One Dress, Two Ways

Coming at ya’ today with another post about how to style the same outfit/garment two different ways! This is always one of my favorite types of blog posts to read by other bloggers because I think it really showcases the versatility of items and how to get the most out of your closet. If you missed the first three installments of my ‘one look, two ways’ series, check out my polka dot summer outfits here, my camo looks for the fall, and two ways to style the same sweater/skirt combo for winter. Now, onto today’s white dress!

I bought this white dress on major sale from Francesca’s back during the early stages of quarantine, and it is so cute! I know Francesca’s sells this exact style season after season in new fabrics and colors, so be sure to check out their dresses here. Mine fits me like a glove and has the prettiest fit-and-flare detail. The top of the dress is completely covered in both of these outfits, but it has an overlapping v-neck bodice and spaghetti straps. It’s a little shorter than the pieces I usually gravitate towards, but my only real complaint about this dress is that it’s dangerously close to being see-through in the skirt. Nude undies are definitely a must!

For this first outfit, I wanted something a little edgier that you might not think to pair with a flirty white dress, so I picked up my trusty black denim jacket and my studded black sandals from Dillard’s, which are super old. I also opted for aviator sunglasses and my pink leather purse that my aunt got me in Italy, as I wanted the outfit to have a little pop of color for springtime. This is a cute and casual look that I would wear to class or just for a summer day out and about. I also think this dress would look really stylish with an even edgier ensemble by swapping the denim jacket for a black leather jacket and the sandals for black booties. But that’s obviously more of a ‘going out’ look than an outfit for any ol’ spring day!

For the second outfit, I knew I wanted something flirty and girly to represent the style of the actual dress. I played around with several pieces in my closet before deciding to layer my favorite lavender shirt over top! Since this blouse is a peplum style, I tucked the peplum into the shirt so that it was a little more cropped, hitting me right at the waistline of the dress itself. I love playing around with layering tops over dresses because it adds a whole new level of versatility to your closet and lets you style dresses as ‘skirts’ as well. Obviously, this trick doesn’t work with every top/dress combo, so you have to experiment a lot. For example, I wouldn’t be able to remove my denim jacket from this outfit because the armholes of my lavender shirt are cut very large, meaning you can awkwardly see the white dress underneath. That’s what layers are for, amirite?

I paired this outfit with this gorgeous lavender floral Kate Spade purse that my parents got me for my 21^st birthday. Isn’t it just the cutest?! I have been dying to wear it so I asked my mom to bring it to me during spring break. The color doesn’t appear quite as well in these photos, but it’s slightly more lavender in person—it pairs perfectly with my top.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know that I’m totally in love with either of today’s outfits. Would I wear them again? Sure. But do they have that wow factor? I don’t think so. Something seemed a little ‘off’ about both of them, so next time I wear these looks, I’ll have to switch up some accessories and see if I can figure out what’s causing that feeling. I did go back and forth on what shoes to wear with the second outfit—white heels seemed too formal, but these white espadrille sandals almost felt too casual? I don’t know. It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve felt super confident in an outfit, but I like to share that I, too, waffle on what looks good and what doesn’t—all the time. As in, almost every morning. So if you feel that way too, I get it.

Anyway, how would you style this white dress, and which of these two outfits do you like more? Thanks for stopping by today, and be sure to join this week’s linkup above!

Miles of smiles,

Grace

Outfit 1

White Dress: Francesca’s, $15 | Black Denim Jacket: Topshop via Nordstrom, $55, last worn here | Black Sandals: Dillard’s, $30, last worn here | Pink Purse: Gift, last worn here | Aviator Sunglasses: Icing, $16, last worn here

Outfit 2

Lavender Top: Francesca’s, $15, last worn here | White Dress: Francesca’s, $15 | Denim Jacket: JCPenney, $19, last worn here | Purse: Kate Spade Outlet, gift | White Sandals: Dolce Vita via DSW, $45, last worn here