Princess Style Polkadot blouse in red with a red chiffon overlay blouse, dress of the day, and evening, dress 417
Princess Diana wore a polkadot dress which was admired - and set the fashion. So did Kate. I picked out of my wardrobe (Americans say closet) a red polkadot blouse for day wear to a conference.
The red colour was jolly. Red cheered me up. Red invigorated me after I had been feeling tired. To go with it, my favourite red sandals and my favourite red lipstick.
The Polkadot red and white blouse
Polkadot white dots on red: Label Options at Austin Reed. 100 per cent polyester. Size 16. code number 139.
Shoulder pads.
Look closely at the photo and you will see that the polka dots are in two sizes.
Five buttonholes and five buttons down the front covered are with the same fabric.
I have considered removing the shoulder pads in order to use the pocket of semi-circuar red fabric to create two pockets. I would let the fabric into the left and rights side seams. I like pockets.
Checking the company in Wikipedia, I found a photo of their store in London. I learned that Winston Churchill shopped there. At first they made only men's wear. They were taken over by Edinburgh Woollen Mills and have stores in outlet malls.
I found two vintage Austin Reed blouses in red on Ebay. One at about 13 pounds sterling, the other nearer twenty pounds.
Searching for polka dot, I found vary nice black or white tee shirts with polka dots in the contrasting colour, also on ebay, at on 7.99 pounds sterling plus postage.
Also long and short sleeve blouses and no sleeve blouses with bidding on ebay starting at about one pound.
Plus size Red or yellow or black with polkadots from Raylike19 on ebay.
Others from New Look, or Boohoo, or Primark. And shirred waist from Shein.
Red Skirt (red slip)
Red Marks & Spencer full length slip. Lace bust. Spaghetti strips.
On a hot day summer's day all my lined skirts felt too heavy.
Chiffon Overblouse
The red chiffon over blouse or overdress is short-sleeved. Three buttons are shirt size with two holes and pearly red.
A frill is sewn along the mandarin collar. Two overlapping frills run from the shoulder to the waist on both sides of the buttons. (Four frills in total.)
The Red Sandals
Brand Free-step. Upper leather. Size 4 UK.
The red lipstick
The red lipstick is YSL. The gold, reflective surface of the lipstick is luxurious and practical. It acts as a mirror to help you to apply the lipstick.
A last look at Polka dots - spelling
I looked up Polka dots in Wikipedia and found all I wanted to know and more. Firstly, the spelling. Why is the headline in Wikipedia printed as Polka dots, two words, yet Polka-dot bikini is hyphenated? I think that it follows the old system of keeping the words separate, until they become an adjective. When 'polka-dot' is an adjective it becomes one word because otherwise you have too many nouns and can't tell which is the adjective and which is the noun without hesitating and reading the text twice.
I tend to drop hyphens. Then the spell checker (but a spell-checking device) highlights the word, so I add a hyphen.
The History of Polka Dots
Yes polka dots are from the era of the popular polka dance music. The polka became popular in the 1830s, starting in countries near Austria and getting a big boost from the Strauss family of composers.
The Dot size and Pattern
The Wikipedia article makes interesting distinctions between formal and informal clothing, and leisure wear rather than formal wear, hence the hit song about the itsy bitsy teen weeny polka dot bikini.
From the fabric designers and choosers or buyers point of view, the other interesting distinction is that Wiki speaks of pola dots being filled circles which are large and of regular size.
What makes my garment look slightly superior to the tiring-to-look-at large, regular size, regularly spaced polka dots, is the variation in size from the smaller dots to the larger ones. This creates more of a pattern, less of a dazzling effect. I feel the designer has put more effort into the pattern, as well as the garment's cut.
The Cut of the Fabric, the design
The sleeves have a cuff and a button and button hole.
Washability and Wearability
I washed the red polka-dot blouse and by the next morning it was already dry and ready to wear again. Clean-looking, clean-smelling, and creaseless. Definitely a useful garment to wear or pack on a holiday or conference or short trip.
Packing Pretty But Practical Clothes For A Trip
My plan of trying on holiday clothes a month before, with all the accessories, and washing them out to wear again, or pack, is successful. This year, for the first time, I shall have clothes which are not a headache but a joy to wear.
I have matched, clean, creaseless clothes. I shall be able to dress in a hurry. No hunting, fumbling, keeping others waiting, arriving late for breakfast. No washed clothes still wet. I shall grad a matched outfit and look good.
I shall reach home without clothes which are creased and needing washing. Unpacking will be easy. If I don't want to be bothered with unpacking, just remove the souvenirs and papers. Apart from what I am wearing, every piece of clothing in the case can be ready for the next trip.
Useful Websites
Austin Reed on Ebay
black and white polka dot blouses
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284286066014?hash=item4230c51d5e:g:xSAAAOSwjTZglRU4&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4L17agwHlHQw6LjCSZ3CIhaGyTNWv6K1mvJDRj3lyRzFmX63XVv90PjOBIp1SIPd9MK2LiuK3cLWSOj9rzaWrRZkD7H8UJj2cN9JZlCvLosoh0ski7ApViydhNuRQxoM%2Bk4AonaZVWxHUOVu%2F8j4lc5iWNDl2Qx0vSBrje0X%2BAcVMguoO8doPWHZDbIKP%2BXnUDHNOxr9HgqmPNbbD8y9VjVbbR%2BwdK8PBwfRczW5aeG50Wca3Q%2FsSK5h5x%2Bn3aEGLqbod4vnScaenQ2LI6mgxEZaIKfN8XjgXqF7KOJTOvrQ%7Ctkp%3ABFBMvOTflbJg
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Reed_(retailer)
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