Help: I don't know what to wear with this dress.

Help: I don't know what to wear with this dress.

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• 6.08.2011

I just made this dress for myself on a whim--I had just barely enough fabric (it was $1.99 for the whole piece at Goodwill a while back) and got creative with the cute buttons and contrast straps.  I had a different vision for it than how it came out, somehow--it is more Lara Croft Tomb Raider and less funky Free People-ey than I had hoped.  I need help with how to wear it!

It was a combination of the top half of the bodice of my fave McCall's strapless dress standby:

And the midrif panel from my fave Butterick dress:

And the skirt from my fave Simplicity/Cynthia Rowley dress (pleated instead of gathered):

Anyway.  I worry about this dress's identity.  How can I make it look cute?

My only (ONLY!) thought was to pair it with a cute Anthro-ey cardigan in a soft, warm color and mix it up with some fun textures in accessories.  I looked around their site and found these options:

A cute and funky cardi:

A narrowish belt over:

And some bright wedges or clogs or something:

But, of course, I don't own any of those items.  So I still don't really know what to put with it.  What do you recommend??

How can I take it from video game hottie to shabby chic summer stylista? ;)