dress/boots: ModCloth | scarf: Charlotte Russe | belt: thrifted | cardigan: Target
It sounds silly now to think about it, but before I started reading personal style blogs, I had never thought of the concept of "remixing" an item of clothing. Summer dresses are for summer, winter dresses are for winter; a shirt is a shirt, a dress is a dress, and never the two shall meet. That's what I thought, anyway.
But once I started buying clothing that I actually liked - clothing that actually excited me and expressed something about my personality - I discovered that I didn't want to let certain items of clothing languish unworn in my closet for six months out of the year. That discovery has led to a lot of sartorial experimentation, and my bank account is grateful for that. With a little experimentation, just a few items of clothing can be stretched into an entire wardrobe.
This particular dress has seen me through numerous situations and seasons. On one hand, the fabric is very light - almost like a swimsuit cover-up. The day these photos were taken, on a photo adventure with Shelby (flickr/tumblr) nearly a year and a half ago, it had to have been nearly 90 degrees and humid, and we each scored nearly 50 mosquito bites apiece.
dress: ModCloth | belt: vintage | oxfords: thrifted
But while the fabric is airy, it is also perfect for layering. Case in point: since I had never visited the lake during the winter, on a very cold day last year, Chris and I visited Rosy Mound. Rosy Mound is a park on Lake Michigan with a long winding trail that leads to a beach on Lake Michigan. We bundled ourselves up and hiked the trail, which was completely buried in over a foot of snow. Stairs were treacherous and nearly impossible...until I realized that the thick snow meant that I could use them as a slide!
No photos of that part of our little adventure, unfortunately, but we did snap some other photos to give you an idea of both the versatility of this dress, and the still, tranquil atmosphere of a massive lake in wintertime. If you ever get a chance to visit a beach in winter, go for it - it's like nothing you've ever seen.
