Dressing Up A Grey Dress, Post 608

A rack of clothes at prices from 5 Singapore dollars ninety cents in the basement of Singapore's Bupit Panjang Plaza shopping mall atrium, near the MRT railway station, at the end of the line. 

The bargain rack had four prices. The lowest was angelic at $5.90. That was the price in my mind.


Picture 1. This is the grey swing dress I bought, at $5.90 - Singapore dollars. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

The dress was rather loose. So I added a belt quickly improvised from a length of black ribbon. I have lots of reels of ribbon. The most useful is black, which goes with everything, especially with a black cape blazer jacket.

To match the belt, I added a small black fabric rose on a hair clip.I just looked around my dressing table for something black.

The silver sandals were an easy choice. I was wearing red sandals previously. Although red is my favourite colour, goes with red lipstick, and adds jollity, they just looked wrong. Silver looked right.

I then hunted for a necklace to fill the gap and draw attention away from my sagging bust towards my face. And to fill the neckline. And add interest. I was thinking of black. Maybe  a half moon shape necklace. But I chaned upon the white beds which echoied the white and lightened up the look. Just right for daytime. Informal. A bit sea-sidey, like white shells. That would suit a summer holiday, or a winter holiday. 

Although I love this dress, it is new, and delicate, if it were to get damaged or stanined or torn on holiday, or lost in lost luggage, I have only lost 6 dollars worth of clothing. A good choice for a worry free holiday.  

What if I don't have time to change for the evening? Of if I need to travel light? Or eat out in a smart hotel dining room?

I looked around for a black bolero or fancy removable collar, or lace shwal, or dickey (collar and front imitating a whole shirt or blouse). I found a litweight, compact for packing, top. Dozens like it can be found cheaply on Shein and all over at reasonable prices.

I used to travel with a black boat shape half top in black lace with gold beads which quickly glamorised any top on holiday. Because of the gold beads, it was quite expensive.

A silver evening bag goes with the sandals. It makes for an evening outfit.


Picture 2. The sleeveless grey dress with a black cape blazer jacket and black lace top, plus silver bag to add a touch of class and an evening feel or rather look. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Picture 3 Angela Lansbury, in grey, swing style, Angelic dress, and passing dog. Photo by Trever Sharot.

For details on Using A Dog As A Fashion Photo Prop, see the next post. 


Final Thoughts - When Can You Wear Grey?

Grey in some surveys is the worl'd least favourite colour. It is not as funeral and sombre as black.

Whu is it worn in men's suits? It does not show white dust or dandruff like white. 

Grey does go with white or black, and almost any colour. 

Another advantage of grey is what at first sight seems the disadvantage. Grey is neutral. Not interesting. Dull. Does not attract attention.

Sometimes, when my husband is the star of the evening,

I was not keen on the grey colour, but the bargain was irrestible. I loved the swirly skirt. I liked the fact that the dress had a lining and a seethrough top layer. 

The Grey Dress

From Bukit Panjang, August 2023. $5.90.

The Jacket

Black.

The Sandals

Silver


The Black Top

Black Lace. 

Label: Generation. New Look.

Hand wash only. Wash inside out. Iron on reverse. Reshape whilst damp.

92% nylon. 8%elastane.

Age 9. 134 cm.

Made in Moldova.

Keep away from fire.


The Necklace (Picture 1.)

Origin unknown. In case you want to make one like it, or order one like it, here are the components

White beads, multi-string, four strings each side. 

Spherical bead where they join at chest level. 

Suspended below the spherical bead are 8 short lengths of white bead. These have 15 small white beads, one large semi see-through flat circular bead the size of a small coin, two white beads, and smaller flat circular bead, two more white beads, a four sided bead with corners cut off to make diamond shape sides, in a contrasting colour, and a final white bead. The colured beads are a mixture, seemingly random, of murky yellow, orange, green and brown. 


Useful Websites

https://www.capitaland.com/sg/malls/bukitpanjangplaza/en.html

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