Staci JonesComment

Life is Short, Buy the Dress

Staci JonesComment
Life is Short, Buy the Dress

I know it’s been a minute and I know you’re upset with me.  But hear me out.  This has been a year of change for me and I haven’t quite had a minute to catch my breath.  But I’m back and the rest of this year is going to be good.  I started a blog on Paris…..particularly on the food in Paris, a couple of weeks ago.  However, I decided against posting it.  I may eventually post it, but I really think that my readers don’t care about what I did there.  Of course, I had the trip of a lifetime, but I've missed an entire season of fashion and that's why you read my blogs.....for the fashion.  You care about what I wear, what you should wear and where you should buy it.  That’s what I do best, so that’s what I’m doing today.  This is going to be a rather long post, so grab a cup of tea so we can get started. 

 

Okay, so we’re in the thick of the spring season, my favorite time of the year in Texas.  Summer is really too hot to fully enjoy, so spring is simply life goals when you live in Houston.  I mean I basically live in the Hell’s Kitchen of the south, and a big part of daily outfit planning involves making sure I prevent a heat stroke. Hence the reason why my favorite fashion go to items are dresses.  Dresses are what dreams are made of when you live in a climate that tries to choke you to death as soon as the wind hits your face.  And that’s on a good day when we’re lucky enough to have a wind breeze.  The easiest thing to throw on and to style is a dress.  Separates are fun.  But let’s be real.  In order to look really current and pulled together wearing separates, you really have to know what you’re doing.  Some people aren’t on that level.  Even if you do know what you're doing, that ish takes work to style every day if you're doing it well.  No one has that kind of time. So don’t make it difficult for yourself if you fall into the fashionably challenged category or you're just simply too lazy to do the work.  It’s okay.  I’m here to help.  Dresses are your friends.  Now it’s even acceptable to style dresses you wear to work with, wait for it……………………………….sneakers!  And of course we know that different accessories can give the same dress a different look, yada yada yada.  We all know these things, so I won’t spend any time schooling you on the functions of a good dress.  I’m just going to tell you which ones you need to buy now and where you can find them. You’re welcome.

In my infamous Nikki Tutorial’s voice…”Come on Target”!  I’ve mentioned this before, but people have been sleeping on their brand "Who What Wear" for a minute.  No one talks about it…………ever.  They have stylish, quality pieces at really good prices.  This dress is no exception.  The off the shoulder number is very current, it’s 100% cotton which makes it more breathable and it’s only $35.  It’s also available in light blue and in plus sizes.  You need it.  Also check out Who What Wear's fashion site to keep up to date on current fashion trends.  It's one of my favs.

This is another Target brand that doesn’t get a lot of love.  It’s bohemian style brand,"Knox Rose" and tends to trend a little bit young, which is why I don’t shop this brand much.  But this season there are a lot of pieces that I could see myself wearing.  This is one of them.  This dress is so freaking cute and easy.  That shade of pink is everywhere and will be trending throughout the rest of 2017 and 2018. Just note that most brands will call this color "rose gold".  Plus, this dress looks good on all shapes and all sizes.  It’s just easy.  You can pair this with a good pair of wedges or give it a street vibe and throw it on with a pair of Adidas white and black Superstars.  The best part about this dress is that it's only $28. Like, seriously.....I can't.  Right now, all Target dresses are buy one, get one 50% off.  So both of these dresses could be in your wardrobe for less than $50.  Just saying.  

This is a sweet little number from my favorite store, Zara.  I’m really digging the printed floral detail and the ruffle short sleeve, which is on trend right now.  It’s also not super short, so you can get away with wearing this to work.  If you work in a cold environment, throw on a blue jean vest or jacket and you’re good to go.  This dress retails for about $30, which is a steal.

Let’s begin with the color.  This shade of blue looks good on very fair skin tones, as well as on skin tones that are as dark as mine.  It’s simply a color that would stand out on everyone.  Again, we see that ruffle detail at the top that takes this dress from nice to "gimme". It's like the perfect "third date and he’s taking me to the theater" dress.  But only if you really like him.  Don’t waste this dress on an “in the meantime” guy.  Don’t you do it.   The price is also right at $48.  ASOS shipping is free over $40 and there is no sales tax because they are based in the UK.   I also highly recommend you sign up for the $19 yearly fee to get unlimited 2 day free shipping.  It’s worth it.  ASOS is the holy grail fashion site at the moment.  Once you start, you cannot stop.

If you follow me on IG, which you all should be doing, you’ve already seen this dress.  I love the spring colors and the one sided cold shoulder action.  That detail makes it a tad bit different than other dresses I've seen in this style.  It also has a side split that you can’t quite see in this picture, but you can check it out through the link on the website.  I haven’t seen this dress in stores in the U.S., so as far as I know it's only available here online.  I actually picked it up in Amsterdam last month.  Unfortunately for you, this dress was cheaper in Europe.  I purchased it for 50 euros, which is about $54 USD.  This dress is currently $70 in the US.  So it’s a tad bit pricey, but honestly worth the money.  I’m typically not a huge H&M apparel fan, simply because I think Zara does it better for just a little bit more money.  Occasionally, I may find a must have dress, but that’s typically only about once a season.  However, their website is a lot more extensive and you can find high quality steals if you’re willing to spend the money.  I’m just not a fan of the vast majority of their in store assortment, or at least not in any of the stores here locally.  The H&M in Amsterdam was filled with higher end product and it looked like a completely different store.   The Amsterdam store opened my eyes to their premium range and the tremendous quality, so I am now more comfortable shopping this section online when necessary.

Another favorite and my final Amsterdam H&M pick up was this black cocktail style dress.picked up for the same price of 50 euros.  It’s a good formal dress option that can be worn all season long with the right shoes and accessories.  I also like the sweetheart neckline and the fitted bodice on top.  For me, it’s a tad bit loose on top, so I'll spend a little extra to get this tailored to fit perfectly.  A little bit of tailoring will make this a classic black tie dress fit for any formal occasion.  I'll be able to wear it for years.  Tailors are your friend. If you find something that you really like and the fit is a tad bit off, then I recommend buying it and then having it tailored. I don't, however, recommend doing this for every ill fitting garment you stumble upon.  If that cheap arse tee doesn't fit you the way you want, leave that ish in the store.

I’m sure you can tell that my latest obsession is ruffles.  They are just so freaking girly and it screams summer.  I absolutely adore this trend, so I promise to make you sick of seeing me wear it.  Shrugs.  Not sorry.  Not bothered (in YT's Rich Lux voice.  Check him out!)  I like the blue with the slight pinstripe color and the price is right at $46.  This is a great day time date dress with the cute guy your friend introduced you to because she thought you two would be perfect together.  It doesn’t make it look like you tried too hard.  It’s a dress that conveys that you’re just naturally stylish.  Pretty Little Thing also has its own brand website.  Honestly, I think ASOS does a good job curating their best styles on the ASOS site. But its not a bad idea to check out this site directly from time to time.  

 

This dress just does it for me.  It’s a simple silhouette that loosely drapes the body in a sexy, yet understated way.  The colors and the striping on this dress are just stunning.  I also like the subtly of the front pockets and the specific way it is draped, without being too voluminous.  It can be worn to events where you have to be a tad bit fancy or even to a cocktail event. It just works and it’s the type of staple piece that every woman should have in her closet at all times.  Revolve is a popular site and it's hard to not find anything compelling that you would want in your wardrobe.  However, this website curates brands that are typically expensive, and I don't typically recommend overpriced items. Most of those looks can be bought from Zara or ASOS for a fraction of the cost, to be honest. 

I know that I just spoke about not recommending expensive items.  And I know that these dresses are a “tad” bit pricey, but hear me out.  Okay, I’ve got nothing.  I just love them.  I want them.  And I’ve got to have them.  I also wanted to introduce you to this eco-friendly brand based out of Los Angeles.  Most of the pieces are manufactured in Los Angeles as well, which partly explains why their apparel is expensive.  They are one of the few brands that still manufactures on U.S. soil. But let's also be clear. Their products are indeed well designed and well made.  The pieces are just different.  They will last you a good amount of time, so it’s worth the money if you’ve got it. 

Last, but certainly not least, we have this number from Sunday Morning found on Lulus.  The tie dye on this dress is gorgeous.  It’s just so vibrant that you would notice it across from well across the room.  The silhouette itself is nothing new, but sometimes all it takes is a great print to make a simple item look fresh and current.  This dress screams Caribbean resort, so I would lose the heels that the model is styled in.  Flat and simple strappy sandals will give this look more appeal.  The print itself stands on its own.  A heel would take away some attention from the body of the dress.  And why would you want to do that?  You wouldn’t. You’ll have it in your wardrobe for a couple of years.  You’ll get tired of it and then put it away for about 2 years.  Then tie dye prints will be all of the rage and then you’ll be pulling this out of your closet for immediate use. 

 

Next Up

I hope that I was able to give you some really cool dress finds and also give you an indirect list of sites to shop for dresses on your own.  In my next post, I will attempt to tackle tops.  I find that cute tops that don’t break the bank are just really hard to find.  That’s another one of the multitude of reasons I prefer dresses.  However, sometimes you need to wear pants and you need to look polished.  So we have to do the work.  But not to worry! I’ll guide you through the best selection of tops and where to find them. 

 

Until next time…

 

SSJ