We’ve official arrived at the soupy days of summer in New England. High heat and even higher humidity and especially with my expanding bump, I am basically living in dresses right now. I wanted to share 3 great summer capsule dresses from Walmart’s Free Assembly line. I’ve made no secret of my love for this line. Everything I’ve ordered has been designed well, sustainably made, and is of a quality that shocks me every time. You know what a big believer I am in capsule wardrobes, but just because you’re trying to build a wardrobe based on the “less but better” principle, doesn’t mean you always have to spend more. There are some really great affordable options if you know where to look, and Walmart’s Free Assembly line is one of those places where you don’t have to sacrifice style or quality while still getting great capsule pieces for a steal. Of all the great new offering’s from Walmart’s fashion lines, Free Assembly is my favorite. Here are 3 great summer capsule dress options (all under $20!) and some ideas for styling them!
gray dress. similar sneakers. ball cap.
I decided to start with my favorite of the three, (although they’re all fantastic), I adore this easy little midi t-shirt dress. Comfy, sporty and perfect for summer. I’m wearing the XS, fit is TTS and relaxed, it’s perfect for a day at the ball field, or a family BBQ and would even make a great swim cover-up.
white dress. similar basketweave sandals. similar hat.
This great little white trapeze dress is a little more elevated but still nice and comfy for a hot summer’s day. I cannot believe the attention to detail on the design of this dress and the quality, especially considering the price. It’s well-made and fits like a dream.
striped dress. similar flip-flops. sweater.
The last dress is this cute little navy striped dress. I love the rolled sleeves detail and the length and fit are really great. It’s easy to style lots of ways, but it looks super cute just on it’s own with a pair of flip-flops.
perfect puffer coat. over the knee boots. similar top. hat. similar bag. jeans.
Last week, I popped into one of my favorite stores, J.Crew Factory to do a little try-on. Among all the gorgeous pieces I found (and there were many… so much good stuff at JCF this fall) was this amazing petite friendly long puffer coat. My favorite discovery of the day. It’s cozy, cute, flattering, petite friendly and has a built in cuff with THUMB HOLES! I couldn’t bring it home fast enough. It’s literally the perfect winter coat and the price is bananas good.
This put me in a coat mood so I thought it would be fun to round up the best winter coats to try this season, since the end of October/beginning of November is a fantastic time to pick up a new coat for the season. Sizes are fully stocked and you get a good 4-6 months of wear!
First of all, a great stylish winter coat is a must-have if you live in a cold region. It’s an outfit maker, and when you’re out and about it’s really all you need because it’s all people are going to see. ;-) A stylish but warm coat can be an investment, but in my opinion its worth it. A great winter coat will last you for years and years. In fact, my mom had classic coats for 20 years that never wore out/went out of style because they were a high quality, and timeless style. When picking out your own winter coat, invest accordingly. That is, if you want to be still wearing it in 10-20 years. ;-)
Here are some of my favorites this season. Most of these offer petite sizes as well, for all my fellow shorties out there:
Dress. Born Sandals. Necklace. Hat.
When I started this blog back in 2011, Hannah was in 1st grade. In three weeks she graduates from middle school and heads off to high school, which to me, is crazy. You always know your kids are going to grow up, but it’s still so strange and sad/happy when it actually starts happening. There are a lot of feelings happening over here. We’ve made some goals for the summer before she starts high school (like running a hundred miles together-more on that later) but I’ve been thinking a lot about what to get her for graduation. She’s done so well so far, been such a leader in her school, and worked so hard to excel academically and as a person, so I wanted to find something special and meaningful to get her.
Craig and I ultimately decided on this beautiful Kate Spade necklace with her initial. I’ve been wearing the same one for two years and it’s my favorite piece of jewelry. On the back it says: “one in a million,” and I thought that it was a great reminder to her of how special and unique she is, and to keep pushing herself and stretching to new heights and goals.
I think a graduation gift should be thoughtful and also carry a little meaning by encouraging the graduate to keep going forward and succeeding in life, try new things, have an adventure or just remember their own potential.
We ordered the necklace from Nordstrom, which of course was super convenient, and they have a whole section with a ton of great gift ideas for graduates. My favorite ideas were, luggage (yay, go travel the world!), a Fitbit watch, a camera, a birthstone ring, a travel journal, or a passport holder. If in doubt you can always go with a gift card as well.
Nordstrom always has free fast shipping and great customer service. I also frequently take advantage of their buy online, pick up in store service and it’s very convenient.
Do you have anyone graduating this year? What do you plan to get for them?
Graduation gift ideas:
*this post was created in partnership with Nordstrom.
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polka dot top. sweater vest. jeans (similar here and here). similar trench. french sole shoes c/o. sunglasses. bag.
Yesterday I stumbled upon these pictures from our trip to Paris last month that I totally forgot to post, and it was such a treat. I got to relive that day, which was our first in the city, and utterly magic. We wandered around all day, getting to know Paris. We climbed to the top of the arch di triumph and marveled at the stained glass in Notre Dame. We meandered along the river and found pretty little cafes to stop and eat. We walked and walked, and then walked some more. The funny thing about life is how often we get excited about things and then when we actually get to do them, they’re kind of a let down. But Paris… it was better than anything I could have hoped for. And getting to experience it with the person I love most in the world, well I couldn’t ask for more than that.
I’ve become completely converted to capsule packing since I started implementing it for travel a few years ago. The purpose of doing so was to get the very most out of every day of every trip. The last thing I want is to waste precious vacation time trying to figure out what to wear. By packing intentionally, I am prepared for whatever happens while also feeling my best, and I don’t have to spend any trip time fussing over my clothes.
I knew I would spend the entire trip on my feet, so my Paris capsule started with my shoes. Namely, comfortable flats, mules, and a pair of adidas sneakers. I only brought one pair of heels for “wearing out” at night, and I never wore them. If I had it to do again I would have left them at home (way too much cobblestone in Paris for heels) and packed a comfortable pair of booties instead, which definitely would have been a better choice, given that Paris in September is not super warm.
As I said, Paris in September was a little chillier than I thought it would be, and I wished I had packed a couple more cozy sweaters for layering than I did, but other than that, my capsule served me well. And because I always stick with a basic color palette when capsule packing, the two sweaters I did pack I was able to mix and match easily with the other outfits throughout the trip. My trench coat, and black leather jacket were serious workhorses during our stay; I lived in either one or the other every single day. They really are such a useful addition to any closet (or ahem suitcase).
Have you tried capsule packing? How did it work for you? If you want a more in-depth explanation/how-to on capsule packing, just let me know and I’ll work on a post detailing how I do it.
polka dot top. sweater vest. jeans (similar here and here). similar trench. french sole shoes c/o. sunglasses. bag.
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