There seems to be so much to celebrate lately. Nationally, it was the Fourth of July, and personally, there were happy occasions. A close friend had a big birthday and my son got his Master’s Degree. I am sincerely happy and proud.
We all celebrated at a local restaurant. In these heels it had to be close by! I wore a foulard printed babydoll dress. I know, I know… I am a bit on the “mature” side, but I did, and I don’t regret it. It is by Billabong, a company that excels in beachwear and fabulous little summer dresses!
I love the quiet ruffle and the mixed prints, and I also appreciated a bit of sleeve. The striped bag added even more pattern mixing, and I added a floral brooch that reminds me of Chanel. It is made by Suzanne Carillo , a very talented blogging friend. I enjoy her blog so much, her writing is crisp and her sense of humor, as well as style, is sophisticated and fresh. And boy can she shop! (we both love thrift stores!)
Some serious heels keep me on my toes! Truly! As high as they are, they are not too bad to walk in; the cork sole is super soft, and the generous platform does not make my arches scream. I love to be a bit taller than I am. These are by Gomax, via Zulily.com. and are about 2-years-old.
My iolite cocktail ring is from KC Signatures in Manhattan.
My striped bag reminds me of a Henri Bendel shopping bag! I bought it wholesale in the Flatiron district. If you buy over $100, they give you good discounts at Just Fantastic. Ask for David there. You have to create an account and have a resale number or be shopping with someone who does. You can also do this online if you are not in NY. When you go there, take a quick detour to the flower district, heaven! This is how I came across these shops!
Unlike some of the online sites that offer inexpensive bags and clothes, this company is based in NYC, and employs a good number of US residents. It does not go direct from China to the US, skipping the US work pool altogether. And while I do not like to buy so many made-in-China merchandise, this is a good source for gifts and pieces that much for expensive in chain stores.
My friend, the birthday girl, also enjoys politics so the discussion at dinner was lively! I was going to buy flowers for the table, but at the last minute decided to get balloons. So much more festive, as was the bubbly Rose Prosecco! Yum!
I am not a fan of babydoll dresses in general, but this one spoke to me, as it is more of mixed media mini with a ruffle. Babydoll dresses, carefully selected, can be cute, especially when worn with pointy flats of flip-flops. Mine is not backless and does not have cutouts or a deep v like many of the babydoll dresses you see. Others like this that I love are here, here, and here.
This particular babydoll dress also looks like an A-line shift in mixed prints, so if you like this dress you can shop it using those search terms, choosing a fit and length you like. Actually, it is only the empire waist and ruffle that puts this dress in that category. Today, babydoll dresses are pretty generic: there is one for most everyone. They also look great over jeans or denim shorts. For the beach, you can choose one that is a bit sheer and lighter weight.
So what have you been celebrating recently? I hope it is many things at once! How do you feel about this 70’s trend coming back and being re-imagined as a Boho staple in mixed prints and often times, embroidery or crochet? Will you wear a version? Let me know. You know how!
Oh, and by the way, my dress was $8.00 from LVIS in East Hampton! 🙂
