Retro purple twill has met its match. The answer is 5 year old enthusiasm and 50 year old patterns.
E has been excited about this dress since I bought a stash of Maudella patterns last year.  The pattern is Maudella 1406, circa 1960s.  The cover features  three little girls in flirty dresses with what could easily pass as high heels. The pattern came in only one size '5&6', which had me holding my breath and hoping it would fit.
The fabric is a printed twill, thrifted when E was only a twinkle in my eye.   We were using in chunks it as gift wrap for a while.

I felt the loud loud pattern needed some toning down, hence the co-ordinating collar, cuffs and waistband.  There was supposed to be  double breasted buttons down the front, but I fear a button has not yet been invented to shout louder than this fabric.  Remembering the childhood frustration of forgetting to undo cuffs until after clothes were half off, I left the cuffs un-gathered.
I am currently loving the Belgian Style series over at Straight Grain.  I may not have quite nailed the minimalist style with pinging accent colours, but I will keep trying.

E is ecstatic about the dress.  She has worn it two days straight and is trying it out with every pair of tights she can find.  She has also gone to pains to prove that it is a dress made for action and goes well with helmets.