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Hey There, Sweetheart

My love of polka dots is nothing new, so when I saw this Leota dress in the new arrivals section of Gwynnie Bee, I added it to my closet immediately. I’m a complete skeptic when it comes to fit, so I requested size 5l, one size larger than Gwynnie Bee recommended for me. It fit perfectly everywhere with one notable exception: it was too short. I’m 6’2″ so I’m used to everything being too short on me. Naturally, I only discovered this after I tried it on, but it was too late. I had already fallen in love with it.

I’m a natural problem solver and I wasn’t going to waste an opportunity to wear such a perfect piece, so I tried one of those styling tips you see in magazines. I put one of my favorite skirts on over the bottom of the dress and wore it as a top. It felt strange at first to smooth the dress and the skirt’s lining beneath the outer layer, but everything worked out well. We went out immediately after these photos were taken and all of the layers below the waistline settled well. Leota, if you’re listening, I’d give anything to buy a top version of this, pretty please with a cherry on top. It enhanced my shape in a way that I haven’t experienced in a long time. I highly recommend trying one of their Sweetheart Wrap Dress styles if you’re busty like I am.

No black & white polka dot outfit is complete without a touch of red IMO, so I added my beloved Dagne Dover Petite Tote. I’ve reviewed it before, and it remains one of the few mini bags that doesn’t look diminutive alongside my large frame. Mini bag is quite the misnomer because it can hold a full-size Tocca hand cream, a card wallet, my Galaxy Note 5, touchup makeup, and my keys.

The way this outfit turned out has me wondering if I shouldn’t try wearing more of my dresses as tops, or perhaps more dresses as skirts? If you’ve done this before, please leave a comment below with a link to your Instagram. I’d love to check it out!

Outfit details

Polka dot top: Leota Sweetheart Wrap Dress in Hollywood Dot (via Gwynnie Bee)

Black pleated skirt: Lane Bryant (no longer available, a very similar version from Eileen Fisher is available here)

Red mini bag: Dagne Dover Petite Tote in Cherry (color no longer available, Poppy looks similar)

Beetle earrings: Kate Spade (no longer available, I found them in new condition on eBay)

Black pointy toe flats: a Nordstrom Rack find, the brand has rubbed off (so sorry!)

Rose gold cat eye glasses: Warby Parker in Louise Metal

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Kathy

Friday 16th of March 2018

Nice! I’m 6ft and I’ve worn short dresses as tunics with tights, love it!

Sarah Conley

Friday 16th of March 2018

Thanks so much for sharing, Kathy!

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