Hot and Fresh Out the Kitchen

The minute I saw this Bernie Dexter dress, I knew I had to have it. A shirtwaist dress with a zipper instead of buttons, a full gathered skirt, pockets, and a cooking-themed print? YES PLEASE. I pretty much count the hours each day until it's time to start making dinner, so a cooking-print dress is exactly what my wardrobe needed. I held off for as long as I could, but once the fabulous Bristol got hers and posted an outfit pic, my resolve was shattered. When it arrived barely two days later, I wondered what on Earth I'd waited for.

This dress is basically ideal. It fits me absolutely perfectly! I ordered my usual size and I'm very happy with the fit. The length is just below my knee, which I really like. For reference, I'm a shade over 5'2. I love the shape of the sleeves: they wing up a little above my arms in the cutest way, but don't feel awkward and bunched underneath a cardigan. This is good, because I don't think I could handle waiting to wear this dress until it's warm enough for short sleeves in Chicago! Below, I wore it with a red shrug from Lindy Bop, and a pair of sweater clips from Femme De Bloom, which I'm über stoked to put to good use!

What's more, the zip front means that I don't have to deal with a baggy bodice just to make sure that the front of this shirtdress doesn't gape, because there are no accursed buttons! The print is even better up close, too. On the Bernie Dexter website, the print looks like it's green, red, and varying shades of cream, but in person, there's a lovely yellow going through the teapots, stools, flowers, and sundry other kitchen things. I'm also a big fan of the inset waistband pictured below.

The print reminds me a little bit of the fabric my grandma let me use when she taught me to sew, but in the absolute best possible way. 

The skirt is nice and full, and my Jennifer petticoat from Malco Modes is the perfect length and fullness to turn the 1950s-housewife factor of the dress up to 11. It looks great without a petticoat as well, since the gathering on the skirt is pretty major, but I tend to prefer bigger, poofier skirts to less poofy skirts.

Shirtsleeves in February. Climate change is real, mmkay?

Obviously, my Dorothy shoes were the perfect choice for this dress. Also, I'm obsessed with all my new Daisy Jean hair flowers! It's a miracle I remembered which side of my head I put it on when I took this photo, though. Out of sight, out of mind.

"There's no place like the kitchen, there's no place like the kitchen…"

The perfect full-skirted dress + red everything else = :D!

Dress: Bernie Dexter Kelly In the Kitchen print

Cardigan: Lindy Bop (sold out, cream version here)

Sweater Clips: Femme De Bloom (red version)

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear

Hair flower: Daisy Jean Floral Designs

I'm hoping Bernie will release this dress in more of her fabulous prints (the Serenity Path print would be an absolute dream!), and I already have my eye on the green gingham version. If you like to cook, this dress is a must-have!

Do you wear shirt dresses? If so, what are some of your favorites?