Wardrobe Obsession #7 | Pretty Woman Brown Polka Dot Dress
- Bree's Lifestyle
- Oct 5
- 4 min read
If you've seen the movie Pretty Woman, you know the dresses. There's several memorable and mega fashionable scenes every woman, and probably man, can recall with uncanny precision. If you've watched the movie many many times, then you can probably recite the scenes line-for-line. One of the famous scenes involves Vivian, all dolled up and unrecognizable, in a stunning red off-the-shoulder gown, and a playful Edward (Richard Gere's character) gently snapping a jewelry box on her gloved hands surveying the necklace inside. We all laugh at the same time Vivian does, don't we? How can you not?!
The second iconic dress is a sleeveless brown and polka dot one worn to a polo match with a white straw hat - adorned with the same brown and white polka dot fabric. Vivian is stunning, classy and absolutely radiant. Her short white gloves elevate the look from Sunday best to possible royalty. No one guessed she was a street walker plucked off of Hollywood Blvd. - just days prior- with a pin holding up her thigh-high boots. The movie is your classic Cinderella-type storyline, similar to My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn - another movie with its fashionably famous scenes. It's impossible to see a brown and white polka dot dress and NOT think of Vivian at the polo match.
As someone whose favorite patterns are either plaid or polka dots, I've always been drawn to dotty items. They have to be no bigger than the size of a thumb, though. Dots too big and they overwhelm my small frame. I feel like a clown in the circus, no matter how classy or cute the item may be. In my closet are many polka dotted items, but mostly in the classic black or navy blue. The brown and white variety hasn't always been widely available, but whenever I was lucky enough to come across an item, my thoughts instantly went to the famous polo scene in Pretty Woman. Unfortunately, the item may have not been available in my size, was in an unflattering cut, dots too big, or price too high.
Finally, my goldilocks moment happened while - you probably guessed by now - browsing on SHEIN. Yes, the site you either love or hate. Sidenote: I've been rocking with SHEIN since they were known as SheInside (in 2014), so clearly there's no hate-o-rade here. Are they ethically perfect? Not exactly. But many of our better-known favorites who pretend to be ethical are equally imperfect, while they upcharge you for the same or similar items. In any case, I'd finally found a dress that, while not exactly "the Vivian", it was close enough for me to be fully obsessed with!
The size of the dots is perfect. The shade of brown, perfect for my skin tone without washing me out. Midi-length hemline and the front-split detail perfect for South Florida weather. The sleeve-length made it suitable for more occasions than a sleeveless dress would. I could dress it up for a dressy event or dress it down for the weekend or casual outing. And, of course, the price was unbeatable! The two negatives is that it doesn't have pockets. No, Vivian's dress didn't have pockets either, BUT it would've been a nice extra credit if this one did. Also, after the first wash, the beaded raffia belt buckle didn't hold up very well and unraveled. Ugh! Funny enough, I hadn't planned to wear the belt with it for the most part, but I thought it looked cute for more casual styling. For that reason, I'm not beyond rewrapping the buckle using fabric glue and raffia ribbon. It's an easy fix, but annoying to have to do. Thus is the downside to being a cheapo! Sometimes you have to do a little extra versus paying a little extra for perfection!
All in all, I'm happy with the dress. I've worn it several times with other belts and she's holding up fabulously well. Easy to iron, steam, and travels well. The neckline IS a little deep, so if you plan to wear her to work, you might want to use sticky tape to keep the bust in place. I'd also suggest a tiny bust pin to close the area up a tad. If you're going for office siren, don't bother with those fixes, but keep that tape or pin handy in case HR comes knocking on your door or cubicle wall. The front split, even while sitting, is decent enough to pass, without the worry of flashing anyone.
This is one of those purchases I can honestly say I'm obsessed with. Every time I see it I'm happy I got it, which is how you should feel about everything you own. No regrets!
Check out some of the ways I've styled up my Pretty Woman obsession for Fall!
DRESSED UP & ELEVATED
DRESSED DOWN & CASUAL
SHOP MORE DRESSES
Since brown and polka dots are currently trending, more Pretty Woman inspired dresses are widely available. Below are similar options in all sizes and price points from more well-known and "reputable" (using that word loosely😉) retailers! Leave me a comment and let me know if you've had Vivian's brown polka dress on your fashion wish list, too, and if any of the below fit your personal style.
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