Vintage Horse Print Dress | Emily x Kristina

Fashion “rules” would probably tell me to pair this outrageous print with a neutral, or to concentrate on bringing out ONE of the colors in the print. But I’m a total “more is more” gal, so give me a loud print and I’m going to do my best to really let it scream.

I was thrilled to get my hands on this dress from Kristina for my first style swap. I am a total sucker for a terrific print, and it doesn’t really get more terrific than this one! Purple flowers and ferns, prancing horses and, oh, those COLORS.

One of the things I like to highlight on my blog is how to style distinctive, unusual or outlandish items in a work-appropriate way. Mind you, my definition of “work-appropriate” is probably broader than some; I’m a newspaper editor, and our office dress code for women is extremely vague. But it’s possible, even in a more conservative setting, to pull off unconventional pieces.

Still, I had no desire to “tone down” the gorgeous, vivid hues of this vintage dress! I reached for an orange sweater right away. I am NOT curvy, so I rely on garments like this cardigan to define my waist, especially if I’m wearing a straight or A-line dress. And I loved how the orange brought out the colors of the dress. Combined with bright bangles and purple flats, the whole outfit just put a smile on my face.

I am not much of a makeup person, but I did add pale green eyeshadow to brighten up my eyes, and a copper-tinted lip balm to give my face a bit of color. And just in case there wasn’t enough color already, I picked out a pair of blue bangles and a green head scarf! (Like I said: More is more.)