Colour Therapy: Best Blue Dress Flashback and Pops of Yellow

I spent this morning trying things on in my closet. I've been in a bit of a "closet funk" lately, feeling bored of the same ol', same ol', and instead of wallowing in my funk (which I'm really good at), I chose to do something creative and make some outfits for whatever my next few weeks hold. Good times! 

While I was doing that, I put together an outfit for today's weekly Zoom call with Mom. She's a fan of bright cobalt blue, and I needed some Colour Therapy. 

• Dress - Nanette Lepore, thrifted, Vancouver; last seen here in May 2020 with turquoise and PANK
• Shoes - Big Presence Desmond, Fluevog; last worn here in August 2020 with dots and daisies

As in my Always Be Upgrading motto, I've achieved peak Best Blue Dress with this one. We'll take a quick look back at my past outfits via Flashback shortly.

It doesn't have pockets, but I'll let that slide. The colour just makes me happy, and the pops of yellow smiled at me.

The dress looks good with my ink, which is something that I always have to factor in. 

At one point in my tenure with this dress, I put it in the giveaway pile. Yes, I recognized that was a bad idea. 

The skirt is snug to the hip, then flares out from a couple of big pleats. 

Same on the back. The outer layer is a sheer-ish fabric with lines of ribbon-like texture. 

It has a Rather High slit in the front. 

When I'm sitting down, this is a Quite Risque slit, but when I'm standing or walking it's really a nice detail. It's very swooshy.

The stuff: 

These are the same shoes as yesterday's, only in waxed cotton. They've been successfully repaired with melted crayon (sadly, the orange ones did not survive).

Yellow bling: 

With one blue! 

• Belt - Liz Claiborne, vintage 80s, thrifted
• Cuff - thrifted
• Bakelite earrings - vintage 60s, thrifted
• Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes

More bling: 

I'm so chuffed that brooches are "a thing" again in fashion, especially in menswear. You can see the nice texture of the dress fabric there. 

• Bee pin - gift from Megan Mae
• Flower brooch - Roberta's Hats

I bought that flower brooch at the local hat shop around 2000, and wore it pinned to a knit cloche hat for our friends' wedding. 

Mom and I on our call. 

Caught during a moment of hilarity. 

Flashback: Nanette Lepore Dress

I always seem to find good things when second-hand shopping in Vancouver - I can't wait to go over and visit friends and do that again! I found this dress at My Sister's Closet (a thrift/charity shop) here in March 2018 on our 21st anniversary trip.

As I noted at the time, I've been a fan of blue dresses in this shade for decades, and I've had a LOT of them over the years. This is easily the best one. It's a lovely shape, great colour and it has good details. I feel like me in it, which is the most important part. 

It's by Nanette Lepore, and is from around 2014. It's made in the USA (rare), is called the Blue Picture Day Dress, and would have retailed for between $400-500. 

I paid $26.00, which felt like a bargain at the time.

I wore it within days, in March 2018. I'm a big fan of "if it works with one colour, it will work with many" accessorizing. I always add a belt - it doesn't look right without one.

White, cream and gold there. 

I've done yellow before, here in May 2018. 

I wore this to the theatre with Mom. 

Magenta and gold in September 2018.

I miss those shoes, but they were way too high. 

Silver and black in May 2019.

I didn't wear it for the rest of the spring/summer 2019 season, which is when I decided it was too tight (it's always been snug in the boobs) and put it in the giveaway pile. 

When I cleaned up all of my giveaway stuff  in May 2020, during the early months of pandemic lockdown, I said "Regret-me-not!" and added it back in my closet. 

And there I am with all turquoise. But this goes to show how versatile a simple blue dress can be, and why I've been searching for an upgrade all these years. I think I've found it in this dress...but if a similar one comes along with pockets...I'm just sayin'! 

Mathy stuff: I still have plenty of wear left with this dress, but for now we're at 6 outfits, which is $4.49 per wear. Excellent.

Do you practice Colour Therapy? How would you accessorize this dress?