I am fully aware that many of my posts at this point have made some mention of the ungodly heat here in D.C. but really though, IT IS SO FLUFFING HOT. When I get ready to leave for work in the morning I feel like mother nature is waiting just by the door to pounce and wrap a warm wet blanket around my whole body the second I set foot outside.
Despite the heat and an oppressive humidity that makes you feel like you need an oxygen mask, I still choose to walk to work most days. I do this for two reasons: 1. the D.C. bus in the summer months smells like a men’s locker room and onions, and 2. it might be the only significant amount of time I get to spend outdoors all day.
My route to work takes about an hour and is the loveliest! At the beginning of my walk the temperature is usually still fairly mild at about 75-80 Degrees. It’s the end that gets a little rough with the temp in the mid to high 80s. To try to maintain a reasonable body temperature, I’ve been consistently grabbing for dresses in the morning when I get dressed! Pants are absolutely, 100%, OUT of the question. This trend of mine recently has me scanning my go-to sites for fun dresses for both work and play (mostly the latter because those are more fun, obvi). Here are some of my favorites!
With these dresses you can beat the heat and dress to impress! Not necessarily for work (the red maxi might be a leeeeetle aggressive for the office but you do you) but for fun summer outings, day/casual or evening. Happy shopping!
Today is my birthday and I’ve got mixed feelings. I’m majority super excited because who doesn’t love the day when it’s your party and you can cry if you want to?! No crying here though, only cake eating! My only hang-up is that I sincerely thought I would have everything figured out by now. If you asked me in my early twenties what I would be doing now I would have definitely said something along the lines of “RULE THE WORLD”, and by that I mean be a high-powered somebody in a creative field where I only answer to me. That was obviously V ambitious and V millennial of me. Oh well, I have gained the maturity at this point to understand that finding your space in this world is a process that I’ve just got to roll with…so I shall party on! Enough of that talk though. To celebrate my birthday I’ve put together a festive outfit that screams summertime party!
I highlighted the Linley dress because I’m considering buying it for myself as a birthday present! It is breezy and fun but still polished looking. Anything fussy is OUT of the question in this D.C. swamp heat. I hope you love this outfit as much as I do!
Everyone and their mother are wearing off-the-shoulder tops and dresses right now (myself included), so today I want to spotlight a different neckline! Don’t get me wrong, I love the playful way that the popular shoulder baring trend highlights the entire décolletage, but I also think there are ways to highlight the area that many consumers are currently missing out on. You might ask, “How could she be so silly? Off-the-shoulder tops and dresses are the bees knees, what is wrong with her?” WELL, I assure you there is method to my madness.
I LOVE a good high neckline top or dress with arm-baring cutaways. This cut, regardless of whether the back of the garment is revealing or comes all the way up to the base of the neck, is sweet and super flattering for most body types. The only shape that may have difficulty with this neckline is someone who is very busty, as a high neckline could amplify already front-and-center assets. Try it on for size though and see how you feel!
This high-neck cut can be sleek and polished, but also fun and feminine as it highlights the collarbones and draws the eyes up your lovely face. With this cut you can choose the vibe you want to create with fabric and color! The shape created on the top half of the body also lends itself to the illusion of an hourglass form from head to toe. In light of my high neckline summer obsession, I pulled together a crisp but lively summer outfit from some of my favorite websites…
This dress is perfect to withstand the summer heat while looking stylish. The structure at the top of the dress contrasts beautifully with the drop-waist feminine flutter at the bottom. The perfect balance of polished and playful. The Monterey dress is also a wonderful canvas for some colorful accessories!
These AMAZING earrings shout summer to me. The bevy of blues and inventive use of materials make these serious showstoppers! The color stands out beautifully against the crisp white dress. These earrings are sure to be conversation pieces no matter where you find yourself.
This shoe is wonderful in its simplicity! A blush/neutral heeled sandal like this can take you from day to night in a heartbeat and for the purposes of this outfit are a pretty addition to a refreshing summer outfit. The neutral tone and open toe keep the feeling light while not being too matchy-matchy (the term I used as a little girl to fuss at my mom when she wanted me to match and I wanted to basically dress myself like a tiny clown wearing all the colors).
This clutch makes me so so so happy. The shape, the flowers, the rose-gold bow, it is fun and feminine without being fussy or frilly! The floral theme compliments the organic feel of the earrings as well, tying the two together without being too closely aligned. For me it is all about a theme in piecing together an outfit, not necessarily total sameness.
These bangles are too cute. They are just delicate enough and do not outshine the earrings (the real statement of this outfit where jewelry is concerned) or compete with the clutch! These are similar to the earrings with a touch of sparkle and mix of materials. The bangles are interesting but not over-the-top by any means.
I see this outfit in a daytime party or brunch setting! So give your off-the-shoulder tops and dresses a break and try a high-neckline on for size. Creating a personal style is all about shaking things up every now and then so push yourself outside your norm and see how it feels!
Moose & Malbec 