My satisfaction rate for outfits this week is sitting at a jolly 90%!
I’ve felt really good in my clothes. As I said last week, I think summer dressing is significantly easier. This week I’m happily repeating my favorite dresses, jumpsuit, shorts etc. We even had a semi-formal event over the weekend and I wore one of my regular-rotation dresses for the night out, and I felt great. For someone who struggles with dressy events, it felt good to hit a home run.
MONDAY:
Linen Dress, Pyne & Smith Clothiers | Sandals, Everlane (sold out, similar) | Backpack, c/o Everlane
Yay! Today was the day I finally reunited with my husband. He has a thing for white dresses, so I wore this one. I love the way I feel in this, and the longer hemline (which I was unsure about at first), has certainly come in handy. It adds a touch of modesty to a dress that borders on sheer, and I just think the longer hemline is chic. If it was shorter, it would seem a little more average and a little less interesting. I am also pleased how this dress functions. I wash, line dry and wear. I don’t even bother with the iron. The texture adds character.
Styling Notes: This is the first time I wore brown shoes with this dress, and I kind of like it. Had to sneak in some edginess with my black backpack though.
TUESDAY:
Linen Blend Lou Jumpsuit, REIFhaus (use code SEASONS20 to save 20%!) | Huaraches, Nisolo | Backpack, c/o Everlane
The jumpsuit wins. Every time I wear it. It’s comfortable and chic, and makes the subtlest of statements. This is one of my top five things to wear in the summer. It’s even perfect for super hot days!
WEDNESDAY:
Everyday Top in Cotton Gauze, Miranda Bennet (sold out, but LOVE the long-sleeved version) (save $20 on Garmentory!) | Shorts, vintage Levi’s (similar)| Huaraches, Nisolo | Backpack, c/o Everlane
Finally, a cut-off combo that I felt good in! This outfit was a big winner for me. I love the lines, from the top down to the shoe. This terra cotta-blush color is beautiful! It makes me wish I had loads of clothes in this color, but then, I digress to Erin’s post about owning duplicates. I love this shirt because of the confluence of factors: fabric, texture, cut and color. If I ran out and bought more clothes in this color I might like them, but I probably wouldn’t love them like this one. More isn’t always better.
Styling Notes: I added a feminine touch to these shorts with the almond-toe huaraches. Sometimes wearing Birkenstocks with cut-offs feels a little too casual for me. These shoes are a nice alternative. This backpack isn’t super ideal for hot days (because it adds heat to my back), but some days I’m too lazy to switch bags.
THURSDAY:
Rosemary Cropped Tank, c/o IMBY | Clyde Work Pant, Elizabeth Suzann | Shoes, Birkenstock
Feeling a little ‘mod’ in this look, with the high neckline, and one-strap sandals. This top is super fun, even though it is a little out of my norm. The arm holes are low, and it swings in the back, plus the obvious cropped hemline. But those subtle details make me feel youthful (oh man, making myself feel old now!) and I like that.
Styling Notes: These pants work best when having the waistline defined, and this cropped top helps show it off nicely. Additionally the combination of a cropped top and high-waist bottoms is a great way to add length to the legs.
FRIDAY:
Chambray Dress, old Everlane (love this indigo option, which would be awesome year-round!) | Birkenstocks | Bracelet, Fashionable
Another favorite from the week! I love the juxtaposition of Birkenstocks and dresses – it’s probably my favorite summer combo. These taupe Birkenstocks have been a nice update from my much-adored black ones. They blend in nicely when I want a lighter color palette. More on this bag down in Sunday’s outfit details.
SATURDAY:
Basic Shift Dress, Hackwith Design House (on major sale right now! I’m wearing a size M) | Sarita Wedge, c/o Nisolo | Necklace, Brennan Young
Reunion time! If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen this outfit already. Kevin and I got dressed up to head out to his 20 Year High School Reunion. Yes, I married an old man. ;) It’s funny though, once we got there, some people were super casual!
I wore these wedges all night, and I was surprised how happy my feet were. I didn’t think about my shoes once! They definitely surpassed my expectations for comfort factor.
This was the first time I wore this dress with the V in the back, and I loved it! It was the perfect canvas for a statement necklace, and I felt super chic. As my friend Dacy commented, “I love how people stress so much about having the perfect outfit for these things, but if you just stick with simple and classic, you’ll be the most sophisticated one there.” Such true words! I definitely felt good in what I wore. Simplicity prevails again.
Shopping Notes: If you need a chic, basic dress, I highly recommend this one! I bought it back in November, and have worn it in cold months (layered) and in the heat. It’s a gorgeous, reversible, shift design, the V can be worn in the front or the back. Right now HDH is having a sitewide summer sale, so you can get this dress for $66.50, a steal! (I’m not getting paid to say this, nor am I getting a commission, I just really like the dress!)
SUNDAY:
Emerson Caftan in Ink Organic, c/o Emerson Fry (sold out, similar in Cerulean) | Sandals, Birkenstock | Bag, Madewell via e-bay (responsibly-made alternative)
Whoops! This is what happens you forget to take your daily pic until 9:15 PM.
We were visiting with friends and family for the better part of the day, and it was quite hot (but breezy). I was very happy in this airy caftan, and received lots of compliments! In the last few weeks I bought and sold a few bags. I parted with my beloved Baggu bucket bag, because I purchased this Madewell Crossbody Transport Tote off e-bay. I still really liked the bucket bag, but having the two felt redundant. I have mixed feelings about buying a Madewell item for the first time in two years. I just kept coming back to this style, and I finally decided if I could find it second-hand, I would buy it. So, I found it on e-bay, and bought it, though it was still new enough to have tags on it. An ethical gray area I suppose. I almost opted for the Fashionable version, but I wasn’t sure if it would be as small and structured as I wanted.
In Review:
FAVORITES: Wednesday + Friday
LESSONS: Don’t overthink your formal events. Most people do. If you stick to simple and chic, you’ll make a statement.
I looooove Thursday and Saturday. Very cool and chic! There’s something really good about blush with olive. It’s like – I’m sweet, but also edgy. My favorite way to dress – juxtaposing different styles. Love it.
Thanks Mel! I agree, I love juxtaposing styles as well, it really keeps things interesting!
Love all the outfits, but especially the dresses! So pretty! I also find a little black dress is the best bet for anything formal. I love yours!
In regards to your Madewell bag….. I struggle with the “ethically gray area” of buying new off of eBay or poshmark as well. I recently bought a pair of Athleta yoga pants that were new with tags on eBay from a private seller. I ended up being mostly ok with it because I know these pants work on my body and I will wear them out. (I was replacing a pair from 2009 that were shot!) I’m still not sure if I was enabling the seller to buy more unethically produced clothing for either herself or to resell…so I’m still not totally comfortable with my decision. Regardless, I keep going back to the idea that I bought something I was 100% sure I would wear out. Is it better to have one unethical item that is heavily used and worn or a half a dozen ethically made things that I don’t love? I would love your thoughts on this. Usually I just try to find gently used, but with yoga pants it’s not something I really wanted to do!
Oh man, I hear ya on all of this! And I don’t blame you for wanting new yoga pants. ;) I think mostly, I lament that my money isn’t going support a business that is making ethical production a priority. But I do think it’s better to buy something ‘unethically’ sourced and wear it out, than to buy a bunch of ‘ethical’ stuff you don’t really want. And maybe I would have wanted the FA bag if I could have seen it in person – the perils of shopping online. Good discussion!
Love the styling in these outfits! You always give me new ideas for how to make my style just a little more…stylish?
Random question: Are those clyde pants the olive in cotton twill? I know ES changed the fabric at some point and am wondering if that is the same one they are currently selling (they look much more taupe on the ES website, but I like the greener shade here!). Thanks!
Hi Alice! Yes, these are the olive pants in cotton twill! I got them in the spring. I believe these are the exact same as the ones currently listed on the ES site. ;)
It’s an easy spiral for me to fall into to worry about am I too dressed up or am I not dressed up enough! So I totally appreciate your lesson to not overthink for the formal events! Great advice!! Also that REIFhaus jumpsuit is so amazing on you! Tuesday is my dream uniform outfit :)
Yes! I am going to repeat this advice to myself in the future, SO helpful. Thank you for the kind words on my jumpsuit – I forgot to add, there is a coupon code a few posts back!
Oh my goodness, how CHIC are you in your dress-up outfit?! I love the clean lines and simplicity of all of these outfits on you, and the little details — like the beautiful fawn/terra cotta shade of your top, or the seamless neutral of your taupe Birks — really makes each one special.
Thank you Erin, so much!!
Thanks for the shoutout! ;) All of these outfits are so simple and chic!
Aw thanks Dacy! You continue to inspire me!
I love all of these outfits on you, especially the caftan and Pyne and Smith dress. They look so effortless and easy and comfortable. What size are you wearing in the Pyne and Smith dress? I’m tall-ish and broad shouldered and somewhat busty, but have zero hips so I’m worried it will just look like a muumuu on me if I order to fit the top half of me. But it looks well balanced on you!
Hi Joy! I am wearing the small in the P&S dress. I find her sizing to be generous! I am broad shouldered, but small busted. I bet if you get a dress that fits well on top, the volume at the bottom will give you a wonderfully balanced silhouette.
Hi Andrea, thanks for the HDH sale heads up! Do you have an opinion on the HDH Basics Easy kimono? The black is the same fabric as your dress – do you think it would make a nice, durable lightweight layer? Thanks!
You are welcome! I am not super into kimonos because they make me look like a football player. I think if I were to get one, I’d go for cotton or linen over tencel. Hope that helps!
I’m totally just curious why buying something “used” (albeit with tags still attached) is an ethical grey area? I’m fairly new in my foray into ethical and sustainable wardrobes, so maybe this has to do with a style of thinking that I’m not aware of yet. But I just can’t help but think that since it has already been purchased it’s a sunk cost and better it receive use than collect dust? Maybe the intentions in buying it were unethical (purchasing on sale and then selling for a profit) but I (maybe erroneously!!) always assume the best about people and assume they bought it and then never actually used it (like I would do sometimes with clothes from Forever 21 in high school
). Would love to learn more and hear your perspective!
Also… obsessed with your dressy outfit! That statement necklace is to die for!
I sometimes worry that when I’m buying something new with tags on it off of Ebay, etc. that it might have been stolen… : / Not exactly assuming the best, I know, but it is something that at the very least crosses my mind. And, I don’t want to speak for Andrea here, but at the very least any funds used to purchase the secondhand item are funds that are not going to support small, ethical brands. For me? I rely heavily (if not entirely) on purchasing everything secondhand! Just thought I’d speak to the other side for a moment. ; )
As always Andrea, you look stunning. : )
Thank you Laura! Yes, what you said!! Also, I feel more comfortable purchasing straight up ‘used’ items. Something about the new with tags felt weird!
Thank you for the compliment! ;)
I hadn’t thought of the whole dollars-not-going-to-ethical-companies persepective, as well as worrying about stolen goods. Thanks for sharing that! Definitely something to think about.
I’ve been told that some eBay stores buy whole-sale unsold clothing from big brands (no idea if this is true, just what I read on another blog). I try to check out the store I’m buying from. If they have a lot of the item I am interested in, in bulk and a variety of sizes, then maybe they bought it in bulk from the original retailer. But if they carry a variety of second-hand things, then I figure I am probably ok. I will buy new with tags on eBay, with a similar rational to your own.
Yeah, I think it might have been the situation you described! It feels like a gray area for sure.
That’s a good thing to check! Totally wouldn’t have thought of that, so thanks for bringing that up!
Hi Elle, great question! It’s hard for me to put a finger on it. But Laura definitely got part of it right. I would rather give my money to companies that are working to make change and bring about ethical manufacturing processes. I feel especially strong about this since I’m an ‘influencer.’ But you bring about a great perspective too. I hope it was just excess that someone bought and didn’t want, and I am responsibly off-loading it from them! :)
That totally makes sense Andrea, especially since you are so influential. Definitely hadn’t thought of that and I totally respect it! We need your perspective!
I hear ya, I’ve been wearing the same 3-4 dresses each week this summer, and then on Fridays as long as I don’t have meetings I can do casual Friday with my favorite pair of loose capris. Best way to beat the summer heat, just mix up the accessories and scarves each time! I really like the two-tone sandals with the white linen dress, everything looks great! (kicking myself again for not getting on the ball and ordering a linen dress earlier this summer, not sure I would have enough time now to enjoy it?)
Maybe Anne! I know what you mean, it’s hard to buy things late in the summer. I ordered a pair of ES shorts about a month ago. I probably wont get much wear out of them this summer, but I sure hope I will next summer!
I’d suggest that a secondhand Madewell tote– that you really wanted and that you like more than other options– sounds like the perfect choice, with no ethical issues whatsoever! Buying secondhand means you’re not using more resources to manufacture, you’re keeping things out of landfills, and things that have already been produced are getting used. From that perspective, secondhand goods (whether ethically manufactured in the first place or not) will always beat a newly even sustainably made object, right? Or, maybe, don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good?
Unrelatedly, I’ve got a shorter version of that Emerson Fry caftan, and it is one of my five favorite and most worn items of clothing. It’s fun to see it styled differently and also worn out for more evening adventures.
(I think this is my first time commenting here, although I’ve been reading for quite a while. Hi!)
I like that – “don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.” I’ve never heard that before, and I love it!
I also think there is something to the idea of purchasing an item that you know you will love forever – I think this is better than buying an item as a substitute (either you won’t use it, will only rarely use it, send it away, or possibly spend even more money buying the thing you really wanted in the first place). I searched high and low for a leather jacket at thrift shops and other ethical retailers. Ethics of leather production aside, I really wanted a genuine one. I stumbled on one at Zara, and it fit like a glove (it even fit differently than all of the other leather jackets in that same style/size). I knew it was the one, and I bought it even with a slightly guilty conscience. It’s something that I know I will love, care for, and keep for as long as it’s in one piece.
Hey Krystal! Yes! Agreed with what you said. It still feels hard, I feel like I’m letting my readers down a bit! But, I really love the quote you highlighted.
Also, on the topic of leather jackets – the struggle is real! I am still not loving my one from Ref (will probably sell it) and I am having a hard time finding one that measures up to my ethics standards, which is super hard with leather jackets anyway. Ugh!
Hi… I don’t know what to call you, but I love your handle! >< I echo Krystal, what a great mentality - don't let perfect be the enemy of good! I am a card-carrying perfectionist, so that was good to hear! Yes, ultimately I wanted what I wanted, and didn't want to settle. Here's to hoping for years of carrying that tote! I had the bigger version for a few years and loved it. On the caftan, which one do you have??
Hi Andrea, Great OOTD and interesting comments about thrifting, etc. from the rest of you. Thanks for the shout out about Hackwith Designs. There was something I’d been interested in for a long while but it was a little too much (for my budget). With their sale I was able to get it!
Yay Dawn! Glad you snagged it! And I agree, love the discussion going on too!
That jumpsuit really does win every single time.
Haha! Thanks Beth!! It’s so good! You have it too, right?