Polka Dots for the 50’s, 60’s, & 70’s: The Business Interpretation
Fact of the Day: 85+ is the age at which women are happiest with their looks, according to a recent gallup poll. After dipping a bit in the thirties and forties, women’s beauty confidence soars almost nonstop from 49 onward. From More magazine
Now we’ll introduce this same blouse to the working woman. Today we make polka dot fashion appropriate for the office by adding a jacket or cardigan and nice heels. Some polka dots are more obvious than others depending on the size and color contrast of the circles. In this series, the 70’s model’s blouse almost looks solid from far away. And the 60’s model’s blouse could be interpreted as an interesting print since the circles are not the same size throughout the shirt. I styled these exact same shirts for dress up (here) and casual (here).
50’s Polka Dot Blouse: These are some of my favorite shoes since they have pieces of yarn on them. They were Isabel Toledo’s design for Payless and even came in a flat version—I so wish I’d also gotten the flats!
Blouse: Boston Proper (similar here)~~Blazer: Ann Taylor (similar here)~~Pants: Ann Taylor (similar here)~~Shoes: Isabel Toledo (here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)
60’s Polka Dot Blouse: Since the blouse shows quit amount of volume from the ruffles, it’s a good idea to pair it with a more slender skirt. Nancy’s pencil skirt fits the bill (and adds some nice color)!
Blouse: Jones New York (similar here)~~Jacket: East 5th (similar here)~~Skirt: The Limited (similar here)~~Shoes: Mushrooms (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)
70’s Polka Dot Blouse: Mom’s blouse is actually pink & grey, but when paired with the lilac cardigan, the grey seems to take on a more purple tint. Color is such an interesting concept and so very subjective, don’t you think?
Blouse: Mom made (similar here)~~Cardigan: Hillard & Hanson (similar here)~~Pants: Catherine Stewart (similar here)~~Shoes: Nine West (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)
Thanks for reading my styling blog!
Some photography by Kari Strand Photography