles in the...Chocolate...?

There is something wonderful about novelty prints, isn't there? They can be ridiculous, sublime, fun, or a blend of any of the above, but something about them is darn near irresistible. For the most part these days, it seems that such prints (from the "Yikes!" to the "Cute!") are are limited to crumb crunchers (oh - that's Jen for "kids"), and this is unfortunate. As wonderful as solids are, they can get boring and staid after a time. Thanks to Erin, I've regained that lost affection for novelty prints, and have had quite a bit of fun at the fabric store picking up a pile of prints to add to my stash. The craziest of these prints is this, which is forcing me to take pictures of some of the other, truly normal fabrics in my stash. (Honest, that really was purchased on a whim due to its irresistible cuteness, and will look cute in the daydress it has been slated for.)

Moving on. Prints are fun to wear and can really show off your personality and sense of whimsy and humor. Certainly no exception is this doll of a dress from the 50s. The chocolate brown cotton looks innocent enough, of course - kind of dreamy in that "Hmmm, you know, a chocolate bar would be good right now" sort of way. Until you get up close, and see the adorable little golden castles and white pseud-fleur de lis sprinkled over the entire dress! How cute is this?

Not only is the print utterly charming, the cut of the dress is both modest and very attractive (one of the many great things about New Look styling). The boatneck broadens the shoulders just a little (and in a very feminine fashion), thus making one's waist look smaller; the wonderfully swingy skirt does the same thing, which creates or enhances that classic hourglass look. There's a matching tie around the waist, too (and I am starting to think of possibilities there as well - who says you need to use what the dress came with?).

This cutie also comes with a cuffed short-sleeved, collared bolero for cooler nights, hyper-air conditioned buildings, or additional modesty if your church or synagogue frowns on bare shoulders; of course, even without the bolero, this dress is perfectly modest and very flattering. I dare you to wear it and not spend at least 78% of your day being happy.

The measurements are 42-30-free hip, and is $43 right now at Alitza's on eBay (fear not; I've bought plenty of drop-dead gorgeous vintage from eBay; it's pretty safe). The auction ends Sunday night, so hurry in and win this dress for your wardrobe! Alitza has a lot of really beautiful vintage in chiffon, silk, and more; just looking is fun, so enjoy your visit to her shop!