Like so many other people, Fall is my favorite season of the year. Oh, and I know we’re not there quite yet by the calendar but it’s coming. Summer has been fun but it’s been hot and cooler weather means boots and sweaters and layers and all things cozy. The fashion magazines are full of articles and photo spreads devoted to the big trends and reading through them is one of my guilty pleasures. I plow through them with glee, oohing and aahing, and taking notice of the items I already have that can be reworked in a fresh and more current way as well as making mental notes of new things I might add to my wardrobe.
However, if I limit myself to what I’m told is fashionable then how do I preserve my individuality? I strive for a unique style with some of this and some of that. And sometimes, an idea of a style or item that isn’t the current “hot ticket to Instagram fame” will pop into my head and I will go in search of it. This is the concept behind a reoccurring feature that I’m starting on the blog. “Want, find, love” might be about desiring an item in a specific color or fabric type, or in the case of today’s post, desiring a fabric type in a certain style.
It was a few weeks ago when I saw one on the cover of an online retailer’s catalog and then saw another as a secondary item in a magazine fashion article, that it dawned on me that an item I lacked in my wardrobe was a plaid dress. Kudos to those marketers, however, the dress in the catalog didn’t suit me and I wasn’t going to pay designer prices for one so it went onto my mental want/find/love shopping list. Fortunately, it didn’t take me long to find what I was seeking.
Plaid dress – Uniqlo (exact)
Animal print scarf – Charming Charlie (similar if not exact)
Shoes – Blowfish, no longer available (similar look with a wedge heel, another similar look with 1″ wedge)
Any ol’ plaid dress wouldn’t do, I had a list of wants and I intended to get them. I’d hope to find a dress with a plaid pattern that wasn’t too lumberjacky (check), with a black/gray/brown/taupe color palette (check), that had pockets (check), and had a straight hemline as opposed to a curved shirttail one (check). I also wanted it to be about knee length (check) and not have roll tabs on the sleeves (check). So why is it that when I found the nearly perfect dress, I didn’t buy it straight off?
I guess it’s because I didn’t realize how perfect it was while it was hanging on the hanger and I wasn’t in the mood to try it on at the time. I found myself thinking about the dress and fortunately, I had occasion to be back at that mall about a week later (or maybe I went there deliberately, fine … whatever). And even more fortunate, the dress was still available for immediate try-on and purchase (as opposed to ordering it online).
My conceptual vision for this plaid dress is “sophisticated grunge” and using it as a layering piece, both under and over other items, and mixing it with a variety of patterns and/or textures. In some parts of the world, September brings with it a crispness in the air but those of us in sunnier climates will still be dealing with temps in the 80s or above for several more weeks. In this transitional time, I’ll be wearing the dress with chunky heel sandal/booties (a recent clearance sale steal) and perhaps a cheetah print scarf as you see in these photos. I promise that you’ll be seeing the dress again and again in the next few months in different and interesting ways.
It seems to me that fashion trends fall in and out of style in a cycle, only to return again with some new spin. When it comes to trends, how much to do pay attention to fashion “experts”? Which items are on your want/find/love list for this Fall? How do you use clothes to showcase your individuality? I invite you to use the hashtag #wantfindlovestyle for sharing your fashion flare.
Let’s connect! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, love, pin … all options are available and waiting for you. I look forward to hearing from you. And don’t forget to add a post or two to this week’s link up.
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24 Comments
Pretty dress and pretty you Rena❤️
Nistha
https://www.fashionistha.com/back-in-bright-workwear/
Thank you, Nistha.
Your idea for this new blog feature is great Rena! I think I spend more time than I want to admit in the want and find phases. Loving fashion is the easy part!:-)
Your new dress is so cute! It’s a unique plaid as well; sort of a muted, misty vibe I think. It looks great with your haircolor and it’s clearly a best loved item of the moment judging from your joyful expression!
Oh boy, you’re going to have so much fun coming up with cool ways to wear this fun dress as the weather cools off California style. I predict you just might be wanting, finding, and loving another one!!!
Isn’t shopping/buying much like what hunting/gathering used to be? I’m glad that you like the dress and I’ve already got photos of another look with this dress that will in an upcoming post.
I like this new series – Want, find, love and this dress is perfect on you. I can’t wait to see how you style it in the many ways I see in the fall catalogs. Enjoy!
Thank you. I’m glad that you like the concept of the series and that you liked my first feature.
Fantastic dress Rena! Perfect for Fall!
Thank you, Nancy.
I adore plaid dresses and you look absolutely fabulous! Those shoes are swoon worthy!
Andrea, thank you. I appreciate the compliments and the shoe love.
This is a brilliant idea, I’ll look forward to seeing more. Love your dress too! Jacqui
http://www.mummabstylish.com
Thank you, Jacqui. I’ve got another look for the dress that I’ll be sharing in an upcoming post.
Thanks for linking up to the Top of the World Style party. The plaid looks great with that animal print scarf! Cool look!
Thank you, Nicole. I’m glad that your like the crazy combo.
This is thinking outside the box, Rena. Great way of refreshing the concept of a fashion blog. Your fist find is really lovely, I like the way you incorporated the scarf with it. Looking forward for more
https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com.au/
Anna, thank you for the support and encouragement. Not only does the new feature switch things up for the blog, but it also helps me to see my wardrobe from a different perspective.
I love this plaid dress! The animal print scarf is a perfect little fall addition to this!
http://www.mylittlenest.org
Thank you, Ruth. I’ve become quite fond of animal prints and I keep adding more to my wardrobe.
This is so cool Rena.
Thank you so much for sharing it….. If those shoes were mine I would be a happy girl!
XXX
Samantha
Samantha, I’m delighted that you like the concept and you have some shoes that I would like to have as well.
It’s very in now with the whole 90s revival. I like the one you’re wearing as it has a classic touch.
http://the-wardrobe-stylist.com/2017/09/05/what-to-wear-on-a-first-date/
Thank you, Rania. I suppose that the style is a little “old school” but in a modern way, I hope.
What a great plaid dress! I like the muted colors and style. Swooning over your booties! Thanks for linking up with Fabulous Friday, Rena!
Jennie
Jennie, I’m glad that you like the pattern and style. As for the booties, I’d seen the canvas and leather strap detail on a flat sandal that I like but something seemed off with the whole look so when I saw it with a chunky heel, I was sold. I may even try them with chunky knit tights when the weather cools down.