I spend pretty much the whole summer in dresses – shift styles at the office, comfy tee shirt dresses for the evenings, and cover-ups on the weekends at the lake. I think it has something to do with living in Minnesota, and knowing that for a solid 8 months of the year my legs will be covered. The maxi is the style I wear the least, but when I find a great one I end up wearing it quite a bit. There are plenty of situations where full leg coverage in a dress is more comfortable – travel days come to mind, as do the many times with kids’ activities (somehow I always end up sitting on the grass at soccer while Ella takes the lawn chair). To be honest, I wasn’t sure about this dress when it first arrived as there is SO much fabric, but I really like the overall look as well as the details on the neckline and back.

Anthropologie dress | Tiffany & Co. sunglasses | J Crew shoes | Tory Burch clutch | Michael Kors watch | Madewell bracelets (here and here) | Kate Spade necklaces
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I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I hate winter in Minnesota, but I definitely do start to fret when the air starts turning cooler in the early mornings and evenings, daylight dwindles on both ends of the day, and I find myself with a chill when in the air conditioning of the office and house. It’s the time when I start looking for clothes that can transition well between warmer and cooler weather – in style, print and fabric. This poncho is a nice option for those in between times, when you’re not sure what to throw on in the morning.

Anthropologie sweater (sold out, but similar here and non-poncho style here) | Banana Republic pants (old, similar here and here) | Lilly Pulitzer shoes | Chloe handbag | Michael Kors watch | Hermes bracelet | Madewell bracelet | Kate Spade earrings

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Trevor and I returned home late last week from a brief but lovely trip to Napa with friends. This trip (we first went to the Valley with our friends ten years ago) always provides a good excuse for shopping for a new outfit or two. It’s a bit of a tough time to do so, since many retailers are turning over their inventory to fall items (something I am definitely NOT ready to see). But there are still great options out there, especially if you have the time to search through some of the great sales going on right now (see side bar for some of my favorite sale options). The bright pink of this dress caught my eye in that it reminded me of the bougainvillea plant that is so beautiful and common in the Napa Valley area.

Eliza J dress (now on sale) | J Crew belt (old, similar here and the dress comes with a gold belt that also works well) | Tory Burch clutch | Lilly Pulitzer shoes | Michael Kors watch | Hermes bracelet | Madewell bracelet | Banana Republic sunglasses (not available online – similar here and love these) | Kate Spade earrings
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