WIW 6/29: Purple polka dots and peacock purse

Question: Can purple ever be worn in the summer or is it always an autumn color?

Here is one of my favorite sheath dresses. It is sleeveless and purple and has textural polka dots. I don't own any white accessories (shoes or bags) which would be the typical way to summer-ize an outfit. But what could be more fun than pairing it with a peacock purse? (Plus the alliteration is so fun!) This Aldo Sedlak purse was one of Angie's finds (http://youlookfab.com/2012/03/.....or-spring/) and I recently spied it in one of Laura's posts (http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....p-and-gear). I looked it up and it was only $13.99 at the Aldoshoes.com website! Score!

I'm wearing it with some teal Sam & Libby peep toe wedges that I bought super cheap at DSW but have never worn because the heel is so high (which I didn't think about till I got home, you know how it is when you find something cool in the clearance rack, it clouds your judgment!). I'm going to try to see if I can actually wear it, but if they are too wobbly I have a backup pair of shoes and they'll go in the donate bin.

Adrianna Papell purple polka dot sheath dress
Aldo peacock clutch
Sam & Libby peep toe wedges
BR Trina Turk teal bracelet
Turquoise earrings

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11 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Absolutely purple can be worn in the summer! and a sleeveless sheath is the perfect way to do it! I love this dress on you Natalie. The peacock purse and shoes are perfect together and go great with the dress. To be honest, I'm not sure I'd like white accessories with this dress.

rae

(website)

Yup, purple can definitely be summery - if black can be summery, anything can!

I think it'd also be pretty with Dotty, or with your yellow bag and blue Kate Spade pumps!

ManidipaM

if black, blue and red are summer-ready, what's keeping purple? I like the way you've styled this and the peacock pattern as accent especially --- makes me think 'tropical summer' at once, where colours are traditionally deep and/or saturated!

Anonymous

Oh yes, I love this for summer! I think a lot of it depends on your climate too (if I remember correctly yours is quite temperate). These colors look kind of European to me, almost neutral. LOVE the bag and shoes. I'm praying they work for you because you look *so* fab in them!

Victoria

I am not really into dividing colors into seasons so I just wear whatever strikes my fancy. As for purple, I would wear it all year around,. no problem. Your dress looks great

Aida

I must admit that colors are very seasonal for me (emotional and mood dresser here), so I find SOME shades make me think of particular seasons. However, the accessories and amount of skin etc. can make them work for any season. I have a sheath in a similar color to this (though less muted) and plan to wear it year round, as long as I take care that the accessories feel appropriately seasonal to me. This particular purple does look autumnal to me, but I think with the exposed skin and cheerful accessories it works perfectly as you've styled it here.

Kiwichik

I think you can wear purple any time & that sheath dress deserves to be worn. I like how you've styled it & am glad you didn't do the white thing.

goldenpig

Thanks Shannon, Rae, Manidipa, Claire, Victoria, Aida, and Kiwichick. I think you're right, white wouldn't really go with this dress anyhow...I just thought that was the traditional way to summer-ize an outfit.

Thanks for the outfit suggestions Rae. I did do a purple dress with the turquoise pumps recently so that's why I chose a different shoe. But I think dotty would be a great pairing!

Aida, I agree, this kind of eggplant-y purple always reminds me of autumn, which is why I wanted to try wearing this for summer to see if it could be done. Thanks Shannon, Manidipa, Victoria & Kiwichick for the encouragement to wear purple anytime!

Claire, unfortunately I couldn't last the day in those high wedges. Everyone loved the shoes but I didn't feel stable enough because of the height, so I ditched them before I had to walk a block to the cafeteria to get lunch. I'm such a klutz I was worried about tripping and twisting my ankle. I don't think it's anything wrong with the shoe, I'm just not used to high high heels (plus most of my heels have ankle or T straps to help keep them on my feet). I'll bring them to the swap and hopefully someone more graceful can get some good use out of them because they are so pretty!

CocoLion

Looks right to me. Especially if you consider the cooler summers you get in San Francisco. I love the pairing of the shoes and purse! A little bit of pattern mixing which is your forte. Hope the shoes worked out as they look so good with that bag.

Like I said I think this looks plenty summery but if you want it to be unquestionably summery, then coordinating with white is a sure way to go.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

KILLER

My word. One of my Natalie faves

christieanne

I think this is one of my favorite WIW of yours Natalie - and the purple is so perfect for our cool (relatively) summers. That is a year round dress in my eye.
The pattern mixing in this is so subtle yet harmonizes well. Lovely!

Jonesy

I agree with Angie that this is a gorgeous look on you! The dress is beautiful and fits so well. I love those print wedges--hope they weren't too high :).

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