Edition 58: Fashion Friday

April 17, 2009

As I mentioned earlier, we’re down at the ranch with some friends right now. We didn’t get in until fairly late last night, but of course Caroline was still up at 6:30 a.m. P asked, “Doodle? Do you want to get up and eat breakfast?” She replied, “OF COURSE I DO.”

Last night, my friend Erin helped me find cute stuff for Fashion Friday and I have to say that I liked having a consultant. It made me feel less alone as I weeded through all the fashion choices. The only problem is that Erin is 18 weeks pregnant and has 18 month old twins, so she kept telling me about the cute maternity dress she just found at Destination Maternity or all the sweet dresses that Baby Gap has in stock right now.

I tried to convince her to just write a whole post on maternity fashion for me, but she turned me down. So now I am stuck with the responsibility of churning out some mediocre fashion advice.

Also, we did find the world’s softest hoodie. Erin showed me hers last night and I can confirm that it is indeed the world’s softest hoodie. And if there’s anything you can benefit from, whether pregnant or not pregnant, it’s a hoodie that feels like pudding in a cloud.

Now for the questions:

1. Heather asks: “I would like to have a cute sundress or casual church dress to wear occasionally, but when I go to buy one, they seem to be either made for women under 21 or made for women over 65. Also, I am a D cup, so anything strapless or strappy or that wraps just makes me look smutty or desperate or something worse. So, any cures for dress phobia?”

Well, Erin’s first thought was the aforementioned maternity dress and, while it is cute, you may be like me and have a hang up about wearing maternity clothes when you’re not actually pregnant.

I love to wear dresses in the summertime because they are so cool and comfortable, plus if you find a really great one you can dress it up or down depending on the jewelry and shoes you choose.

I fell in love with this white dress. It’s so simple and pretty. Plus it would look great with a cute wedge heel shoe or even a simple thong sandal. I realize it’s white, but sometimes you have to take a risk in life.

This embroidered floral dress is also cute and has straps that are a little thicker to provide better support.

You could also go with a casual knit dress like this one. Best of all, they’re only $12.00 so you could buy them in a couple of different colors and change them up with accessories.

Hope that helps.

2. Amanda asks: “We are going on a trip to Africa. I hear that it is pretty sunny there! I’m really not a hat person, but believe that this trip may call for one. Can you recommend a good one?”

Amanda, you are in luck because my friend William has been to Africa and he recommended this Insect shield adventure hat from Orvis. You can pack it in your suitcase, plus it provides some kind of ultra sun protection combined with a built-in insect repellent.

That’s a lot of responsibility for just one hat.

I also found this Outdoor Research Oasis Sombrero . I have no idea if it actually works well or not, but I might have to go with it just so I could tell people, “Hold on. Let me grab my Outdoor Research Sombrero and I’ll be ready to go!”

It just gives an air of sophistication and intellect to whatever you’re doing.

3. Sarah asks: “Could you make a spring jacket recommendation for the mommy on the go? Who is also on a budget?

Target always has the best trenches this time of year so that would be the first place I’d look. You could either go with something simple like the black trench or go a little more springy with a trench in yellow.

And I also love and adore this rainyday mac from Boden, but realize it may be a little pricey although it is a lot of fabulous wrapped up into one convenient jacket.

That’s all for today because my people are waiting on me to go fishing and mudding with them, which means they will be doing the fishing and the mudding while I stand back and take pictures. It’s a system that works for us.

I’m putting up Mr. Linky. Please remember to link to your specific post. Also, please make sure your post is actually about fashion since that’s the whole point.

Y’all have a great Friday.

25 comments. Leave yours →

1 Kellye April 17, 2009 at 9:22 am

Love the yellow trench. I need something yellow this season. Please thank your loved ones for delaying their mudding activities while you stylize the internet. We are very grateful.

2 Michelle April 17, 2009 at 9:31 am

I have 75349875 fashion questions and I would really just like to rent you one weekend. Plus I live outside of Nashville and you and Angie could hook up as well. After I get my advice, of course! :) My husband and I are going to Boston this summer to celebrate our fifth anniversary. We are doing a lot of sightseeing, but I don’t want to walk around Fenway Park and Harvard in shorts, tennis shoes and a fanny pack. Any suggestions on casual day wear?

3 Tiffany April 17, 2009 at 9:55 am

Great finds as always!

4 Jill April 17, 2009 at 10:25 am

Great jackets from Target Big Mama! It’s funny you mention the maternity/baby stuff, b/c last night as I was browsing gap, I was like, well I could always post the cutest items I find on BabyGap just for the heck of it (bc who doesn’t love cute baby clothes?!), but then everyone will think I’m K/U and I’m totally not.

To Michelle (commenter a bit above me)…I’m going to Boston in late May so maybe I’ll be able to tell you what I spot peeps wearing! I’m doing the Freedom Trail (2.5 miles) but I would not be caught dead in a fanny pack. I will have to figure something out for all my junk.

5 Chelsea April 17, 2009 at 11:10 am

I think maternity clothes will be my favorite part of being pregnant! Showing off a big belly in cute clothes? Sign me up!

I posted this week about the terrors of buying shoes. It’s not necessarily about fashion, more about fashion woes! http://rootsandrings.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/buying-the-perfect-shoes/

6 PK April 17, 2009 at 11:39 am

Here’s a question for a future Fashion Friday. I have a soon-to-be thirteen yo daughter. She is in the largest sizes of the Girls Dept, and is ready to move to Jrs. However, I’m appalled when I look at the clothes in the Jrs depts….and so is she! Where can you get stylish, yet modest, clothes for young teens? She likes the empire waist tops with tie-back. They look cute and feminine on her blossoming figure, but I can’t find them in larger sizes. I see lots of very low cut V-necks and strappy styles, and she doesn’t like either.
Thank you!! Love your blog!

7 Tracy April 17, 2009 at 12:54 pm

O.k., unless Amanda is actually going on a true safari, I think the insect hats may be over the top. I just got back from a Compassion trip to Ethiopia and think she would be better off to go with a women’s casual sun hat, baseball hat, or cute cabbie or newsboy hat. And just wear the sunscreen/insect repellant. That way you don’t scream “I AM A TOURIST…” who thinks all of Africa is lion, tigers, and bears, oh my!!

8 Ginger April 17, 2009 at 12:55 pm

LOVE the white dress!
Ginger

9 Cee April 17, 2009 at 1:24 pm

Love those dresses! I have the same “problem?” as Heather and think those are all great options. The white one is awesome but I might be too pale to pull it off!

10 It Feels Like Chaos April 17, 2009 at 1:29 pm

I love that white dress! I may have to look into a part-time job at Nordstrom; surely they give an employee discount. They have the best stuff!

11 Michelle April 17, 2009 at 1:55 pm

I love reading your Fashion Friday posts! It helps people like me who are somewhat fashion-challenged :) That white dress is really cute!

12 Elaine at Lipstickdaily April 17, 2009 at 3:14 pm

Great fashion advice1

13 Casey April 17, 2009 at 3:55 pm

Ooh, I have that hoody. I recommend SierraTradingPost.com for the best price. There’s also a v-neck pullover made of the same material!

14 Tracy T. April 17, 2009 at 4:16 pm

The Patagonia halter dress! I would get it but the halter isn’t adjustable and I have the shortest torso in the world. BUT it’s packable and made of the same material as yoga pants.

15 Erin April 18, 2009 at 8:14 am

I think you need to do a Fashion Friday for plus sized clothes! They just don’t seem to have as cute a style as regular clothes :(

16 Amanda April 18, 2009 at 12:23 pm

No one will ever accuse me of being in style, but the scarf with the embroidered sundress you linked to in #1 ~ really? A very long, thick-looking scarf wrapped around your neck when wearing a sundress? Is this really the look? If so, I’m more out of touch than I thought!

17 Lauren Kelly April 18, 2009 at 12:45 pm

Have you ever thought about being a fashion consultant, Melanie??? Something to ponder :O)

18 Sturgmom April 18, 2009 at 3:03 pm

Thanks for the link to the knit dresses at Forever 21! MUST. HAVE. THEM. ALL.

19 Mamabug April 19, 2009 at 9:02 am

Love that white eyelet dress but coming from someone who has the opposite problem from the questioner (AA vs D), I’m not sure I could fill that dress out and make it look presentable at the top. NOT an issue on the bottom. : )

20 Bev April 19, 2009 at 9:29 am

Love dress #2, with maybe a 3/4 sleeve white sweater to go on top, but then I dont live in Texas. I’d probably melt in a sweater there, here in PA it’d be just the thing.

21 Kensey April 19, 2009 at 1:56 pm

the white dress is soooo cute! If only I had 122 bucks to spend lol.

22 ExOfficio April 20, 2009 at 11:00 am

As a follow up to Amanda’s question and for anyone interested ExOfficio has a full range of apparel for safari travel.

http://www.exofficio.com/product_results.aspx?page=LIST&free_text|direct=safari

23 groovyoldlady April 20, 2009 at 4:38 pm

I checked out the world’s softest hoodie, but I can’t order from a company that calls ORANGE “flamingo”. No, no, NO! Flamingo is PINK!

End of story.

24 Kensey April 22, 2009 at 4:42 pm

Just found this super cute dress that might help out Heather.
Actually I just realized it is almost the exact same as the white one you posted!

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2962795?refsid=212403_2&refcat=0~2376776~2374325~2384900&SourceID=1&SlotID=1&origin=related

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