6 places to find a great summer dress. (on any budget.)

Dress: Kate Spade. Shoes: ASOS. (similar.) Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. (similar here and here.) Sunglasses: Kate Spade.

This August will mark one year since I took a sabbatical from my clothing line.  The more months that go by the more I realize that listening to my intuition was so right in this instance.  Putting it down for a season was the right thing for me, and for my family.  I don’t think that’s something a lot of people value in our world of hustle, hustle, hustle.  But I can’t bring myself to regret the extra time I’ve had to spend with my kids this year, the peace the break has given me.  I’ve been blessed in so many ways since changing up my brand a bit.  My blog has grown, I’ve been able to work with some amazing companies, met so many inspiring people, and been able to start a few other businesses that are much more flexible and work better for me in the phase I’m in now.

But I won’t lie.  There are things that I miss about designing clothes and having my own line.  I miss all my customers, shipping out their pretty packages, getting pictures of them wearing a dress I designed, telling me how it made them feel.  That was special.  I miss that.  I also miss the actual design process.  Creating something truly unique.  Something that I wanted but couldn’t find.  That was special too, and I miss it.  It also kind of ruined me in the dress buying department, because when you can design something just like you want it, finding something good, but not quite right doesn’t seem to cut it any more.

I really love wearing dresses.  That’s why I started designing them in the first place, and in the summer months that’s what I most look forward to wearing.  But finding great dresses is tricky.

I saw this stripe dress a month or so ago while I was shopping at Kate Spade and it was love at first sight.  Oh my goodness, those candy colored stripes…  I put it on my wishlist and then proceeded to dream about it for weeks.  So when it popped up for sale a little over a week ago, I couldn’t add it to my cart fast enough.  It’s the summer dress of my dreams.  I love wearing pretty dresses year-round but most of all in the summer when the weather is lovely and we’re outside all the time.

Since I’m picky about my dresses and also really love finding good ones I thought it would be fun to round up my 6 favorite places to find a great summer dress. These brands are consistently great, putting out beautiful pieces year after year.  And the great news is, they’re across all different price points, so no matter what your budget is, finding a pretty frock for the warm months is within reach.  (I’m always willing to invest a little more in a well-made beautiful dress.  A classic well-made dress will be a closet asset for years to come. And one great dress is worth 10 just okay ones…)

Here are my favorites:

Splurge $$$:

Kate Spade.

You know Kate Spade makes the list, and first because, well.  KATE. SPADE.  Is there ever a KSNY line that isn’t quirky, cute, and completely dreamy?  Their spring and summer dresses are always my favorite and there are so many beautiful classics on sale right now.

Spend $$:

ASOS.

ASOS is probably one of my favorite places to buy a dress.  Their sizing runs a little small (but that works out well for me) and I love that they have so many styles and options and so many great reasonable price points.  Their summer dress line up is my favorite this year.

ModCloth.

If you love vintage inspired frocks, which is basically what I want to wear 24/7 in the summer, its ModCloth all the way.  Plus have you seen their swim line? Swoon.  Also these pool floats.  Dying.

Banana Republic.

Banana is always a classic, but they have really stepped up their dress game over the last couple years and this summer I am loooooving what they’re offering.  Here are my current favorites.

Save $:

J.Crew Factory.

You know this one will always make the list.  Such a favorite spot for all things summer for me, but I love their dresses.  Casual, comfy, cute.  Great prints, and pretty fabrics.  Don’t forget about their tops or cute skirts either… As always, the prices are bomb.  Great pieces for a steal.  You can see how I styled a JCrew Factory dress for a summer wedding here.

Joe Fresh.

This is a new discovery, but I am completely obsessed with my new babydoll dress from Joe Fresh I wore last week.  They have a bunch of pretty dresses in their summer line and the prices are unbelievably affordable.  Also, I ordered a ton of their kids stuff and the quality and prices are amazing.  Can’t wait to show you later…

So there you have it!  My 6 favorite places to find a great summer dress!  Where do you like to shop for delightful frocks?