outfits – Page 46 – Investment Piece

Summer’s Greatest Hits

It’s Labor Day weekend and it feels like something is ending. I talk a lot about the seasonal transition from summer to fall, and while it’s partially due to how big a change that is, it’s also because these are two of my favorite seasons and there it is both bittersweet to have one end,and exciting for a new one to start. But it does feel like summer is over, right? Even those of us who aren’t tied to the school year system. Fall isn’t offical till September 23, but starting Monday there will be urges for us to put away our whites and get sweater ready.

What are we to do?

First, I’m not giving into sweaters (love them, though I do) while it’s still 100 degrees out. And I’m not letting go just yet. Knowing me, I’ll find a way to let summer influence my transitional dressing (see here and here). I’m also looking back and enjoying my Summer’s greatest hits one more time!

I hope that you have a safe and fun Labor Day Weekend. There will be thoughts up on wearing white on Sunday, and my sales picks on Monday!
Xo RA

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

I really have lived in this Outdoor Voices Dress. And worn my hair like this at least twice a week.
Shop it here

Investment Piece: Summer's Greatest Hits
Nothing says summer like a mini dress. And I love this one.
Shop it here

Investment Piece: Wild Wild Wrap Dress
Dresses for days! Shop this one here

Investment Piece: Momma Said Stand Up Straight
I’ll be wearing white all weekend, what about you?
Get this look here

I also spent my summer in Elaine Kim:
Investment Piece: Summer's Greatest Hits
You can use code RACHELADELICA for 15% off your first order!

There have also been countless days in swimsuits, cutoffs, sundresses. I feel like every season has a theme for me. This was the summer of ease, I feel like no outfit was so out there, and I repeated a lot. What about you? What can we take with us into fall?
Xo RA

Transition Choices

Last week we chatted about the end of summer sales and all the things that I think you should buy at them. Missed it? Catch up here.

I still stand by those sales picks. There’s so much that is “end of summer” that you can wear into fall. So much of fall that you can start wearing now. And in between, transition pieces that are just magic.

Transitions are some of the most magical, wonderful, difficult things we do. Both fashion and life-wise. It’s the balance of being here now and taking the first steps to the future. Fashion wise? It means dressing for days that getting shorts and colder but are still hot. It’s really a mix of wearing summer and fall clothes together. Since last week we talked summer choices, this week I wanted to talk about fall pieces that you can wear in transition. All these are “on trend” for fall, but also perfect for this moment.

For each of these transition choices I’ll say you can wear it now over a bathing suit and later with a sweater. I’m not lying. But beyond that, the magic of transition comes in all the things you can do with that in the meantime. From layering to standouts, each one of these could be worn a million different ways. I can’t wait to see what we pull together!

Note: This post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

Statement Shirts
Investment Piece, fashion, style, Gucci, metallic, high fashion , CA, TX
From white button downs to sheer numbers to statement sleeves, there are interesting choices to be had now and later. Can you layer any of them, with sweaters and each other? Yes. Wear over bathing suits? Yes. Tie up, let down, and everything in between. What will you pair yours with?

Light Knits
From skirts to tops to cardigans, light knits are in for the beginning of fall. Good news? Still light enough to wear now, and we can layer them later. (Yes, you can do a sweater over a knit!) There are so many ways to make these interesting, what will you do?

Midi Skirt
Investment Piece:Decisions
Yes, you’ve seen them everywhere for forever. But they’re a trend with classic leanings for a reason. Mix patterns and textures. Tops. Shoes. They’re a great base for anything you could ever want to wear!

Pair them together, apart, now and later.
What Transtion choices are you making?
XO RA

Tell me About It, Stud

Investment Piece: Tell Me About It, Stud

Do you remember the end of “Grease”? When Sandy comes to the carnival in that black outfit that’s incredibly sexy yet incredibly chic?

When I was a kid, I loved that movie. And scene. Ever since that moment, I’ve been searching for an outfit that made me feel all those things: fun, sexy, chic, and a little rebellious.
Loves, I may have found it.

(Yes, you should see the movie if you haven’t. Here is the scene I love. And yes, we should all ask our parents if they got what it was about and still let us watch it!)

You’ve seen this leather top before (in a fantasy). This top is Elaine Kim. Yes, it’s perfect for looking hot and staying cool in the summer, and will be just as amazing in the fall with sweaters, etc. I do have a partnership with Elaine, but that in no way affects my opinion. Leather tops are fantastic and you need one.

Paired with shorts and heels? I just felt cool in this outfit. Maybe that’s all that it is, how our outfits make us feel. If so, I can’t recommend this one enough. I’m ready to go and slay at a carnival, or any other summer shindig, but I also ran errands in this number. And felt super confident in it.

Outfits that make you want to tell people about it? That’s a number to stay cool in!

(You can’t see but I’m winking at you)
Xo RA

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

Want your own?

Shorts:

Shoes and other tube tops:

Investment Piece: Tell me about it Stud

Dots. Spots. Minis.

Investment Piece: Dots. Spots. Minis

I’ve spent the summer longing for a mini dress. At the same time, being terrified that all the mini dresses that I loved would be too short. (Yes, there are downsides to being tall) So, even though I thought this summer should be the summer of a mini dress, I resisted.
Then.
I remembered.
In my closet there was a perfect mini dress. Spotted. (I do love a good polka dot). And mini without being too short. Is the moral of the story that we already have what we need? Yes. (And no, there is always more fashion to be had; no such thing as too many clothes!) Or is the moral of the story that we shouldn’t be so scared of what we want? Yes.
My mini dress? It’s everything I thought this summer should be: fun, flirty, and fantastic. The dots and long sleeves keep it just classy enough, and the other thing these dots needed?
Spots!
Investment Piece: Dots. Spots. Minis

I do love mixing patterns. And love animal prints (yes, people will say they’re “on trend” for fall. Animal prints are always on trend. And they’re neutrals!). What’s more natural than mixing dots and spots? They mimic each other, go together, and look simply perfect. There are times when I love a heel (with everything, even shorts), but with a mini I loved how these flats let me be carefree in my mini dress. (And yes, these flats look great with shorts and jeans and all the things too!)

All classics. All fun. All the things. Dots. Spots. Minis.

How are you spending the last few days of summer?

Both this mini-dress and these flats are older, but I’ve found you similar for your shopping pleasure. And yes, I’ve been given the confidence to get another mini dress, what about you?
Xo RA

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

All in One

Investment Piece: All in One

The thing about Investment Pieces? They have staying power. I got these shorts/skirt/culottes/skort at least six years ago. From the pool to the opera, I’ve worn them everywhere, and in every way. Over a bathing suit, with sequins, and with this Amberleaf Jacket.

Years later they’re still stylish, I still love them, and they’re still getting compliments.

(If you’ve contacted me about wanting some of your own, I haven’t forgotten! I’m working on it. More on that at the end of the post!)

Investment Piece: All in One

So, the bottoms? All in one. But this jacket? (Yes, worn as a top!) It is too! From pieces like this to jeans, skirts, over dresses, what couldn’t you wear it with?

Another “all in one” factor? Both of these pieces are perfect for the transition we’re in right now. That late summer to early fall? Yes, these go! Wear them casually to a BBQ now. Both would be the perfect bikini cover up. Wear the jacket with shorts. Then. Before we know it, it’s early fall. Still warm enough to wear these shorts. But the jacket? So much opens up. With pants, even sweatpants. As a suit piece. As a true jacket.

Your possibilties are endless. All in one.

Investment Piece: All in One

Even though this post was a part of my recent shoot with Amberleaf the opinions are my own. That being said, my opinion is that you get this jacket. As for these amazing shorts? I’m looking for an exact match (if that’s something you’re interesting in, email me at racheladelicia@investmentpiece.com and I will keep you updated!), in the meantime, I’ve found you similar!

What pieces do you have that are all in one? What stories do they tell?
Xo RA

Note: This post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

Icon With a Twist

Things I like: martinis, fashion investment pieces, and outfits that make me feel like royalty. I also like surprises, and getting new perspectives on things I thought I knew.
What do all these things have in common?
This classic DVF wrap dress (yes, it’s an investment piece, and yes, you need one), and this shoot (yes, I felt like royalty, and with all my outfits, got a new perspective on how to style this dress).
Icon. With a twist.
(No martinis were consumed on this shoot. I can’t promise about after).

You first saw this dress here, back when this blog was still a baby.

I’ve worn the dress time and time again, with everything from sneakers to heels. I’ve put sweaters and blazers over it, I’ve always felt like there were ways to make this dress feel new.
But. I had never worn it over a dress. Till now.

Wearing an open kimono over pants and skirts? Yes. Mini dress over jeans? A thousand times. A maxi wrap dress over another dress? IT HAD NEVER EVEN CROSSED MY MIND.

But it worked. And I love it.
Yes, this may be a little more on the formal side (though with flat sandals, a combo like this could be perfect for your Labor Day BBQs), but it’s simple yet elegant, wildly unexpected, and allows you to mix and match like never before.

Also. It’s fun to twirl in.

Some tips:
– I love pattern mixing, but if you’re going that route, I would suggest that you pick tonal colors. Or, like here, pick a pattern to match with a classic.
-I love the mix of lengths. Would this look good with dresses that are the same length? We won’t know if we don’t try? But ??
-I tied the wrap dress underneath itself, so the ties didn’t show and it flared out. The underlying dress gets to show more that way.

The underlying dress here is Amberleaf. You can read about my love affair with them here. This shoot was part of my summer collab with them, and yes I think you need this dress; but, more than that, putting my dress over theirs made me realize that we may need to look at our closets in new lights. There’s more to combine, more to layer, more to dare than we might be thinking of now.

What icon can you put a twist on?

I’ve found you several DVF dresses below! Some new, some used, all sizes. I truly think a DVF dress, of any kind is an investment worth making!
Xo RA

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

#doingthings

Investment Piece: #doingthings
InvestmentPiece: #doingthings

Investment Piece: #doingthigns

If you would have told me that an exercise dress would become my summer uniform back in June, I don’t know that I would have believed you. Not that I don’t like exercise. Or dresses. But the combo? Let’s say I was hesitant. Good thing that doubtful me was not in charge-this Outdoor Voices Exercise Dress has become my ultimate summer go-to. With shorts to let you move, and a chic mini dress to show you off, it might be the best of all worlds.

Things I’ve done in my exercise dress:
– Work Out (in fairness, not a hard workout, though I think layered with a sports bra it would be great in those as well!). I’ve walked and hiked and am dying to learn how to play tennis in it!
-Run errands
-Gone out. Yes, my current favorite thing is to put a scarf in my hair and pair this dress with “fancy” shoes. It’s gone from happy hours to book clubs. And I get compliments every time!
-Got in the water. And still looked chic

The thing about this exercise dress? It makes me feel put together. And it lets me do things. It’s the perfect combo.

Investment Piece: #doingthings

Now, loves, the question is: what kind of things are you going to do in your exercise dress? If you don’t exercise I won’t tell. Or if you exercise and never take it out, I won’t tell that either. I just know that, despite my doubts, this dress has become one of my favorite pieces, and I think it could be the same for you. Wanna go do things?

I’ve linked this dress and items similar to what I paired with my exercise dress above.
Happy doing!
Xo RA

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

Mad Men Audition

Investment Piece: Mad Men Audtion

As an actress, and a fashion lover, there was no show I loved like “Mad Men”. From iconic scenes like Peggy leaving the company smoking to Betty shooting birds, to everything Don Draper did–I LOVED it. I still love it. “Mad Men” was gorgeous and dramatic, everything I wanted to be and nothing I wanted.

There are many, many essays on “Mad Men” and its fashion, so I won’t bore you with my own yearnings for a waredrobe like that. But I can recommend this article on the evolution of Mad Men’s style, The Secret Behind All Your Favorite Mad Men Looks, and How Mad Men Changed Fashion” as jumping off points for your “Mad Men” fashion research.

This look? Let’s take it as my audition to be in “Mad Men”. (I can dream, even if the show is off the air, right?)

The combo made me want to vacuum with a martini, have the pool boy scrub while I watched, and drink coffee for lunch. In short, it had the feel of everything great about “Mad Men” costumes.

Investment Piece: Mad Men Audition
Investment Piece: Mad Men Audtion
My “Mad Men” audition? Part of my summer collab with Amberleaf, the mother/daughter chic company that I just can’t get enough of! Yes, this white blazer (worn as a top here–so sexy and chic, and one of my favorite styling tricks) is Amberleaf. Would it look great with jeans or pants? Yes. Over a shift dress? Yes. With a pencil skirt in a power meeting? Yes. Blazers can be anything you need them to be (even my “Mad Men” fantasy), and you won’t find better options than Amberleaf. You can shop them here. Tell them RachelAdelicia sent you!

The rest of my look? A full skirt and my favorite mules. Shop options with a screenshot via LiketoKnowit here.

I’ve also linked options below.

What are you story (audition) are you telling today?
Xo RA

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

#OOTD RoundUp

Loves. It’s hot. So hot. Like I wore a swimsuit yesterday and I still sweated through it hot. What do we wear in this? (Really, I want to know) Below I’ve rounded up outfits that I’ve loved wearing recently. (And of course all my #OOTDs are on LiketoKnowit Or Shopstyle) I’d love to know: what are you wearing to survive the heat?
Xo RA

Note: This Post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

Investment Piece: OOTD RoundUp
A Throw back, but I’ve worn this dress more than once as it creates a breeze. I found someone this exact one. Shop it and similar ones here

Investment Piece: OOTD Round Up
I get asked about this bag every time I carry it. And it’s now on sale for you. Shop it here

Investment Piece: OOTD RoundUp
There are days when the only thing I can do is throw on a chic top with my workout leggings. But it works? Shop it here

Investment Piece: OOTD Round Up
Date night called for all white chic. Get yours here

Investment Piece: OOTD Round Up
Me? Dramatic? Not at all. Get similar dresses to this vintage stunner here

Investment Piece: OOTD RoundUp
I’m LIVING in this Outdoor Voices Exercise Dress. Match me here

Investment Piece: OOTD Round Up
I also can’t stop wearing this padded headband (it’s a cure all for all the hair days) And it’s under $15!
Get one here

Investment Piece: OOTD RoundUP
Why should the heat be the only thing in red? I love this style, get it here

Investment Piece: OOTD ROundUp
This is one of my most fave dresses, it also works in the fall, but keeps me cool now. Get yours here

For real, loves, what are you wearing?
Xo RA

Make it Your Own

Note: this post does contain affiliate links. While that does not affect the price for you, I may earn commission from them. Thank you for your support!

Investment Piece: Make it Your Own

This story has two parts.

Every summer there comes a time when I only wear swimsuits and dresses. It’s not that I don’t love jeans and tees. Not that I don’t want to look chic and elegant in pants (a la Eleanor in Crazy Rich Asians). But it’s hot. Too hot. Yesterday, it was over 100, and I drove by a woman who was wearing jeans and boots getting gas. My only thought was how hot she must be. I just can’t do it.

I’m a fan of summer dresses, both casual and formal. They can be anything you need them to be, are effortlessly chic, and most importantly : they’re cool. And keep you cool. From t-shirt dresses to hatters to off the shoulder, there are so many different types of summer dresses and stories to tell in them. What’s yours?

You can shop some of the ones I’m thinking of adding to my collection here.

And of course, now that I’ve taken a stand, life will find a way to have me in pants for the rest of the summer. (You can’t see me but I’m laughing about that now!)

Investment Piece: Make it your Own
This is also a story about making it your own. I loved this denim/colored dress when I first saw it at Target. The issue? It was in the kids department. And didn’t fit quite right:

But. I don’t let a little thing like that stop me. Some snips (I cut the straps off in the back), some fray check (sew without sewing and seal fabric), some tying around my neck and viola:
Investment Piece: Make it Your Own

This is not a call for us to all wear children clothes. They aren’t made for our bodies, and women’s bodies-all sizes and curves–should be celebrated. And in clothes that make them feel amazing. I am very flat chested, and thought the XXL would work for me, so I wanted to see if I could alter this dress. To me, part of the fun of fashion is making it your own. And that means altering what doesn’t work for you. I have a dress that started as a skirt, pants I’ve changed. Alterations are a great way to take the clothes offered to you, and make them your own.

I have a feeling we’ll be talking more about alterations. In the meantime, I would love to know: what’s something that you’ve made your own?

Below I’ve linked this exacted dress, and some other Target picks I love (as well as Fray Check if you need it!)

Xo RA

Investment Piece: Make it Your Own