Couture vs. Cheapskate: Red Polka Dot Blouse

Can you tell which red polka dot blouse costs $294 vs. $18?

 Blouse A

vs.

  Blouse B

To see results, click here.

I am not going to lie, this is a head scratcher.  

To make my decision, first I would look to details.  The bow and bell sleeves on Blouse B give the blouse a little extra something.  Second, I would look to fabric. The sheen of Blouse A along with the imperfect polka dots would lead me to believe Blouse A could be made of a more elevated fabric such as silk.  For me, the tell-tale sign of a more expensive blouse is always whether it has seams along the front and back to give it shape and movement.  Such is the case with Blouse A.

Therefore it can be concluded Blouse A is the $294 red polka dot blouse.

Tucker Slim Fit Silk Shirt

$294 at Piperlime.com  To Buy

Are polka dots everywhere this season or is it just me?  They are big every Spring but I cannot put my finger on why this year they seem to be twice as popular.  My only theory is that due to the popularity of print mixing, polka dots work somewhat as a basic to pair with more busy prints.

That theory is exactly why I bought this shirt from H&M a few weeks ago.

Polka Dot Blouse

$17.95 at H&M  To Buy

In my head I thought this blouse would look awesome with my newly-acquired JCP watercolor skirt.  This outfit is a long ways down the road, but for the exceptional price, I found this blouse to be a worthwhile investment right now.  Plus when it comes to H&M, you cannot guarantee something cute at a good price to last more than a few days on the rack.  Word to the wise: buy it when you see it...you can always return.

Watercolor skirt for reference's sake ($18 -- no longer available)

This blouse is something I could wear now until the temperatures get warmer with skinny pants and pencil skirts.  Case in point, I wore this blouse with a black suit earlier in the week (with this make-up) and there were compliments a'plenty.  I would also die for this blouse with a leather skirt, tights and booties.  Tres cute meets tough.

For $18 you get an on-trend red polka dot blouse, with stylish details that you can wear four seasons.  How can you go wrong?  Duh.  You can't.