Sign of the times. This sprightly novelty print decodes the language of Late Renaissance era commercial signage. I believe the captions are in Middle English. I shouldn’t admit this, but I managed to avoid reading both Beowulf and Chaucer despite many years in the gulag of Humanities, better known as graduate school. It could be Anglo Saxon for all I know. I’m saying Late Renaissance for the simple reason that tobacco was not readily available in Europe before 1609. Any novelty print with a dead language on it is golden. (Wouldn’t you just love a frock festooned with centurions’ helmets saying Vendi, Vidi, Vici?) I love that here the captions are dutifully and parenthetically translated, even when the sign is totally obvious.

I love the green, gold and purple signs on the cream background, and the curlicue font on the captions is priceless. But unusual print aside, the true joy of this dress is in the architecture of it. It’s got huge pockets and they’re trimmed with brown triangular appliqués (or perhaps insets) that mimic the ones at the collar. The wrap style is also remarkable, as are the wide cap sleeves.

Measuring B36 W26, it seems small and on the short side. Bids are currently low, and this would look so cute on you.

Movie Update: I finished watching “Never on Sunday” and can now recommend it heartily. Though the American character is every kind of annoying (an excellent example of why it is a bad idea to direct and star in your own film), Ilya is transcendent. She even helps other working girls to organize a strike. The music and dancing are fun too. The characters, it is explained early on, dance for themselves when they feel low, rather than to entertain others. The film is really a musical, but in the most organic way.