{Wardrobe Renewal - Summer Dresses Edition}

>>Show of hands, who has muttered this sentence already this month: "Gah, it's hot!" Did your hand go up? I love Summer, and I so look forward to that renewal and glow that starts from the outside and moves into your very soul! But what's a girl to do when she just isn't feelin' it yet, or worse; what she's feeling is hot, miserable, sweaty, and nauseous at the thought of being the heat for long periods of time? Sounds like you need a Summer Wardrobe Renewal! Let's refresh and rejuvenate your wardrobe, the same way all that Vitamin D is going to do within! 

My Summer Go-To Wardrobe Piece is: The Dress! I love the ease and comfort of a one-and-done dress, especially when it is hotter than blue blazes outside! Not only can you throw it on and be completely dressed (my personal favorite part! Read: Always running late. HA HA!), but you don't have the restraint or extra fabric of a pant that can keep the heat in and cause you to be completely miserable! Now let's talk fabric, cotton is great as long as it isn't too heavy - think rayon, jersey, and nylon blends. While you are shopping be honest with yourself about what fabrics you are more likely to purchase: a jersey that can easily washed and worn, or a cotton that may require dry cleaning/ironing? Comfort and Ease need to take precedence; but that is a personal decision that I don't have an exact opinion on as I purchase first and read how to care for second (jus' sayin'!). 

Where to Shop and How to Style. My favorite places to pick up Summer Dresses are LOFT, and Old Navy. Both brands carry on-trend and easy-to-care-for pieces! What you want to always keep in mind is that Style = Classics and Fashion = Trends. Your wardrobe needs to stay at about a 75/25 Classics to Trends ratio. Not only will this keep you from throwing down (and away) a bunch of cash every single season, but it will also help in cultivating your Personal Style. I keep very simple silhouettes with pops of color/print depending upon the season and activity. See my earlier posts on Personal Style!

You will want to start with the shape of the dress that most flatters your body type, and go from there. I love a good Fit and Flare for going out, or special occasions, but I have to extremely careful of just exactly where that flare-line hits on my torso. Remember: Fit is Queen! Once you have an idea of what works best for you, then you can dive into all the goodies! One thing that I personally used to struggle with was my upper arms! I am sure this rings true for a lot of my readers! And I am here to tell you, sister, no one is going to look at your arms and think "EW!", they are going to think "I wish I was brave enough to show my shoulders and upper arms like that!" SO YOU DO IT! Free the arms, let them get some sun, and you will feel so much more confident in doing so! Just always be conscientious of your undergarments and the width of your dress on your shoulder. They do make clips to keep you bra strap and dress strap together, so google that and stock up if you know that can be an issue for you! 

Let the Renewal Begin! While you are shopping, look for bold colors and prints; this season's most-notable trends are: Sunshine Yellow, Bright, Island Blues, Blush, and Orange, "Global" prints and materials: Heavy Weave, Embroidery, Pom Poms, Straw, Tassels, Crochet. Metallics, Florals, Tropical. Off the Shoulder, One Shoulder, Cold Shoulder. 

I have picked a few of my personal favorites I think would be great renewal pieces for the gal who just hasn't found her Summer Excitement yet! All photos are linked, so in just a few clicks your wardrobe can be Summer Renewed! Happy Shopping!