The hoop skirt itself is permanently attached to the dress and the 'hoop' is around the very bottom of the dress; that part is removable (the hard, bendy wire/plastic that makes the skirt billow out for the ball gown effect).  Bought for a father/daughter dance that is usually held late May, early June.  Was going to buy the green, as the child likes Princess Tiana.  She decided on golden, now calling herself Princess Belle, as in Beauty and the Beast. She won't stop twirling and in her own words, "I just love it!"  She looks adorable and the dress looks EXACTLY like the picture, give or take a smidgen of a shade, but that's relative to the computer monitor.

The child does have a crinolin slip, which works great with the hoop skirt.  Will buy again another time, in another color.  Might buy a few, several sizes up for years from now, stored properly of course.