princess polly south of france maxi dress devore floral cami lace up back detail in red Maxi dresses Shine under the sun in this figure NWOT Princess Polly South of

The square neckline is both flattering and on-trend

To what extent do the interpolations and artistic license taken by designers affect our enjoyment and our sense of what a production should portray

Take a peek at the short video below to see the sped-up version of my process from blank page, to lightly laying out figures, and then dressing them with silhouettes, design details, colors, textures, seams and the line and shadow that makes it all pop. I always create my shadow tone by taking my base color and adding some black into it

For more on dressing with a modern edge while staying appropriate, our guide to a contemporary wedding guest dress shows how current style and occasion-appropriateness work together

Strapless jacquard mini dress with fully-boned corset and a slight A-line skirt