Bring a little Bellagio to the Beach

Coastal summers, tropical cruises and beach holidays call for loose-fitting, airy, linen dresses, comfortable mules and the perfect wide-brimmed hat.

But why not add a little fun with something a bit more colourful? Perhaps an Italian silk shift dress that can be styled with flats for the day, or heels, for a flirty evening look?

Bellagio and Tremezzo, Lake Como, Italy

This past European summer, on a short visit to Italy, I found the most beautiful silk scarf in the little town of Bellagio, the Pearl of Lake Como, and was immediately inspired.

The scarf (above) came folded and wrapped in the black and white envelope (below)

The little shop called Bellagioseta (Bellagio Silk) can be found at Via Garibaldi 61, Bellagio

The dress was a little shorter than I’d have liked it to be, even though I squeezed out every last millimetre from the length of the scarf. I had cut the back panels of the dress from 100% silk too, in an ivory colour from my fabric stash, and so also decided to use some of the same ivory silk to add a flounce to the hem.

I was quite happy with the result, and was able to wear this dress on repeat during our trip home to sunny South Africa in December.

How eye-catching are these dresses from the Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana?

This A-line shift dress is so easy to design from your basic muslin pattern, and you can very quickly rustle up one that fits you perfectly!

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Until next time,

Caroline