Bold colors and polka dots (or how Minnie Mouse would thrive with Ixia dresses)

Polka dots seem to be a timeless pattern for different kinds of garments; from casual frocks to formal attire. When paired with dark colors, polka dots look quite elegant and refined, especially when the dots are smaller in size and cover the piece like freckles. Just imagine a lady in a long navy wrap-up dress with white polka dots, wearing dark sunglasses and a straw sun hat with a matching navy scarf tied around it, sporting a big white handbag and peep toe heels of the same color... You just got yourself a true chic ensemble!

But today I want to focus on the other side of polka dots. The "fun side" of polka dots. Like when you see any kind of red clothing bathed in white polka dots and you immediately think about Minnie Mouse. In fact, Minnie's signature red polka dot dress could, in fact, be one of the most iconic polka dot gowns in history. We've seen her wear the same dress in pink less often, and more recently in blue during this year's "Minnie Rocks the Dots" event. Just in case you missed the cue, Uniqlo and Minnie have teamed up to launch a new clothing collection this year named "Minnie Mouse Loves Dots"; and guess which pattern will become the new trend? You got it!

Definitely Minnie's signature red polka dot dress cannot be overrun by any other gown, but one of my personal favorite brands might just be the thing you're looking for if you want to look as chic as Minnie Mouse. These yellow and pink polka dot dresses that I'm wearing in the pictures above and below are manufactured by the incredible clothing brand Ixia. They are comfortable, well made, light but sturdy, and they fit like a glove. Both models are swing dresses, with very nice movement in the skirt when you, well, swing and dance. Each one features a different bodice: the pink one has a simple fold over top, with straight shoulder straps and a built-in belt attached at the waistband for you to tie it back in a pretty bow. The yellow one came with an adjustable and removable halter strap and a pleated top. Nevertheless, both follow the same sizing chart.

The dresses are somewhat stretchy, since they are made with 97% cotton and 5% spandex, and they also have an elastic backing to help accommodate a perfect fit. You can wear them with or without a bra since the bodice is padded. Both the pink and the yellow models feature a zipper on the back and a circle skirt, though the description might deceive you because they usually tag them as A-line dresses. Dare to wear the dress with a petticoat and you'll get yourself a very nice volume in the skirt. Don't worry, if you don't exactly dream about full dresses, you can simply sport them as they are. But coming back to the main idea behind them, these bold colors turn polka dots into a really fun and fresh way to wear them. The combination is perfect for young and young-at-heart ladies who are into the 50s era fashion with a modern twist. You can find these dresses and other models in a wide array of colors, including jade, black, lavender, white, coral, fuchsia, navy... and red too! I'm sure Minnie Mouse would approve these dress collections, and perhaps even get a few for herself.

It's not very common to know Ixia unless you've casually stumbled upon it. The reason behind it is that Ixia has neither a physical store nor an online shop, webpage, or social media channels. However, you can find Ixia dresses at Amazon or Ebay, or even through retailers like Modcloth, LA Showroom, RetroGlam and others. I was lucky enough to come across this exquisite clothing brand while rummaging through a random clothing store in my neighborhood, which sells garments from random wholesalers. The first dress I spotted was the pink one, and I just had to have it. It was like love at first sight. The store only had medium and large, but I couldn't care less and decided to purchase it anyway. The next time I went by the store the yellow one caught my attention through the window.

I love these Ixia dresses and am proud to have them as part of my wardrobe. Every time I wear them I feel like channeling Minnie Mouse and I pair them with classic heels, just like Minnie! So if you feel like these are the right choice for you, go ahead and get a couple of them. I currently own four Ixias and I'm planning to get my hand on a few more. *evil laughter*

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PS: Please note that both garments are "dry clean only", but soon I'll be uploading a tutorial on how I take good care of them at home. 

Easter is the season of pastels

Every time that Easter comes near, it seems as every store fills its shelves and shopfront with colorful pastel tones. Chocolates and candies, balloons, flowers, Easter egg baskets and candles are only some of the products offered in these hues. However, we can also easily find season-appropriate kinds of clothes, shoes and accessories tinted in powder blue, baby pink, light yellow, aqua, lavender, lilac, pale orange, mint, or other pastel colors.

For example, I recently came across these beautiful wedges at Payless Shoe Source, especially designed for this brand by Christian Siriano. They are everything you could wish for when searching for an ideal Easter outfit: the braided wicker platforms that remind you of woven baskets, the exquisite floral pattern reminiscent of Spring, the use of pastel tones like cream, lavender, light blue and lilac, and lastly the evidently fresh and delicate strap design, again resembling a slight weave.

I chose these shoes as the base for my Easter ensemble. The next item I selected was my "A hint of Spring" skirt, which I confectioned out of an old fabric rectangle that my aunt gave to me. Naturally I chose the skirt because of its nice volume, colors and flower pattern. The difference between this skirt and the other gathered skirts I've sewn is that this one has no zipper. Instead, it has a completely elastic waistband which provides it with a better fit and comfort (plus, it can size up or down on its own).

To complete the look I went with a 3/4 length sleeve unicolor shirt made of lavender tinted cotton. The piece has a small pocket on the left, and decorative button straps on the edge of each sleeve. This shirt is perfect to balance out the floral patterns and match one of the most prominent colors of the wedges.

I also accessorized the outfit with a heart-and-pompom pendant hanging from a golden chain, a floral-printed ball bracelet in pastel hues, and a second bracelet with real tiny flowers covered in resin (a perfect finishing touch for Spring!). Finally, I used some cool pastel-colored hair twists (by Avon) to weave my wavy hair into a fun and easy hairdo.

Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons because it's the time when flowers bloom with beautiful colors and textures. For some reason I feel a deep admiration for flowers and can't hold myself from contemplating these beautiful beings. So, seeing as it's a perfect occasion, I want to wish you all a happy Earth Day!

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Star Wars 40th anniversary inspiration

The Star Wars Celebration wrapped up this weekend after four glorious days of commemorating 40 years of this amazing saga. The event took place at Orlando, Florida, and featured fantastic panels of guests, live interviews, behind the scenes and screenings, autograph signings, and a touching storytelling tribute to Carrie Fisher. Visitors could also tour around the Star Wars art show, explore movie props, costumes, life-size replicas and scenery, and shop for Star Wars merchandise in over 200 stands at the exhibit hall. 

My take for this 40th anniversary Star Wars celebration came in the shape of two heart-warming dresses that I was able to purchase in my last visit to Walt Disney World. Featuring two of the most beloved droids in the galaxy, BB-8 and R2-D2 respectively, the outfits fit perfect for the occasion. These belong to a collection of four Star Wars dresses sold by the DisneyStore, which also include a C-3PO model and a galactic Star Wars logo version.

DisneyStore®

All four dresses have a cotton t-shirt-like top printed with the droids' icons in color and glitter detailing, with a gathered detail on the sleeves. My two dresses come with a white top attached to a soft two-layer tulle skirt with polyester taffeta lining. Both are presented with a silver stretch band placed just over the waist, where the top meets the skirt. While R2-D2's model has matching dark blue tulle and lining, BB-8's version has a droid icon printed over white lining, which peeks out through the tulle's orange mesh.

The other two dresses are made with yellow and black tops with color-matching skirts. The BB-8 and C-3PO models are out of stock already, and apparently won't be restocked again. I had seen these dresses on the DisneyStore webpage, but got to try on the R2-D2 one at the Legends of Hollywood shop in Disney's Hollywood Studios. I bought the artoo dress straight away, but was able to snag the BB-8 one exactly my size after the clerk told me it had been sold out everywhere, and suggested to give it a shot online.

The bright colors, the fresh fabric, the full tulle skirts, the comfortable fit, and of course the timeless and memorable characters pictured in each dress make these outfits my top picks for this week and pretty much any other moment in life.

Although I was sadly unable to attend the event, I watched most of it through live stream. Gladly, I was able to watch several surprises being unveiled, such as a new poster and a movie trailer for The Last Jedi, a sneak peek of Star Wars Rebels season four, hints about new characters and storylines, and a debut appearance at Star Wars Celebration by Harrison Ford. Guest speakers included directors George Lucas and Rian Johnson, LucasFilm president Kathleen Kennedy, executive producer Dave Filoni, music composer John Williams, actors Warwick Davis, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Ian McDiarmid, Billie Lourd, Billy Dee Williams, and other incredible panelists.

LucasFilm / Disney

So after this thrilling experience, don't forget to set your countdown clocks for eight months from now, as we brace ourselves for the premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on December 15, 2017. I will definitely start preparing a special outfit for such an important day, and of course, I will be sharing it with you in due time.

Come back for more cool posts about fashion, crafts and other findings!