Summer is such a sweet time to share a little hospitality with neighbors and friends. It’s so easy to just throw something on the grill, fill a charcuterie board with bite size delicacies or serve ice cream straight from the carton. Today I’m teaming up with Talbots to share a few fun dresses that are perfect for your greetings and gatherings. Here’s a little summer hospitality with Talbots.
Talbots is my go-to brand for casual but elevated fashions that work for my relaxed lifestyle and modern classic style aesthetic. The three dresses I’m sharing today reflect that elevated casual style with simple charm and the comfort we’ve all come to expect from our summer clothing.
Today Talbots is offering 40% off your purchase, so it’s a great day to check out my Talbots Favorites, too.
I love this tiered midi dress with eyelet trim for easy backyard entertaining. I just wore it with gold sandals (similar) and these darling starfish earrings. The cotton, modal and Spandex blend fabric is perfect for all-day wear.
You can absolutely wear a regular bra underneath this easy-to-wear midi dress, and the wide eyelet trim and full skirt make it feel so feminine and festive.
The website calls the color of this dress “orange zinnia,” but these photos represent the dusty orange-red color quite accurately. The dress is available in misses, petite, plus and petite plus sizes. I’m wearing a medium and would say it runs true to size.
If you’re looking for a little more sophistication but still want the comfort and ease of a simple cotton jersey dress, this floral maxi dress is a lovely option. The jungle print is so fun! I adore these colors.
The keyhole feature and the jewel neckline in the floral maxi dress look so feminine. And once again the wide shoulder straps accommodate a regular bra perfectly.
Unfortunately my earrings are no longer available, but I found these pretty seashells charm hoops that would coordinate beautifully with the colors in the floral maxi dress. Talbots always has such lovely jewelry to accessorize their fashions.
The floral jersey maxi dress features a gently elasticized waistband that just grazes the body, creating an A-line silhouette. It fits true to size; I’m wearing a medium. This lovely summer dress is available in a full range of sizes, including misses, petite, plus and petite plus.
The floral jersey maxi dress is perfect for hosting because it’s comfortable, breathable and charming. But it’s equally suitable for heading out. Again, I just wore my gold sandals and minimal jewelry for a truly simple summer look.
Next up I’m sharing a voile fit and flare dress made in the prettiest shades of blue and red.
This 100% cotton dress is floaty and flirty – perfect for sharing a little summer hospitality with your new neighbors or joining friends for brunch.
I still wore a regular bra with this strappy sundress. And Talbots made it easy by including strap snaps that kept everything in place nicely and gave me a little extra confidence. The dress is fully lined, too, but it still feels soft and lightweight.
I wore a white bangle (similar) and white ditsy floral hoops to accessorize this outfit. I think very simple, pared back jewelry is the way to go when you’re hosting.
The voile fit and flare dress runs true to size; I’m wearing a misses 8. It’s also available in petite sizes.
I like to keep everything as easy as possible when I’m entertaining or sharing neighborly kindness. Don’t you? And that’s exactly why having a pretty dress like any of these three on the ready is such a good idea.
Today Talbots is offering 40% off your purchase sitewide. You can shop the looks above as well as a few other accessories I’ve chosen to coordinate with them in the shopping widget below. Remember, today’s post was sponsored by Talbots, but I value your trust so I always share my honest and genuine opinions. Talbots is my go-to store for modern, well-made clothing that suits my casual lifestyle and classic style aesthetic.
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Blessed for My Day
Have you ever gotten so caught up in preparing for your guests that you began to resent their arrival? No, you didn’t mean to. In fact, you invited them! You anticipated their arrival, excitedly planned the meals and other arrangements and cleaned every area of the home where they might go. You meant to show them a good time.
But maybe by the time your company arrived you were already exhausted from the preparations. And maybe, just maybe, because you were so tired and “keyed up” you couldn’t even really enjoy their presence. It happens. I’ve discovered that if I’m a little unwound when I have guests in my home it’s because I’ve lost site of the real blessings of hospitality. Your guests do not care how clean your home is, how tasty the food is or how beautifully decorated the table is. They just want to spend time with you. The best thing we can give our guests this summer is focus. So make part of the meal and purchase the rest, clean some of the house and close the doors on the rest and put the food away after the meal but let the dishes soak. Sit with your guests, look them in the eyes and enjoy their presence. That’s when they’ll know that you are truly glad they are there.
Be hospitable to one another without complaint. ~ 1 Peter 4:9
Your BFMD reminds me of an old joke. “The guests were all gathered at the table and Little Johnny was asked to say Grace.’I don’t know what to say’. ‘Just repeat one of your mother’s prayers’. ‘ OK. Dear Lord, why did I invite all these people!’
Loved the dresses!
Thanks for all the work you invest in your posts and videos.
Hahaha! Love it!
Hilarious!
Kay,
I really like these dresses, and the tips about the fit and especially wearing a bra with them, which can be a concern. You help so much with your comments. The Blessed for My day rings true to me. As I get older I’m learning to loosen up my expectations of what “perfection” looks like. And your words have helped me see what being a “perfect” hostess really is—focusing on my guests–not my house or food. Just having fun with them.
A question…will you be featuring fall classic jackets from Talbots in the next month or so? After doing the inventory and wish list, that is one primary piece of clothing I need for fall. Thanks for all you do for me and others who are Blessed by You.
I absolutely will have some jackets to show from Talbots. I’ll probably do a store fitting room post as well as some outfit posts. So if there is something particular in the catalog you’d like to see me try in the fitting room (if it’s available) just email me. I’d be glad to oblige.
Dear Kay
The dress I loved most was the orange red tired midi, very flattering.
I’m not a great fan of large prints on summer dresses, but having said that I’ve just purchased a sun dress for my holiday which is a very colourful print!
I so agree with you about overdoing all the preparations before guests arrive.
What they will remember most is the warm welcome and genuine togetherness.
Love your podcasts/ videos
Rosemary
Hahaha! I’m usually not one for large prints either. But I do think if you’re going to wear large prints do it with a one and some dress like this one that can hold its own. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for sharing. ?
Every dress looks wonderful on you! Buy them all! I like them all myself.
Thanks for the BFMD. We all can be like Martha of Bethany sometimes.
Have a fun weekend!
Suzanne
I love the blue tropical dress. Love the jungle print. I have a couple of jackets that would look great with that dress those friendship dinners and gospel concerts.
Proverbs 19:21 Man Plans. God Laughs. It’s nice to have guidelines for having friends over but rigid plans just don’t usually hold up. I spay my upholstery with Fabreeze, turn over my aroma sticks and lay in extra TT. I’m done. Welcome!
I really like the BFMD! You are spot on with what you said. You look very nice in all three of the dresses and they are very pretty! I hope that you are having a great day, and that you weekend will be relaxing.
Loved the dressses and really needed the BFMD as I prepare for hosting a baby shower in two days and I am getting very nervous! I think I need to come back and reread that several times in the next 48 hours.
Love All 3 Kay……
Never to go out of style, that’s probably why Talbots is our go-to store. Clean, Classic, Modern and never to go out of style.
Blessings,
You look so pretty in each of the dresses you shared. Did you keep any? I loved your BFMD. It really hit home. Hope you are enjoying your new home.
Love these dresses on you. They would never work for me. I am top heavy and it is hard to find the right fit with all type of dresses and tops.