Design for Shabby Apple

Shabby Apple is currently holding a design contest where one lucky will winner will have the opportunity to create a dress, skirt, or blouse for Shabby Apple's spring line. Last year I posted a review of Shabby Apple's Cider Dress and would love the opportunity to create my own Shabby Apple dress.

For inspiration I turned to:

The new duchess and her younger sister never fail to impress with their classic style and manicured appearance.

While I must confess that I still have not seen Mad Men or In the Mood for Love, it is impossible to follow fashion blogs and not see images from these vintage inspired productions.

Because I have a curvy figure, I tend to avoid full skirts, but a closet full of straight skirts can be so boring. Enter the peplum skirt, which adds a little flair without taking over your bottom half. Mandarin collars are a favorite because they look polished without clinging to my neck the way turtlenecks tend to do.

The Design

For my design, I envision a stretch cotton twill in a mint or apple green with navy blue piping across the chest and outlining the collar, sleeves and peplum skirt. Tiny, navy blue buttons run across the chest and down the back. The peplum skirt is longer in back where it splits to show off the buttons that cover the zipper. The sleeves hit a little above the elbow, and the skirt hits right at the knee.

Visit Shabby Apple Dresses for more information on entering the contest. Plus, you can save 20% with code SUMMER20.

Don't forget to enter the Kushyfoot Giveaway!

Shabby Apple Cider Dress

A few months ago, I entered a giveaway from free!grechen and won a dress from Shabby Apple, a company that offers pretty dresses with a vintage twist. Lately, I've really been attracted to the color orange, a color a don't usually wear, and decided to try the Cider dress from The Berkshires collection. I love how the princess seams contour my body, and the purple zipper in the back is a fun contrast.

The sizing was a little confusing to figure out because the dress was labeled as "Fits Generously", so I ordered down a size. Thankfully, the dress fit.

Shabby Apple describes itself as "A return to what dresses were always meant to be — a one-piece outfit. No need to add anything...no tank tops, no cardigans, nothing (except accessories, of course!" The company, also, contributes a percentage of its profits to support women in Africa and Asia. I'm really happy with my Cider dress and am already thinking about what other dresses I would like to get from Shabby Apple.