I think in this consumer heavy environment it's important to get the most use out of our clothing as possible, so for today's post I wanted to show you how to style one simple dress in 3 different (if not terribly exciting) ways.
First off, let's talk about finding a versatile dress for your wardrobe that you can wear over and over again, but have it styled so wildly different, that no one's the wiser. My dress was purchased for $40 from H&M in the fall 2 years ago. I have worn it for Christmas parties, summer dinners out, family parties, you name it and it works. It's a dark colour but has a large floral pattern so it's appropriate in all seasons. I like the slightly below the knee length as it allows me to wear tights and boots when it's super cold out and sandals in the warmer weather. It's also a little on the roomier side so belts and toppers play well with it (not to mention it's great for events where you will be stuffing your face and no shapewear is required). In this case the fast fashion purchase has served me well and will continue to be my go-to dress for years to come. Look for less structured and lighter weight materials to allow the dress to drape nicely and hide under things. The one I have has a high neckline but this would work equally great with a v-neck or wrap dress. Tunrs out this unicorn dress is harder to find than I thought, I have linked some for consideration but check out those thrift shops too as dresses like this were popular in the 1990's as well.
So now that's sorted out, grab that dress from the back of your closet and let's get to work. The easiest way to style a dress is to add a belt. Adding a belt helps to define your waist and adds visual interest to your outfit. You can use the belt that came with the dress or substitute it for a belt/bag combo or even a longer belt that can casually tie around itself. Throw on some heels or sandals and a cute bag and you're ready to go!
Now, let's make this dress a little more edgy. I wore this ensemble to a charity dinner and feel like it was perfectly casual, yet sophisticated. When you're not sure how dressed up everyone else will be it's a good idea to dig that leather or vegan leather jacket from the depths of your closet and throw it on as a topper. Some pointy toe booties edge up the look while still keeping it polished. These boots were from Zara this fall and I think I will be getting lots of use out of them and have already. The jacket was a lucky Winners find, but keep your eyes peeled because thrift shops and consignment shops often have great leather or vegan leather jackets.
Next up, let's make this dress a little more casual for dinner with friends, family parties etc. The great thing about this outfit is that I am dressed in layers! Perfect for when you arrive at someones house and realize it's either colder than you want or warmer than you expected. This oversized sweater is from H&M 3 years ago. It's acrylic and washes up like a dream and then you can chuck it in the dryer...so pretty much perfect for a busy parent. It's oversized and pretty chunky so I tucked it into my belt bag (aka fanny pack) to give my waist some definition. If your chunky sweater is super long don't worry you can tuck it up into your bra and it makes the perfect crop sweater. Back to these boots — versatile and comfy, their warm caramel colour and soft suede are a perfect fit with this silky dark dress.
So there you have it, one simple dress in 3 interesting ways! Drag that dress from the depths of your closet and dust it off, play around with options, take a picture and share with the tag #letsgetstylishwithrobin .
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