Shabby Apple ‘On the Green’ dress, $84
Shabby Apple is a brand I’ve loved for a long time, albeit only from a distance. I mean that literally, too: as much as I love their selection of retro-inspired dresses and other items, I’ve yet to take the plunge and order something, purely because they’re based in the US, and even although they do ship internationally (yay!), I know from experience that the combined cost of international shipping and customs duties, plus the long time it can take items to arrive (If you’ve ever had a purchase “trapped” at customs, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about!) can be pretty off-putting, not to mention the worry that if the item doesn’t work out, it can be much more of a hassle to return it. This is a real shame, because there are so many great international brands I’d love to shop with, Shabby Apple being just one of them.
But back to the dress. This is the ‘On the Green’ dress, and it’s pretty much perfect, as far as I’m concerned. I love the bright green colour – that’s a given – but it’s the shape that really makes this a winner for me. The high neck and cap sleeves give it a real vintage feel, while the full skirt is just made for twirling in. I know a lot of people feel the combination of high neckline and (relatively) low hem can make a dress a little too matronly, but my take on dresses like this are that, because the cut is fairly “modest”, they make it possible to get away with much higher, and far more outrageous shoes than might otherwise be the case. I don’t specifically avoid dresses that are short(er) or more revealing, but if I do wear one, I’ll normally go for a lower heel to balance things out. With a dress like this, however, you can really go to town with your shoe choices: always important for a Shoeperwoman!
(I hope I’m right in assuming the corsage on the waistband isn’t included, or is at least detachable. It’s pretty, but makes the dress a little too bridesmaid-y: take it off, though, and you have the kind of dress you could wear just about anywhere!)
Love this dress! Have never heard of Shabby Apple; best remedy that right now!