Aida, that's a good idea for the shoes. I'll give it a try.
Rae, I think you're right. The dress probably does harken back to 90s dresses that in turn harkened back to 30s bias cut dresses, and you and Aida are young enough that those style associations may be negative to your eyes. (I think we often reject the clothing of a recent era, especially when we're young, e.g. in the 80s I wouldn't have been caught dead in anything 70s looking. Though...come to think of it, this dress has a bit of 70s going on, too!, LOL)
Anyway...the dress assuredly has a bit of an old-fashioned tone. And I also think the colour or pattern seem less flattering in the photos than they seemed IRL...OR the photos are giving me really good information about that that I'll have to check!!
I can try it with some different shoes and jackets, too. The truth is, this dress would basically be a casual daytime sundress for walking downtown to do errands, maybe go for a lunch - a hot day, can't-be-bothered-doing-anything-more-than-throwing-on-one- thing kind of dress. So I wouldn't wear it with much other than a pair of sandals.
Krish, you're right - the shoes look 20s or early 30s. I enjoyed wearing them with my Long and Leans (my version of wide leg trousers.) I agree anything naval would be good to try.
Thanks again, all!