I’ve always loved cute little floral prints, so I was thrilled to learn that they’re back this season. And when I saw this See by Chloe floral print dress hanging on the rack, I simply HAD to have it. I love the cute pink floral print over the dark blue background and I love the intricate details of the dress. It looks really simple, but it is actually VERY intricate. It is a two piece that is a one piece. The top is a button up, and the front and back part are not attached to the skirt. You can leave them hanging out if you want. But it is attached to the skirt on the side by a stripe of cloth. The skirt is high waisted with a zip at the back and frills on the edges that is simply adorable. It was designed for the front/back part of the button up top to be tucked inside it. To make things more complicated, there is also a bow attached to the skirt by two buttons at the back (that need to be unbuttoned everytime you want to get out of the skirt……..), for you to tie around the waist. The over all effect is very ladylike and very pretty.

After wearing it for a few times though I have three problems with it.

1. WHY did they have to make this dress so complicated??? Couldn’t they just include all the details in there and make it an one piece with a simple zip at the side/back? Why bother making it a two piece that is an one piece? It is SUPER tedious to put on and get out of (especially when you’re going shopping!) and frankly I don’t see the value in the extra steps. The prints are so overpowering, that it wouldn’t make a big difference if I left the front part of the button up hanging out instead of tucked into the skirt (even if it did, it wouldn’t look especially refreshing). Am I missing something here?
2. While it is hot in Hong Kong, it is still spring and can get a bit chilly. I need something extra to pair with the dress to keep me warm, except nothing I own seems to go with it really well. My black blazer is too dark with the dark blue and it looks a little like I’m going to work- except it’s not even appropriate for work with the short skirt. My pink cardigan made me feel dowdy and my yellow cardigan just didn’t seem to go. Maybe a leather jacket. Or a really long cardigan in a lighter color. Thoughts?
3. I love this dress, but sometimes the monotony of the dark print is just so overpowering that it takes away from the design and makes it look bland (especially when I also have dark hair!). I need some kind of a twist to keep it chic. Something edgy and unexpected like the floral outfits below from the Net-a-Porter magazine, where they pair floral with a solid long cardigan/belt, or clash it with stripe prints and a structured blazer. Except this dress just seems to refuse modernization. I’ve tried putting a long sleeved striped tee or a frilly white shirt underneath to no avail. Putting somethig over it doesn’t seem to work. The only thing I can think of is to replace the floral print waist bow with a wide white belt to break up the monotony of the floral prints. Or I can just wear it with my hair up, and a white neckalce so it’s not so dark. Any suggestions?

Image Source: See by Chloe and Net a Porter