SUMMER MAXI LOVE

Summer’s officially begun and with it comes the heat and humidity. If you’ve visited my blog before you know that I love maxi dresses. So as you might guess, summer is fashion heaven for me. I find maxi dresses to be so feminine yet supremely comfortable at the same time. On a really hot sunny day there’s nothing I’d prefer to wear. It’s counter-intuitive but the sunnier it is the more I want to wear long flowy pieces. Think about it, easy sun protection and bug protection too. Bugs love me and in the summer I’m a bug buffet, so leg coverage is key!

DRESS: BANANA REPUBLIC | HAT: AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS | SANDALS: CIRCUS SAM EDELMAN (old), similar with slightly higher heel HERE | SUNGLASSES: FOREVER 21 similar HERE | TOTE: J.CREW

This dress is one of my favorites of the season. First, there’s the color, which is such a great neutral and suits all complexions. It actually also comes in a beautiful cobalt blue and I had a hard time deciding which to buy. They’re both gorgeous. The dress is so well-designed with a perfect fitted top, buttons down the front so you can control how much leg you show, and a tiered full skirt that flares out gradually from the waist down. Perfect for a dramatic silhouette on a breezy summer day. I love how the dress billows out behind when I walk. Makes me feel a little like a warrior woman or superhero:)

As you can see, I styled it with and without a belt. Unfortunately I put the belt on without a mirror and it didn’t line up exactly with the waist. I’m filing that under #wardrobemalfunction. I had to ditch most of the pictures that show the dress belted but trust me that a cognac belt is a nice style addition to the dress.

As far as fit, the waist band of the dress is fitted and the dress on the whole fits true to size. It’s been a while since I measured my waist but I’m going to guess it’s 24″ and I took size 00P. The dress is on mega-sale right at $98 with 40% off at checkout, making it only $60. I’m really tempted to buy the blue one as well.

I plan on wearing this a lot this summer since you can dress it up or down. For dressing up, the usual style rules apply – just add dressier accessories. For a dressier occasion like a bridal shower, garden party or a nice brunch or dinner, a pair of statement earrings and gold sandals are all it would take to make this dress party-perfect.

For my more casual look I went with almost flat sandals from Circus by Sam Edelman. I’ve found a lot of cute styles from this brand at various discount retailers though the quality has varied a bit so I’m mindful of that when buying. Mine are old but I’ve linked a couple of other flat or low-heeled sandals that would be great with this or any other neutral maxi dress.

Hope your week is going well and that you score some fabulous sale buys for all the fun summer parties and holidays coming up!