“After awhile, it got to be all normal. None of it seemed like crime.” ~ Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill, Goodfellas(via Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese)

Being a child of the 80s comes with some fashion baggage. Unless you were there, it’s hard to explain what Flashdance and Footloose did to us as kids — and that doesn’t even begin to address the trauma that Molly Ringwald, Jami Gertz, and Kerri Green wrought upon us. So you must understand that I and my kin have an affection for sweater dresses that defies all fashion logic. Seriously, I am a Jersey accent away from being an extra on “The Sopranos” at any given time.

So when Lissa Maertens and Melanie Zhao of Cattiva e Cattivo & ZHAO Shoes and Clothing drop this kind of stuff on me, it’s almost not fair. I tried to resist. I really did.

Cattiva e Cattivo - Versatility Sweater Dress

The Versatility sweater dress from Cattiva e Cattivo is a nice little romp back in time and, as it turns out is also rather…well, versatile. The dress system components come on multiple layers, giving you the ability to swap out with anything you might want to mix and match with. The texturing is really where this outfit defines itself. The knit fabric is expertly shaded (beneath the collar are even some airbrushed-on nip bumps that would do Farrah proud) and coordinates flawlessly with the collar and wrist cuff sculpted accents. The pieces are also edit-friendly; I chose to tint the included leggings in my “Deep Pink” set to match more with the bottom shading on the skirt rather than the lighter shoulder shades.

In addition to the collar and cuffs, you get stand-alone black and brown leather belts and two different skirt options. If there’s a weak point in the item, it’s the skirt offerings, which are either of the skin-tight crotch-prim variety or a non-flex mini-bell shape. While these types of skirts have their issues in both the fitting and wearing departments, the photo says it all — texturing makes up the grade.

Cattiva e Cattivo - Versatility Sweater

Taking the sweater dress from goomah to coed is an easy transition, btw, if you just toss your favorite jeans on beneath it. So long as you’re going coed with the outfit, you might want to pick up the AprilStars Oxford Pumps to go with it.

Cattiva e Cattivo & ZHAO Shoes - AprilStars Oxford Pumps

Another exquisitely sculpted and textured item, the AprilStars come in a variety of colors to give you happy feet. Their single pair cost is on the high end of what I’m looking to pay for non-boot shoes, but it’s certainly in keeping with current trends and they’re unique enough to wiggle their way into maintaining an affectionate spot in my inventory.

Now, go forth, my children, and try not to hum Irene Cara. I dare ya.

What, Where, How Much
Versatility Sweater Dress - L$200
AprilStars 2Tone Oxford Pumps - L$500
Cattiva e Cattivo & ZHAO Shoes
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Zhao/95/127/40