What I’m Wearing: 1. H&M Blouse and UO Shorts 2. Charlotte Russe Necklace / Wanted Shoes 3. H&M Blazer 4. RayBan Sunglasses / Coach Bag 5. H&M Jacket

How To Recreate It:

1. I started with my my favorite, yet very billowy, polka dotted blouse that has a tendency to makes me look like a ballon when it’s not tucked in or tamed by another layer. (Hence the basis of this paper doll post!) Next, I chose my burnt orange shorts to offset the “loud” white and black pattern and soften it up a bit.

2. I felt like making this outfit super springy so I sprung for my new patent leather espadrilles. I added a necklace that was long and heavy enough to hang down in order to begin the taming of the blouse.

3. Plain and simple, it seems that when polka dots are in the mix, I need to pair them with leopard or stripes. Stripes won this time around.

4. Key accessories are added, such as my beloved RayBan Wayfarers, and my very first Coach bag (circa 2004) to add a pop of lemon zest.

5. The finishing touches? I could have left it as is. But, what’s the fun in that? So, on went the leopard coat. My favorite pattern pairing is complete! Stripes, polka dots and leopard, oh my!

***Now for a quick lesson/reason for this post. I love blousy tops, but they don’t often flatter my shape because I am curvy. So instead of draping over me, my chest and hips in a demure way, I look like a balloon instead, as mentioned above. The key to taming these types of tops is to layer with a structured piece, such as a blazer or vest. That way you can still have a bit of blouse, but it won’t overwhelm your silhouette, making you look bigger than you are. My other tip is to tuck it into a high-waisted skirt and belt it. But I will save that outfit another day. Cheers! xoxo