Bucolic Belle Dress from Modcloth

dress: $52.99 39.99, Modcloth; shoes: $99, Guess

Just in time for the holidays.. .

This dress was inside my latest package. I had received a smaller size in a larger Modcloth haul, but that one was difficult to zip up. As always, Modcloth customer service was excellent and they quickly shipped out a larger size. The color is a very vibrant red, with orange undertones. it has a draping boat-neck collar with fluttery sleeves, and a pleated knee-length skirt. The zipper is okay-quality, especially considering the price I paid. The ribbon and bow at the side is a bit awkward and can make the dress look doll-ish or childish, but I think good shoes and accessories could prevent this.

For that reason, I would definitely not wear flats with this dress. I think this dress *could* be worn to work with pearls and a nude pump. A little more polish could be added with a khaki/beige/tan blazer. I would avoid pure white because that seems like too much contrast. Of course, this dress seems most suited for holiday parties. A pair of gold glitter heels and some chunky bracelets would really make the dress festive. If you wanted to go overboard, you could wear white or green tights. 

However, I intend to wear this dress for dressier-but-still-casual occasions. I envision toughening up the dress with some booties and a leather jacket, or perhaps adding a cardigan and a scarf for a softer feminine touch. Overall, this is one of my favorite purchases from Modcloth's Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. Descriptions of the other three are forthcoming.

On a random note, I've recently begun a spreadsheet of all of my clothing purchases to keep track of my spending and become more critical of my shopping. The big conclusion? I need to stop buying dresses. Seriously.