This pattern is quick and easy to make, with just four pattern pieces. You can wear it as a below knee dress or a mid-thigh blouse, but it's simple to lengthen and shorten as you wish. The traditional blouse was hand-embroidered on the yoke, sleeves and front with brilliantly colored floral designs. Whether you make it as a dress or blouse, let your imagination run wild with decorative stitches on your machine. The 16th century Spanish colonial style has survived through the centuries in central and northern Mexico as a blouse. It later enjoyed immense popularity in the US, as a dress-length favorite in the mid-to-late 20th century. This traditional garment was and still is colorful, practical and comfortable to wear.