My Style >> Sunday Best

I can't really label myself as having any one particular "style" because I like a little bit of everything and never feel inclined to limit myself to only wearing a certain type of clothing.  But if I had to put a description on my everyday wardrobe, I'd probably say something like "bohemian casual" (mainly because I wear a lot flow-y comfortable things).  If it's time to dress up, however, I have a weak spot for tailored, early '60s vintage and vintage-inspired dresses.  I especially like to wear these types of dresses for semi-formal daytime occasions, which (let's face it), don't happen all that often in a normal person's life.

Yesterday was a special day - it was one of those few and far between occasions where I got to dress up in my "Sunday best."  I attended my dear friend Annie's baby shower, which was held at a sweet little eatery right downtown.  The girls and I had a great time just hanging out, talking, drinking mimosas (or sparkling orange juice for the mamas-to-be), and showering Annie with love.  And I got to wear a very pretty, vintage-inspired tea party style dress.

I seriously adore this dress you guys.  Victoria from Think Boutique sent it to me, and I may have jumped up and down when I opened the package and saw it in person.  It's called the Meredith Shirt Dress, and it's so ridiculously well made that I know I'm going to have it forever.  The fabric is fantastic - it's a really vibrant shade of navy with a tiny white teardrop print, and it's organic cotton.  I design eco-friendly clothing for a living, and it's not easy to find gorgeous, interesting fabrics like this that are also earth-conscious.  The cut and style are just so wonderful too.  And it's comfortable, which can be a rare thing for a tailored A-line style frock.  It reminds me of something Betty Draper would have worn - you know, before she turned psychotic.  (Speaking of Mad Men, did any of you catch last night's episode?  I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't, so I'll just say wow - a television show finally made me cry.)

I decided to pair the dress with an actual late '50s/early '60s piece of jewelry - my grandmother's charm bracelet.  This bracelet is one of my most treasured possessions, and I don't wear it often because of a slightly irrational fear that I'll somehow break it or lose it or just look at it the wrong way.  My grandmother ("Maggo") used to be a world traveler, and she'd pick up a charm for the bracelet every time she'd visit a new country.  It has everything from a Spanish bull to a hookah to a pyramid, and it's pretty amazing to get to listen to her tell the stories about the charms and the adventures that went along with them.  My wedding and engagement rings were Maggo's as well, by the way.  They were in rough shape, so we have molds made from them and had exact replicas made, using the original diamonds (which date to the early 1900s).  They are some of my most treasured possessions too.

Dress: c/o Think Boutique  //  Charm Bracelet: my grandmother's
Earrings: Vera Wang (from my wedding)  //  Shoes: Born Concept  //  Hat: F21

It was a lot of fun to get to play dress up and to have a nice, relaxing day before what promises to be a fairly crazy week.  My 'to do' list for the next few days is pretty intense, and then I leave for San Francisco at the break of dawn Thursday morning.  I have some exciting news to share in regards to this trip, so be sure to stop back by tomorrow for details!

I hope you guys had a great weekend, and that you have an equally wonderful Monday.