This time from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection from Duro Olowu (remember him?)
Isn’t it gorgeous? I love those bright candy stripes and that bottom ruffle. I’ve been thinking hard about skirt ruffles for a while now, but haven’t been able to figure out how not to make them look all “swing your partner by the hand.”
There’s an all-red version, too — with a better picture on the designer’s website.
A Dress A Day 
I like this dress so much! I would love it without the flowery mid-section. I Love the all red, but the stripes add so much fun for summer!
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Those low hem ruffles in the Duro collection seem just a bit too “early 70’s prom dress” for me. On this dress, the midriff floral print breaks up the line vibrations in a fun way. It’s an idea to ‘file away’ for future reference.
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The model looks like she’s about to cry. I think her favorite floral dress got slashed and stuck in the middle of this dress. Poor girl. It would be tragic.
A different floral would look better with these stripes. Something not quite so jarring.
The ruffle is pretty. You get away from 70s prom dresses in the shoes. I love ruffles on skirts-sweet at any age!
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I, on the other hand, don’t like ruffles on skirts at all for adult women, after 1970s overdoses of Laura Ashley dresses! Isn’t it good that we live in a time and a place when we can all express our opinions freely, and dress pretty much as we would like, without risking death for speaking up? You go right ahead and ruffle away, Jamie. Jen O and I reserve the right to applaud your choice, without adding ruffles to our own hems.
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I like the red version better for two reasons: The fabric is softer, so the ruffle isn’t so “swing your partner”; and I don’t like the many, too many, directions the stripes are going and then they collide with a totally unrelated print. Migraine meds, please. I think it’s the length of the dress that saves it from ’70’s prom dress. Back then we went to the floor or mid-thigh. Tea length was just too conservative.
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Ruffles on an asymmetrical hem make for a totally different feel. For example make the left side of the skirt 6″ longer than the right. Layer the ruffles, too, in an asymmetrical fashion but don’t make them too full.
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I want to like this dress, it’s got lots of design potential, but I just don’t. Aside from the clashing fabric which is hurting my eyes, there seems to be some fabric/seam wierdness going on where the bottom of the bodice joins the skirt. Maybe it’s just a bad picture or maybe they ironed it with their eyes closed because of the stripes. When it comes to skirt ruffles, I will generally use a circular flounce in preference to a gathered ruffle as it gives a much softer and more floaty effect.
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Love the red version, but really appreciate the play of the stripes in this one.
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