Hot for Polka dot

Have you ever gone thrifting and discovered a piece that just made you want to smile, really, really big?

Well I did! On a trip to Hawaii I found this adorable, polka dot, 80's number in an unlikely little shop. (See yesterday's post)...

My initial reaction was tempered by my husband remarking that it looked really, really dated. But at Secondhand Star we always have a few simple tricks and tweaks to fix that. In this case, I took the hem up from a below-the- knee length, to just above. That easy fix guaranteed me a chic re-do.

One of the things I loved about this dress was the boxy, cutaway shape that ran from the front buttons to the back. Plus the shoulder pads gave it a "working girl" boxy finish. (A la Melanie Griffith, not Julia Roberts)...

In keeping with that theme, I paired it with classic, nude heels, courtesy of a previous SHS clothing swap.

To add some retro-flare, I threw on a black fedora and some long pearls, along with pearl studded hoops. I started feeling a little like a gangsters "moll", but in a good way!

 Like all I needed was a pearl handled pistol to finish it off...

Sometimes all it takes is a few inches to turn something really dated into your next, favorite, retro-chic piece. When in doubt, try hacking a hem!

Love,

Noa B and Tanya D

Dress: Vintage re-design
Shoes: Guess, via trade
Pearls: Hawaii
Hat: H&M
Hoops: F21