Summer Dresses to Live In Under $100

There is nothing easier than throwing on a dress to make an outfit. Add slides for day and a heel at night and poof, instant outfit. It really is the best part of summer. And it is those casual, comfortable dresses that get the most play. So in the spirit of trying to invest more in what we all actually wear, I wanted to find budget friendly dresses that you can wear to death all season long. 

1. Classic Breton stripe dress (comes in other colors) $69 / 2. Embroidered Dress (comes in other colors)  $53 / 3.Tie front Shift Dress $69/ 4. Off the shoulder dress $47

5. Olive Midi Dress $76/ 6. Knotted Maxi Dress $88 / 7. Tiered Maxi Dress (also this one) $32 / 8. Channel Amal Clooney in this number (also this one) $77

9. Chambray dress $69 / 10. Pretty white dress $89 / 11. Striped Shift Dress $59/ 12. Tie Strap Dress $35

13. Rainbow stripes dress $40 / 14. Own this and love it, comes in a ton of colors $69 / 15. Easy LBD $64 / 16. Stripe tank dress $59

xo

Erin 

Spring Dresses for Every Invitation

Here comes the sun and dress season. 

Thank goodness. So ready to have some pretty little things that get me excited for an event or just a casual meal sitting outside. 

Here are some perfect Spring dresses and the best part is all of them are under $200 with a bunch even under $100.  

Casual options for showers and Spring bbqs...

1. Obsessed with this sweet striped dress / 2. Time to break out the white and I love the exaggerated sleeve / 3. Poplin stripes with just a bit of skin / 4. A feminine silhouette in a sweet stripe

For the slightly dressier event

1. Strapless bow dress in a pink gingham / 2. LOVE this breezy tie front dress, comes in other colors / 3. I am a sucker for a ballet inspired dress in a comfy fabric 

A fun print and silhouette...

1. A sweet floral print and a little ruffle  / 2. Preppy belted gingham / 3. Statement making ruffled floral / 4. A breezy floral jumpsuit 

And for when it calls for cocktail or more formal...

1. A pretty pink sheath / 2. Muted back and white floral / 3. A sweet off the shoulder / 4. Simple but statement making hot pink 

1. Love this sleeved dress / 2. French blue and nude printed dress / 3. Pink cold shoulder / 4. Another simple silhouette in a bold blue 

xo

Erin 

Spring Break Fever

We are deep in the season where you talk about the weather a lot and it is a bummer. So though this post is all about getting out of town, I do try to enjoy my own even in this dirty snow/maybe raining/but always cold time of year. 

Like enjoying that the sun is actually shining past 5pm. 

And magic hour is a thing even in the winter. 

Or jumping in a puddle with one of the kids to make their day. 

And cozy sweaters by fires somewhere with friends. 

Mostly I am complaining, but every so often we make the best of it.

And when I am in the get me out of here head space, I start looking for fun new pieces to enjoy in the warm sun. Hence this heavenly packing list that would be perfect anywhere a pool and cold drinks is involved. And for those of you that live in the desert or by the beach year round, something for your every day closet, you lucky girl. 

1. Love this Ulla Johnson dress for day or night

2. A one piece - two piece hybrid I am digging. This one too

3. A minimalist leather sandal is always so chic

4. A high quality stripe shirt to half tuck into #5

5. The high waisted boyfriend denim shorts that anyone can wear

6. The combo of blue mirrored lenses and tortoise is so good on these glasses

7. DYING over this wide leg jumpsuit. This one too

8. A leopard shirt cover up is unexpected and I like it

9. Valentino slides you can wear every day everywhere. These are great too. 

10. A silk t shirt dress that easily dresses up or down

11. Classic white sneakers that go good with dresses too

12. This ruffle top and hipster bottom are so cute. Also comes in a one piece

13. A chambray baby doll that is easy to eat cheeseburgers in

14. A super sweet yellow gingham dress

15. Pink shades that are just pink enough

16. A ruffled low block heel because who wants to wear high heels on vacay? 

xo

Erin 

Let's Party

While the winter uniform of sweater, leggings, and cozy boots will always be a favorite. One of the biggest perks of the season is getting all dolled up for a festive party. It is probably because we tend to hunker down a bit as it gets colder and dressing up takes a major backseat to Netflix and slippers. Plus, the options get extra glam and lux with soft fabrics and extra embellishment. This is a huge round up for every dress code currently in your inbox. From black tie to office party, it is time to get merry and bright. 

Black Tie and Formal

1. Drapey Velvet $425 / 2. Love this wine one shoulder $103 / 3. Green goddess $395 / 4. Ruffles for days $249 / 5. Sequins and bows $298 (comes in other colors)

6. Red drama with a great back $299 / 7. The perfect jumpsuit $148 / 8. Navy tied with a bow $249 / 9. Sleek and modern black $300 / 10. Rose gold sequin amazingness (comes in other color ways too) $260 / 11. Velvet one shoulder $198

When it calls for cocktail 

1. Red and caped $225 / 2. Olive slip dress $206 / 3. Rose Gold sequins $185  / 4. Flattering with velvet trim $175  / 5. Pretty white  $188

6. Lady in lace $108 / 7. Flutter sleeve red $60  / 8. Velvet jumpsuit $138 / 9. Knockout green $269 / 10. Silky ruffles $159

11. Ultimate party dress $440 / 12. Sweet red chiffon $198 / 13. Off the shoulder lace $110 / 14. Off the shoulder red $87 / 15. Velvet tie waist $299 

And for Any occasion in between 

1. Flowy ruffles $206 / 2. Smart black $84 / 3. Metallic drop waist $82 / 4. Wine colored velvet $395 / 5. Modern green $295

xo

Erin 

Dresses, on Dresses, on Dresses

Between weddings, parties, and showers there has been a lot of reasons to look at dresses. I actually think that I over looked. As in there is little that is dazzling me at this point. It all kind of looks the same when you have been on every site and seen every dress (apparently I need to get a life). But, there are some standouts that either I keep coming back to or have something special that makes them stand out. I have already finished my shopping, but here are the others the tI had my eye on. 

These would be so pretty for a shower or fancy lunch

1.  A ruffled J.O.A / 2. This Leith looks comfy, but chic and comes in a ton of colors / 3. Obsessed with this voile Chloebella / 4. I want to wear this sweet little Topshop dress all summer

These dresses would be pretty for a casual wedding or rehearsal dinner

1. Breezy J.O.A for a great price / 2. Love the print of this Keepsake (also comes in pink) / 3. The embroidery on this Carven is insane and on sale / 4. Covered, but flirty Endless Rose

When the invite says cocktail, I would go for one of these

1. Moschino on sale / 2. Channeling Princess Kate a bit in this red / 3. This lace Self Portrait has the sweetest bow in the back too / 4. Dying over this green Mikael Aghal / 5. Ballerina for a night in Needle & Thread

And for formal, but not black tie

1. I have always loved the silhouette of this Yumi Kim / 2. Pretty lace with a sexy plunge by Ganni / 3. Love the combo of classic silhouette with full skirt, also comes in red / 4. LOVE this floral Mikael Aghal that is on sale / 5. This lace maxi comes in a ton of colors by Dress the Population

And for an all out glam night

1. This Shona Joy also comes in red. / 2. A pretty Needle & Thread to stand out in all the black / 3. This gorgeous Marchesa is on super sale / 4. This Rachel Zoe is also on sale / 5. This Solace dress is so chic (on sale)

xo

Erin 

SAG Awards 2015: Best & Worst

Everyone shows up to this event. Everyone. I spotted Andrea Zuckerman in the crowd. She did not look half bad, either. A lot of ladies looked fantastic, some needed some help. 

These ladies are the top of the top of the Best for me. Some real surprises too! 

Julianna's dress is wrinkled, one of my all time pet peeves, BUT the color is stunning on her. Love the cut of the dress, the hair, all of it. Felicity Jones is perfection in this sweet pink. Classic and styled simply, which so works for her. Julie Bowen! Welcome to the best dressed list! She finally got it right with this perfectly femme number with simple styling. Anna from Downton looks like a full blown movie star. Love her. 

Now for everyone else… 

Getting in the Spirit

I know it is crazy to think about Christmas before Halloween even comes, but honestly it the only thing that can get me in a creative state of mind. Burnout happens to me probably a few times a year and over the last couple of weeks, it is in full swing. Sometimes it is hard to feel creative enough to put content together for you that is actually worth reading. And my thought is always that quality is better than quantity and I would never want to disappoint you with some ho-hum post (although I am sure it still happens!). So that is the reason for the lack of posts lately. But when I started thinking about all the upcoming holiday parties that you might have coming up, a light bulb went off. And honestly, holiday party dress shopping is probably one of my favorite posts of the year. Dresses with a little something extra that puts you in the mode of the season are always fun to find. Here are a few that stand out from the crowd of the usual suspects that are so fun. 

1. It is rare to be able to wear white if you are not a bride. Take advantage. For Love & Lemons $255

2. This dress is actually embroidered. So so pretty and love the colors. Asos $180

3. This is the second time I posted this dress. I love it that much Alice + Olivia $396

4. The front is covered up and cute, but the sassy back and jacquard makes it a fave. Alice + Olivia $395

5. This hunter green knit is screaming for a statement necklace. Alice + Olivia $396

6. A floral digital print feels surprisingly festive. Asos $165

7. Such a sucker for a black and white dress and the draping on this is so pretty. Shoshanna $295

8. A lot of beading, but in an understated way. These silhouettes are always flattering too. Asos $181

Hopefully this is a kick for me to get my mojo back and if there is anything you are looking for specifically please let me know. Would love ideas! 

xo

Erin 

Shopbop Sale on Sale

Just as I was going online to look for summer dresses (for the 1 millionth time), I lucked out big time with Shopbop giving an extra 25% off all items already on sale. That is another quarter knocked off the posted price at check out (enter 25MORE as promo code). And the options are really great, in sizes besides xs and xl. Currently, these are all in my cart, need to make some decisions and narrow it down. 

These daytime options are great and make throwing something on for errands and barbecues easy. 

From Left: Splendid $72 / Mother $120 / Splendid $67 / Free People $48 / SoLow $41 

(prices reflect the additional 25% off)

And I love these options for summer weddings and nights out for drinks. 

 From Left: Parker $127 / Chalk Player $117 / Ella Moss $114 / Splendid $62 / David Lerner $96

There is a lot more to choose from. Skirts, rompers, shorts, denim, etc. Trying to keep myself in check, but hard to with so much to choose from. What are your favorites? 

Happy Shopping. 
xo
Erin 

Summer On Sale

We leave for a much needed vacation tomorrow (2 weeks!) and I am just getting around to shopping  for it. Best part of going away in the winter is that everything is on sale. I am eyeing these choices (all under $100) and might just get a couple delivered to Florida. I forgot that my summer stuff is all bump friendly. It would be nice to wear something normal. 

1. Preppy Striped Dress from J. Crew in Navy $59

2. Tie Dye dress for nights out by Young Fabulous & Broke $95

3. Breezy smocked dress by Madewell $82

4. Great Strapless beach dress from Splendid Maxi $39

5. One of my fave dresses from Parker $92

Have a great weekend and I will try and write while I am away. 

xo

Erin 

Feel the Breeze

How was your holiday weekend? I think I ate my weight in cheeseburgers (no joke, had one every day) and am still getting over the sugar rush from all the cookies and desserts. It was pretty damn fun. We were blessed with nice weather, but holy summer it got hot and sticky fast. Being eight months pregnant makes that super fun and all I want to wear is the tiniest little dress I can find, but alas a giant bra and lots of coverage is probably more my speed right now. 

How great would one of these open back dresses be for a date night or cocktails with your girlfriends on a hot summer night?

1. A little pink dress screaming for a fun wedding by Tibi

2. A little ladylike and sexy combined in this Alice + Olivia (on sale)

3. I worship this slinky Parker dress with its contrasting striped skirt. 

4. The sweet tie in the back of this Parker romper is perfection. 

Though my bump cannot fit in any of these, I want to live vicariously through anyone who gets to sport one of these beauties. 

xo

Erin 

Asos

I have written and posted a lot of looks from Asos and people are always loving them, but are wary of ordering from the site. It can be hard ordering from a new store online, so let me assure you that it is awesome. The quality of the pieces that were as little as forty dollars was actually pretty amazing. There is free expedited shipping with your order and returns are as easy as putting the box back in the mail with a card filled out. I have been so impressed with what they have and the price point that I have gone a bit mad. 

Yesterday the baby slept way in, so I used the time to burn through some molla and get a ton of great stuff for a surprising little amount. I needed some more casual dresses and a couple of pieces for upcoming weddings. I hate spending money on maternity clothes, and while a couple of these are, most are not and I can wear afterwards as well. 

1. Striped Maternity Dress $47

2. Cami Maxi Dress (also in magenta) $58

3. Striped Swing Dress $25

4. Maternity Swim Suit in navy $42 (had to do it, the bikini is just kind of offensive at this point in public)

5. Animal Print Maternity Dress $59

6. Waterfall Cardigan $47

I had ordered this dress before and I am obsessed with it. Great print, colors and easily dressed up for a night out or down for running errands. 

China Print Swing Dress $58

Here is to a great weekend and maybe you will fall in love with Asos as well. 

xo

Erin 

Losing the Leggings

While I try to not wear leggings ALL winter long, it pretty much happens. An every day look of soft leggings or your favorite skinnies with a blousey long top is just so easy to put together. And really it can be pulled together so chicly, even if your leggings are form Target. When it gets warmer, it is easy to just lose the leggings and throw on a shirt dress. Something that looks good enough to wear to work, dinner out, or running errands by just switching your accessories. These cool girls seem to get it. 

These are some cute options for this summer. Throw on with tights and a leather jacket come Fall and you will get so much wear out of it. 

From left: Asos  / Topshop / Equipment / DKNY

I am obsessed with the pink Equipment. Too bad it has a waist. Don't these all look comfy for a hot summer day? 

xo

Erin 

Flower Bomb

I am really digging the modern, digital prints that take average Spring florals and turn them into fresh, flirty pieces. Floral can feel too old and too young pretty easily, finding something in between is tough. An unexpected color combination and a dress that is cut to flatter are a good start on how to wear the new florals. 

From Left: Asos $42 / Asos $93 / FindersKeepers $128 / Clover Canyon $246

I worship the second Asos dress. the fit is flattering and would be great for a party, wedding, or even during the day with flats. Clover Canyon is kind of an obsession of mine. I want to wear this the second it gets warm out. Wouldn't it be cute for Easter with a blazer and wedges? 

Because these dresses have so much going on, simple accessories would be best. Maybe your favorite watch and simple studs with these beauties...

Shoes: Zara $79 / Bag: Alexander McQueen $430

The Zara shoes also come in other colors, but the simple black remind me of the Celine pair that everyone is drooling over on Pinterest. The McQueen bag is such a pretty shade of blush, holds a lot and can be used with anything. 

What are the chances I will even get to sport a dress this weekend for Easter? Pretty slim unless it involved tights, closed toe shoes, blazer and sleeves. Annoying. But these prints are making me happy and I think one of these would be perfect for a Spring wedding I have coming up. 

xo

Erin 

Oscar After Party Inspiration

So many of the After Party Oscar dresses were in my opinion, better than the actual red carpet. 

After Anne's not-so-great-Prada, this chic column looks fresh and fun. The ultimate ice queen, Natalie, is gorgeous in Dior. Jennifer put her party dress on to celebrate her win. And Nina Debrov, who has been killing it lately, looks so chic in graphic black and white. 

Then, there is the queen of the carpet herself, Diane. 

Black and white is a huge trend for Spring and this shape is all kinds of amazing. Clearly only she could ever wear this and pull it off, but she is flawless per usual. 

A small black and white print is a great, versatile way to add to your closet for Spring. Plus, it really works all year round. While we wish we could have Diane's frock, there are some more accessible options around. 

From left: Topshop $76, Three Floor $262, Theory $285, Asos $50

The tunic would be perfect belted with wedges and a statement necklace. I am obsessed with the silhouette of the Three Floor dress, so flirty and flattering. Ikat is not only sweet for your house, this print shows how you can wear it anytime. The chevron dress is a great way to look hot on date night. 

You going back and white anytime soon? 

xo

Erin 

I Enjoy Being A Girl

Sometimes it is just great being a girl. 

Ruffles, lace, pink, and sparkle are the little details that make dressing up fun. Fall and Winter tend to stifle all things femme.  While we all love leather, noir, boots and over sized coziness, you have to bring back the pretty even in the cold. 

1. Ruffled dress by French Connection $55 (on sale)

2. D'orsay heels from Rebecca Minkoff $295

3. Lace and peplum dress by Three Floor $336

4. Lace cut out dress by Three Floor $238 (Holiday party perfection)

5. Glitter iPhone case by Kate Spade $35

6. Pastel saddle bag from J. Crew $198

xo

Erin 

Mixing it up

No girl mixes prints as well as this girl....

Flawless Olivia Palmero just gets it right every single time. 

Mixing prints is hard to do with separates. You have to be daring and have a fantastic sense of color, scale, and proportion. Something I wish I had a bit more of. Luckily, many designers are doing the hard work for us and putting together pieces with multiple prints. 

I am in LOVE with this one from ASOS. I worship the granny-esque floral and bright prints, with the modern, edgy design of the dress. 

ASOS $215 

I found some other, albeit extreme, choices that could be fun on their own or mixed with basic pieces in your closet. 

1. Tahiti $565

2. Clover Canyon $185

3. Sabine $46

4. Free People $69

5. ModCloth $107

6. Elie Tahari $398

7. BCBG $458

Not exactly a mixed print, but a loud statement none the less, these Brian Atwood shoes would be the perfect print to mix in to your favorite look. WORSHIP them. 

Brian Atwood $1,065

So how daring are you? I bet you have some pieces to mix up in your closet right now....

xo

Erin 

Multi-Colored, Multi-Sized Horizontal Stripes Actually a Do

During fashion week, there was a lot of coverage of what all the ladies lucky enough to be attending the shows were sporting all over town. For some reason, I could not get this image out of my head. 

via vogue.com

This girl might be the only person on the planet that can pull this look off. With her perfectly unstyled, a bit too long hair and lithe figure perfect for lots of horizontal stripes, she somehow makes it work perfectly with classic black pumps and a simple shoulder bag. 

The fun colors and varying widths of the stripes is what I love about the dress, even though I probably would not be able to wear it with such ease. It does work well though as inspiration. So I did some shopping...

1. Fendi from Farfetch $399

2. Marc by Marc Jacobs from Shopbop $350

3. See by Chloe at Saks $370

4. Reiss $170

5. ASOS $31 (total Prada knockoff, but price tag is so much lighter!)

6. Thakoon at Net-a-Porter $1450

7. French Connection From Bloomingdales $98

8. Oasis from ASOS $104

xo

Erin 

Wedding Dressing

Here we are in the thick of wedding season and I came across this lovely picture on FB of two gorgeous girls headed to a chic Chicago wedding. 

Christina (left) wears Halston Heritage dress, Vince Camuto shoes, Urban Outfitters earrings, and vintage watch. Marita (right) wears BCBG dress, nude heels from Guess, and earrings from Francesca's 

Christina (licensed professional counselor) and Marita (interior designer) are wearing two of my favorite styles for summer weddings, brights and prints. While we all love a little black dress, a bright or printed dress is so much more fun and a way to make a statement (not taking away from the bride, of course) when attending a summer soiree. 


Shopbop has to be the best place to go online to shop for dresses. With their vast selection, easy return policy, and current summer sale, they are the greatest. 


Their selection of prints is amazing, but as I have said before, prints are personal. The below prints spoke to me, but may not to you. I am also really into sleeves on dresses right now, so I was drawn to the shirt dress styles. 

When it comes to color, the brighter the better in my book. One solid bright can take a classic dress cut to something extraordinary. 

Four wedding invitations sit on my desk next to me and some of the above are in my future. 


What are you wearing to your summer weddings? 


Check out Christina's amazing work on Rare Bird Project. 


And Marita's fantastic blog Kipling House. 


xo
Erin