outfits – Page 16 – Investment Piece

Southern Summer

We’re back! After a week of reflection and listening, we’re still in the fight but excited to bring you new content! First up: one of my all time favorite summer dresses. I pull this number out every year when the heat turns up. I stay cool. I look like a lady. And there’s something about this outfit that lets me know that summer has started!

There is something special about summer in the South. Yes, it’s hot and can be humid. There’s also magic in the air, there’s a kindness and time can slow. Spending part of my time in the South it’s an exciting time: there are bbqs, rivers, and sweet tea on the porch.

And when I got my hands on this stunner from the 1910s I knew it was a perfect fit–the tiers, the buttons up the back. This is a lawn dress, which means it’s linen or cotton, and these dresses were commonly used for everything from tea time to night gowns to picnics! We know that I love a great vintage number, and I love making them modern. Maybe it’s my height, maybe it’s the age, but I love that it’s a midi dress now. And the shoes! Gingham screams summer, and I love the mix of colors and leg wrap!

While white is most certainly a summer color, I love adding a bit of pop to it. And any color can be your pop (ya know, if gingham is not your thing). Again, the mix of traditional and non-traditional is what I love about this outfit–and summer! While this dress is vintage, and these JCrew shoes are a few summer seasons old, there are so many ways to take the idea of a southern summer and make it your own. Gingham dress with white shoes. White shoes with this summer’s gingham. Mix and match. Pop your white with a bold color. All white (if you dare). Wear what you love. Maybe that’s the trick to any southern summer.

And a note: My mom is the true star of this southern summer- not only did she do all the buttons (and snaps, because yes, there are two layers of each), she helped take these pics! Stay cool out there lovers!

I’ve linked all sorts of options for your southern summer. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
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 vintage lawn dress? I got you here:

Or maybe something more modern:

Happy summer!
And loves it’s supposed to be SUPER hot this week- please stay cool out there!

Spanx Denim Review

Since spring I’ve been intrigued by all of the pull on jeans out there! Would they be more comfortable than a traditional waistband? Suck me in a bit more?
As you can see, I got a pair of the Spanx pull on wide leg- and I love them. They have been harder to get on/off than I thought (if you’re bigger in the hips I would suggest sizing up!), but that’s becoming easier and easier! This pair is a bit big in the waist (but my natural waist is super high and that’s part of it) but I love the way they look and how high they are!

While I can’t speak to every pair of pull on jeans out there, these I can whole heartedly recommend! I’ve linked them for you below (for reference I’m in a XS/Tall). Do you have any pull on jeans that you love?

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

a woman in a green garden in wide leg pull on jeans, a black t-shirt and brown and gold sandals

Unfinished…

a woman in a strapless black top and black pants with a sheer black cape over wearing black mules

Like many of you, way back in February I paid attention to Fashion Month (yes, I’m so behind we’ve now also had cruise shows!), and since then I have been wanting to talk about runway shows. About how they can not only show us trends and fashion to buy, but how they can inspire us. How we can often take details from certain shows, or looks in shows, and even if you never wear the “runway” look you could wear your version of the runway.

As you can tell, I was going to start with the sheer cape (seen in February at Fendi, but there was a Gucci version in ’11 and a Valentino version a few years ago). While I am forever a cape girl (see here, here, and here to start!) I couldn’t help but fall in love with the sheer cape. And yes, I love it over this cropped pant- and yes that’s a bathing suit as a bodysuit! I also had plans to pair the cape over a dress, as a top with a skirt (a la runway), over shorts, and perhaps even be a (bit) daring and wear the cape over a bathing suit.

It’s been in my calendar (since February!) to shoot these looks. A video maybe? To write in detail about my love of this cape and how I love being inspired by the runway (and all the ways you can do that!). Yet. Life has happened. Other looks have happened. I’ve been inspired by other things since February. My best laid runway Inso? It’s been unfinished. Sometimes, when I’m unfinished with something, I decide to just let it go. I figure it’s for the best and move on- let the unfinished lay. However, I just couldn’t let this be unfinished. Perhaps it was because I couldn’t stop thinking about the cape, and styling it in my head. Or maybe it’s the constant realization of how I get inspiration from so many places and make it a bit my own. Whatever it was, I am a bit determined to finish this.

So, you’ll probably see this look again, in various ways. You’ll see this cape with a dress and with a skirt, and we’ll chat about runway inspiration and how to take a detail and run with it, how to take a detail and wear it in so many ways. We’ll finish this. In the meantime, I hope this brief look inspires you! I’ve found similar pieces to these (note-this black swimsuit and pants are my go-tos for so many looks and this cape has been so versatile!)

What’s something that you’ve left unfinished – and if it’s an outfit how can we finish it?
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!

here

a woman in black pants with a black sheer cape and black mules

Vintage as Modern

a woman in a blue and white floral slip dress with pink feather shoes and a brown clutch bag

a woman in a blue and white slip dress with a brown clutch

I have a thing for vintage clothes. I have a thing for modern clothes. But perhaps my most favorite? Clothes that are so classic that they could be either. For example, this 1930s night gown (yes, a night gown!). A bias cut, meaning that it is a very traditional vintage, but as this is the ultimate flattering cut, it’s also incredibly modern. Add to the both timeless feel, bedroom drama, etc are feather shoes (who doesn’t love a feather?) and a vintage Bottega clutch.

I wore this look to a fashion party and was lucky enough to have my dear friend @pheobephillofan (follow her on IG!) shoot me. It was incredibly fun to get to play with a friend, and from feathers to a sheer like night gown that reads as a modern slip dress, it was fun to play with the mix of vintage and modern. What’s a recent outfit you wore that you just love? While this number is vintage (along with the bag), I’ve linked similar options for you below!
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!

a black and white shot of a woman in a blue and white slip dress with feather shoes and a clutch

Fashion Stories: I’m a Barbie Girl

If you’re like me you may have spent at least a part of the long weekend watching the BARBIE movie trailer over (and over) again. Am I fascinated? Completely. Not only due to the Vogue interview with Margot and cast and Greta (aka Barbie and Cast and Greta the Director/Writer- also Greta referenced Reviving Ophelia about the age that girl’s lost their confidence and it’s all made me so excited!)

Barbie was one of my favorite toys growing up. The fashion was part of it:
Including this Day to Night Number (I had this doll! You could reverse the skirt to change looks and the top was a bodysuit! It may have given me unrealistic expectations for day to night dressing, but my sister and I loved it!)
a day to night barbie in varying pink suit loks

Also, besides the fashion, the lore of Barbie means a lot to me- which is a weird thing to say (and no, this isn’t the last time we’ll chat about Barbie in many ways). I was perhaps a bit too old to watch the animated Barbie moves, but I had many different Barbies, the Barbie Dream House, cars, and believed that I could be a mermaid, vet, astronaut, princess, ballerina, dr, business woman- and that a guy (and Ken!) who wanted to be with me would love that about me! (Maybe that’s the magic of Barbie and childhood!)

But maybe that’s the magic we need to believe in!
This was one of my favorite Barbies (and one of my upcoming Fashion Halloween costumes!)
Peaches and Cream BArbie with a white barbie with long flowing blonde hair in a peach ruffled gown with a sparkling white bodice and a flower at the waist,

Baribie is not only a toy that shaped so much of our childhoods but a cultural icon

See:

here

I can remember playing with my mom’s original Barbie’s (and our Ken’s were my Uncle’s old GI Joe’s back when they were bigger than Ken!)
Barbie affected the way I thought about life, about fashion, about the women I thought I could be- and I can’t wait to see how the upcoming Barbie movie informs that and what I wear!

I would love to know how Barbie has affected your life! From what you wear to how you think to your career- are you a mermaid CEO vet or did you think you could be? Tell me all about it? In the future we’ll chat what we’re wearing to the movie (or maybe for Halloween) and how pink and Barbie have affected our current fashion choices, but I think this is a good start, don’t you?

XO RA

Seasonal Swim

a woman in board shorts and a strapless top and sandals on a chair by a pool

It’s no secret that I love wearing swim with EVERYTHING. Yes, part of my swim suit collection is full of swim that will never see the water as I wear them as bodysuits. (Also, there are swimsuits I have that manage both water and fashion and I love to invest in those!) However, what may come as a surprise to everyone is that I really, really love swimsuit season. Partially because I love the fashion options that come with swimsuits, but also because I love the water.

Swimsuits are not only a staple of my closet, but a season I try to lean into every year.

Investment Piece: Vintage Swim — a woman in a vintage Pucci swimsuit and bathing cap on the beach

Investment Piece: Design in the Wild — a woman in a net and black stripe one shoulder one piece swim suit and jeans in a mirror

a woman in a cropped cardigan in BLUE AND WHITE stripe and white pants — a woman in a striped swim cardigan and white pants!

Every swim season I try to update my swim closet in these 3 categories: swim that I will use as bodysuits, swim that I will wear out, and swim to keep. Pieces vary, I mix and match, but between fashion, the pool, the ocean and rivers, and just everyday swim I weed out and replenish every year. I also try to update my cover ups, my hats, and my sandals accordingly. Below I’m linking all the swim, and more, I’m currently loving this season.

Investment Piece: For the Birds — a woman in a long blue and white print swim cover up over white pants

Also included in my swim round up? Cover Ups. I love how the sheer trend can be useful here- but I also love crochet, big hats and more as well as your fashion picks over all swim!

How do you feel about seasonal swim? And swimsuits in general? As well as cover ups or my habit of wearing swim with fashion? Any questions? I would love to hear about any and all of it!

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!

Here are some of my current fave swim:

Some of my current fave swim coverups and fashions:

And what’s currently in my shopping bags:

If you need me I’ll be by a body of water, in a body of water, or in a swimsuits as a part of a fashion statement. If this weekend is the “unofficial” beginning of summer,I can’t wait to stun all weekend long and get swim to carry me through the season!

Investment Piece: diving in — a woman in a blue sweater with red swimming ladies on it, white pants in front of a lifesaver and no lifeguard signs

Color Blocked Again

a woman in a light blue and red strapless dress with nude heeled sandals in the middle of a road

a woman in light blue and red strapless dress and nude heeled sandals in the middle of the road

Some time ago, I was on Pinterest and went down a rabbit hole about how mixing the colors light blue and red were infinitely chic. I couldn’t stop thinking about it- or thinking how I could color block that way. (And much after that, even after these pics were taken did I remember that I had played around with a version of this color blocking here. Perhaps great minds think alike?)

Going through my closet, I tried every combo I could find of light blue and red- mixing tops, pants, skirts, shorts, and shoes. But nothing felt 100% right out of my options. Everything felt a bit formal and forced (not my style). Then, by chance, I stumbled upon this vintage dress-colorblocked light blue and red, enough of a party dress to be a fave, but a lot of fun with the scarf like mixing and tie back. I couldn’t resist. And as it’s turned into my go-to for late spring soirées, I can’t help but be reminded why I’m drawn to colorblocking (of all hues), especially when it comes to dresses.

-Color Blocking takes the pressure of styling off you. The mixing of colors, patterns, etc is done. All you have to do is put it on and be chic!
-Color blocking is a bit reasonless. Most color pairings are pretty versatile, so you can wear them throughout the year! In colder months, it would be incredibly easy to throw a blazer or shawl over this dress
-It’s easy. Besides color blocked dresses doing the work for you, there are so many colors that go tougher that color blocking is an easy style hack. No patterns to worry about, but color blocking often feels so fresh that it appears more difficult than it is! Need help pairing colors? I’m all yours- though currently I am partial to this light blue and red!
-The shoe choices become infinite. Match a shade in the dress. Pick a neutral. Go with black. There might not be a wrong answer and I LOVE that for all of us!

a woman in nude high heel sandals and the hem of a red dress in the middle of the road — a close up of my beloved Sarah Flint Perfect sandals

I’m sure it’s a surprise to no one that for this color blocked stunner I chose (and continue to choose) my Sarah Flint Perfect Sandals. Using code SARAHFLINT-BAINVESTMENTPIECE gets you $60 off your first pair!

What have you color blocked recently? How at ease do you feel with color blocking? The above dress is vintage, so while I couldn’t find you this exact one, I did find color blocked dresses that I’m just in love with-linked for you below!
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!

a woman in a light blue and red dress

Nautical Summer

a woman in a cropped cardigan in a blue and white stripe and white pants in greenery

This post is mostly (partly) about Nautical Summer. My momma loved a great nautical- from sailor dresses to the blue and white stripe theme- and since my childhood I’ve associated nautical (all of the listed above) with summer. And who doesn’t associate summer with a cropped cardigan and white pants? This pairing really screams summer to me. From the stripes and white pants to the greens- this shoot felt like summer to me and not just because it was 100 degrees. Nautical has always meant summer to me (perhaps because nautical always meant on the water)

So Nautical Summer? Doesn’t have to mean on the water, or sailor themed, or blue and white striped. Perhaps it means the hint of all of all those things! AKA outfits that combine a bit of swim (yes, this cropped cardigan is a swim piece! I can’t stop, won’t stop wearing swim suits as outer wear) with a bit of summer. Or perhaps it means wearing all white (or at least white pants or skirts or dresses-all summer like to me as well). Or perhaps nautical summer simply means that you wear all the things that mean summer to you!

a woman in a cropped cardigan in a blue and white stripe and white pants

This post is also partly vulnerable. Fun fact? I hate my stomach. Even at my thinnest (which this is not) I hated my stomach. I hated the way it folded, I hated the way it looked. And yet- there was an acting coach I had that said that if you want people (aka your audience) to fall in love with you, you have to show them where you’re vulnerable. Also know as, ask them to fall in love with your flaws. So, maybe this nautical summer is about embracing our flaws – all those things we’re wary of showing- and being brave about showing all of us off.

So this is me showing us all what I’m vulnerable about, and this is an outfit that you can recreate incredibly easily. I’ve linked options below (including swim cardigans!) and if you need help please reach out!
XO RA

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!

a woman in a cropped cardigan in a blue and white stripe with white pants and brown sandals

Never Gets Old

I love getting new outfits and playing with them- but I love my wardrobe. A friend of mine (Mrs Emily, whose skirts you’ve seen here and here) often chats about how when we’re building our wardrobes, it’s important to pick pieces that fit our life, that we love, and that love us back. I know that so much of blogs like this one, IG, etc are about always getting new (and I do LOVE shopping) but having a closet full of pieces that make you feel good is truly the goal. My favorite things? I love rewearing them, restyling them, and throwing them on for whatever the days throw at me.

When you really love a fashion piece, it never really gets out. Repeat outfits? They’re like having brunch with your best friends. In honor of that, here are a few of my favorite repeats, that never get old. What do you think about repeat outfits? How are you building your wardrobe?

a woman in a wrap dress with a star print
woman in a black and white sheath dress with a star warp dress over it
This DVF wrap dress is a go to on it’s own, but I’ve also loved layering it over a dress!

a woman in a lavender dress

This lavender dress is such a stunner, I can change my shoes, throw a blazer over it, it always works!

a woman in a denim dress

Another go to? The best chambray dress!

And of course: the strapless swimsuit I wear as a body suit with EVERYTHING:
a woman in a black swimsuit and brown silk skirt
a woman in black strapless top, black pants and leopard corset in front of a rock formation
a woman in white shorts and blazer with a black straless bathing suit and heels in front of green trees

I can’t wait to hear about your go-tos! I’m also excited to add to my go-to’s this season!
XO RA

Size and Fit

There’s a difference between the size of your clothes (the number on the tag that can vary) and the fit (proportions, where it hits on your body, etc) and while both of these things are incredibly different, both of them affect how we look in our clothes. Aka they’re both important. Weirdly, they can also be at odds with each other- for example this great skirt that’s technically my “size” but where it hits my waist, the fit is off. (Don’t worry, there are so many fixes for that- part of why I say that a great tailor is one of the best investments you can have!)

What are your thoughts on fit, and what are some pieces you have where you love the fit?

a woman in a black body suit, brown silk skirt, black kitten heels and a woven clutch

And yes, if you look closely, that is a swimsuit I’m wearing as a bodysuit. Can’t stop, won’t stop!

I’ve linked this exact Prada skirt and similar items for you below! Here’s to the size and fit being perfect!

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!

a woman in a black bodysuit, brown silk skirt and black kitten heels with a brown bag