on repeat

You've seen this dress before - several times recently (here and here). I just dig it, you guys. A stretchy, comfortable, and flattering dress that's affordable and is basic enough to go with almost everything, yet has a fun print that keeps it from looking drab and dull. What's not to love?

If it's not TOO stretched out, it is definitely going to become a part of my regular rotation. And if it is too stretched out to pass as a regular clothing item, then it will get stored with the rest of my maternity clothes once the baby arrives for the next time.

*all items are part of my Maternity Capsule Wardrobe

adding interest through details

 

At first glance (the first few pictures), this looks like a basic black A-line dress. Nothing special, nothing fancy, just an average black dress that could lean "LBD", or could lean "plain black sundress."

But, on closer inspection, I've added a few details to make this dress a little more than a plain black dress. This dress has a basket-weave-esque texture, and contouring seams on the front.

And what else did I add to create a little more interest to this black dress? A fancy statement necklace, borrowed from Rocksbox, a black beaded cuff bracelet, black fringe-y sandals, and a rose-gold ring, also borrowed from Rocksbox.

Just a few additions and changes, and you can easily alter the look of a dress, or any outfit. Exhibit A: the last time I wore this dress on the blog - it was to a wedding. And this time, to work. 

Had any recent successes wearing and/or styling a piece in several different ways?

dress: Target

necklace & ring: Rocksbox

bracelet: Target

sandals: Kohl's

Summer LBDs: Dress #4

Here's the last of my 4 LBDs for this summer - the shift/t-shirt dress I mentioned earlier. This one might not be as fun as the other three (one, two, and three), but it fills a very important LBD role - the simple one you can dress up or down. Really - throw on a statement necklace and some fun shoes, and you've got yourself a snazzy little outfit for a special occasion (I went the opposite direction with this look, but you get the idea, amiright??).

dress: Old Navy

sandals: Shoe Carnival

Summer LBDs: Dress #3

And here is the dress I wore for the wedding itself (rehearsal here). I found it at Target, on the sale rack, just a week before we left for the wedding. I’d felt blue all day, and wandered into Target, as one often does when one is sad. Or happy. Or hungry. Or bored. Or just wants to go shopping. I’d decided some retail therapy would cheer me up, and even after finding these black wedges in my size, I still needed another filler-upper, so I checked out the clearance racks. And found this dress. In my size. On sale (I think it was under $12?). So, that helped. As did the peanut butter M&M’s that also found their way into my  basket…

This dress has a bit of a scuba/sports-inspired feel. The fabric is light and ALMOST of a sports/technical quality (but not quite!), and the piping on the front really adds interesting detail, as well as outlines the shape of the dress, while mimicking the seams on a wetsuit…

Having been to Missouri before, I was expecting TONS of HEAT and HUMIDITY and BUGS, but luckily, all three of those unpleasant elements were not very present! Sure, it was warm, but not unbearable – we spent most of the reception outside, instead of inside in the air-conditioning. It WAS humid, but not as oppressive as I’d experienced before (I’m a humidity wimp after living in Colorado)…and the bugs seemed to be staying away! At least from me, which never happens (I got eaten alive last week in Florida…)!

And of course, the wedding was lovely and beautiful and it was good to see family and friends we hadn’t seen in ages, as well as make some new friends that mentioned they’d love to come out and visit us in Colorado...!

dress: Target

wedges: Target

Summer LBDs: Dress #2

This floral LBD from Aéropostale made an appearance at a rehearsal dinner for D’s cousin’s wedding in Missouri - we took a few days off and made the drive.

The rehearsal at the church was quick, and then we headed to the party at the groom’s parents’ house. The dinner was a fish fry, but the fare was not just limited to fish – there was chicken, shrimp, green beans, asparagus, not to mention countless casseroles and side dishes. I also had my first fried Oreo. And by first, I mean I had several. Divine. Really. #getyouone #rightmeow

I ended up getting pretty cold as the evening wore on, even when a HUGE Great Dane sweetie named Magness decided to sit on my lap and keep me warm (probably my favorite part of the evening - not kidding), so I grabbed my father-in-law’s drywall sweatshirt and wore it over my dress. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of that to share, but just know that I looked pretty great with my cute floral dress sticking out the bottom of a big black sweatshirt covered with paint and drywall mud :)

dress: Aéropostale

shoes: Target

Summer LBDs: Dress #1

I realized recently that I'd worn 4 black dresses, almost right in a row. For different occasions, of course (work, a rehearsal dinner, and a wedding), but different little black dresses, all right in a row, all in the span of a few days. So, I decided to post them all here, right in a row, and give you some ideas for different ways to wear LBDs in the summer.

You've heard that LBDs are versatile - and they are. But the truth is, you can never have enough. The day I came home with this dress, I came home with 2 other black dresses. All different. This one obviously is more of a looser fitting shift with a ruffle, the other is a cross between a shift dress and a t-shirt dress, and the other is this black maxi you've seen several times already. So, of course I needed them all. And I've worn them each several times already. So, when your shopping partner asks if you "REALLY NEED" all the black dresses, your response should always be "Of course I do!" ;)

dress: Old Navy

necklace: WalMart

shoes: Target