Polka Dot Party

Fashion is cyclical. It’s a statement we see, hear and read all the time and it holds truth. There is beauty in that, don’t you think? To know that a garment or certain trend or style will come back around, and that when it does it will likely hold some sort of emotion or memory. It’s like magic, and it’s one of my favorite things about fashion! Keep reading to find out what happened when I slipped on a dress and was transported back to grade school all because of polka dots! Yes, polka dots!

It’s like a flash in your mind. A song, a scent, a garment- they all hold this magical power of being able to bring you back to another time, another moment, a special memory. As I was pulling some options for a recent blog shoot, I selected this black and white polka dot plus size dress from Full Beauty. Obviously, I mean - its cute, fun & looked super comfortable. It has a figure flattering silhouette, was a decent length and seemed versatile enough to be able to wear with just about anything – from heels to sneakers, moto jackets to cardigans!

Style Tip: Finding versatile pieces that can be reworked throughout the seasons is key! Make your wardrobe work overtime!

It wasn’t until the moment that I physically put the dress on that .. BOOM! One glance at myself in the mirror and I was suddenly back in third grade at Our Lady of Guadalupe’s picture day. See, I went to catholic school my entire life. And while it afforded me a great education and faith-filled formative years (shout out to First Friday Mass), it meant that the majority of my time was spent wearing some variation of a pleated plaid uniform with a tie! {Like seriously, why the tie?!}. In Catholic school, picture Day was one of the few days students were allowed to “dress down” so naturally, it was major! We’re talking serious prep people! To be honest, I could probably dedicate a series of posts to my picture day looks- how thoughtful they were, how interesting my younger self tried to be, and how ultimately hilarious the looks and photos were. But for now, we’ll focus on the polka dots.

It was third grade and the days of my mom just laying an outfit out on the bed for me were long gone. I had started to form an opinion on the clothes I wore, and I was so proud of that. The polka dot outfit was my choice and it was one of those “I feel awesome, no one can tell me otherwise” moments that, at an early age, we don’t know to appreciate. So, when I slipped into this polka dot dress, for what I would say counts as an adult picture day (read: blog photoshoot day), I was taken back to that moment of confidence. I felt a sense of pride, a feeling of excitement, and was quickly reminded of how confidence and self-love starts at such a young age. I was reminded of how lucky I was (am) to be surrounded by family who preach the importance of feeling good, looking good, and loving who you are. And 31 year old me felt the confidence and the power of the polka dots all over again…

All of that, just from a polka dot dress. I know, it seems crazy. But if you’ve ever been lucky enough to have a flash moment like the one I’m describing- you get it. If you haven’t, I’m excited for the moment you do. Because ultimately, it’s those small memories that amount to something bigger. It’s those magical fashion flashbacks that remind you how far you’ve come (and hopefully prompts you to appreciate it). And that truly is, magic. Because at the end of the day, it’s never just about the dress. It’s about how you feel IN the dress, that’s most important. Oh, and a successful picture day, of course :)