When I find a dress that is comfortable, pretty, and feminine, I wear it a lot. And, as you can see on my Instagram and on the blog, this is the case with this Anne Klein gingham dress that I bought with the specific thought of wearing in Italy (and beyond, of course).

In my mind, gingham associates with Italy (we’ve all seen those dreamy cafe or restaurant tables covered in gingham cloths), and breezy summer days. It’s a pattern that has grown on me over the years, even with running the risk of looking like I’m wearing a tablecloth.

Turns out that no one can exactly pinpoint where this print has originated but it’s associated with Italy, England, France, and even South Asia. It is said that gingham was initially a striped fabric and not the checkered one we know today, the word itself having the meaning of “striped” in Malayan. Some think gingham comes from South Asia and has been “perfected” in Manchester, England.

With all its interesting history, we can’t deny the fact that gingham is a popular and summery fabric, and I think that was what attracted me to this dress the moment I saw it. When I tried it on and saw how lightweight it is, and that it has pockets, I was completely sold.

I have worn it throughout Europe - in England, Moldova, and Italy on several occasions - that’s how comfortable and feminine I feel in it.

I wasn’t planning on writing about this dress on the blog, but I just saw that it’s being sold again (affiliate link), after being out of stock and I thought of sharing, in case you love it as much as I do. If you love the espadrilles I’m wearing, I found similar ones here.

For reference, I am wearing a size 4 and I find that it runs a bit large, but nothing too crazy. Also, I’m 5.5 in height, and as you can see it’s longer on me than the model. The dress features two slits on the sides, running up to the knees in my case.

While for care instructions, it says to dry clean, I threw it in the washer on a warm water cycle several times and had absolutely no issues with the fabric or fit.

Do you find this dress as pretty as I do?

Until next time.

xoxo,

Em