Dressing Up

i'd absolutely describe myself as a girly-girl.  i love sparkly things, doing my hair and makeup, and dresses, among other things.

as i mentioned last week, i work in a really laid-back environment.  as an employee of a church and a preschool teacher, i often find myself getting messy (like on sunday when i was attempting to sculpt a "mashed potato" bust of our senior pastor out of joint compound.  or when i made my own play-dough for my preschoolers).  so the fact that i'm allowed to wear jeans to work is just fantastic.

but i also love to dress up a little from time to time!  i especially love weaving that laid-back style and a dress together.  starting with a casual dress and then layering up with a jean jacket, scarf, and some boots is a great go-to outfit for me.  i'm constantly carrying my keys and phone with me all over our large church building, so having pockets in my jacket is a must.  and if you haven't figured it out by now, i'm basically always wearing a scarf in the fall!

so a few tips about dressing up, but still staying comfy:
+ choose a dress with a soft, non-clingy material and a classic, free-flowing cut.  a dress with a slight a-line will look great on most figures!
+ choose comfortable shoes.  flats, boots, or wedges are great!  you can make a dress a little more casual or a little fancier with your shoes alone.  but if you have a long day ahead, be sure to pick something that isn't going to make you wish you could take them off!
+ layer!  throw on a jacket or sweater, or even a vest!  adding another texture and color can help give your outfit a little bit of pop.
+ accessorize.  add a belt to your dress and then pick a few finishing touches!  my daily go-to's are my watch and alex+ani bangles...they go with everything!  toss on a scarf as well to complete your look!

dress // target

jacket // gap

scarf // gifted

boots // matisse
boot socks // gold toe

watch // betsey johnson

bracelets // alex + ani and kate spade

how do you dress up or dress down a dress?