Ever since deciding to title my platform Dressed for My Day in early 2018, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with that moniker. First, I love it because that’s exactly what aspire to do: get dressed for my unique days and encourage you to do the same. But some days I “hate” it because, honestly, I don’t want to get dressed for my day. Ha! In the end I’m grateful for the gentle nudge to put my best foot forward each day. So today I’m sharing how I’m putting together summer outfits for my casual lifestyle lately.
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I like to focus on why I wore what I wore and how I put my looks together in these weekly posts. So I may not call out each item shown. You’ll find links to anything that is available in the captions under the photos. I’ll also share fit information there IF the garment doesn’t fit true to size (TTS). I try to be transparent about gifting; gifted items are indicated with a C/O beside them, meaning they were given to me “courtesy of” that brand. Finally, I’m 5’8″ and about 160 pounds, so I normally wear a misses 10. I have even proportions and an hourglass shape.
Summer Outfit for Lunch Out
Friday I had a luncheon out, so I put together a summery outfit with ivory jeans and a colorful, lightweight blazer worn over a simple ribbed tank. This combination felt comfortable and effortless, but helped me to feel confident and enthusiastic about a little time away from the office.
I accessorized with soft neutral leather sandals and shoulder bag. And I just wore my simple gold necklace and earrings. I’m loving the versatility of this Veronica Beard Miller dickey jacket. I think I’ve worn it with tanks in ivory, yellow and light blue at this point. I wear a size 8 in the Miller jackets, by the way. Yeah, my hair looks different on Friday because I didn’t take the time to dry or straight iron it. I used this clarifying shampoo and conditioner that morning to give my hair a break from all the products I’ve been using, and I loved the results. I’m working that duo into my hair care routine by using it every couple of weeks or so. You can really see the results in the next photo.
Summer Outfit for a Day at Home
Saturday I put together a summer outfit that felt cool and casual for a day at home. After my workout that morning, I just spent the day straightening up my office, doing laundry and tying up loose ends at work.
This matching set from J.Jill is a summer favorite for sure. I almost always size down to a small at J.Jill, and that’s what I did here. These linen pieces are super soft and feel great. And remember matching sets are very stylish right now.
Summer Outfit for Sunday
Sunday we went to church and out to lunch at a sandwich shop. Then I made a quick trip to the mall to gather a few things I needed for this week’s YouTube video (those summery necklaces!).
I forgot to take a photo that morning, so I grabbed a quick mirror selfie in the fitting room at Nordstrom. I wore my mixed media dress with my woven T-strap Mary Janes. Those little flats don’t have any cushion or support, but they’re soft and comfortable on the foot. I did fine walking the entire mall in those.
A Summer Outfit for a Full Day in the Office
Now my day-in-the-office-outfit may look quite different from others. But since I work from a home office I can dress as casually as I’d like. Still, I always feel more productive and creative if I get dressed for my work day.
Monday I worked like a mad woman at my desk all day trying to get a blog post up. Alas, I ended up working into the night and posting this updated 11 Alternatives to Wear Instead of Shorts for Tuesday instead. I might could have gotten discouraged, but who can get down in this cheerful lime green and blue linen duo? I sized down to a small in both of these Eileen Fisher pieces.
Summer Outfit for an Evening at Home
Tuesday we shot this week’s video and then I had to edit it and get it loaded to YouTube on the same day. Yikes! That’s cutting it close. But I managed. In fact, I finished work by shortly after 5 that evening and I was able to enjoy dinner and a little down time before retiring.
I felt comfortable and classy in this black and white striped, sleeveless v-neck dress from J.Jill. It’s from a couple of years ago, but a personal favorite. I found this similar dress that’s available now. It’s navy and white, but looks like it may be the same soft fabric with a lovely drape.
A Summer Outfit for a Slow Day
After working long hours on Monday and Tuesday, I showed myself a little grace on Wednesday and set out at a slower pace. I spent several hours going over my content calendar, selecting items for upcoming brand deals (that takes a LOT of time), replying to emails and comments and tidying up from the past two days.
Unfortunately I took these photos after I’d sat at my desk all day, so yeah, my linen shorts are quite wrinkled. Ha! That really doesn’t bother me, especially since I didn’t go anywhere. But I probably would have run an iron over them if I did end up going out to dinner or something. I just really don’t mind ironing. Or steaming.
Summer Outfit for a Women’s Morning Event
Since I was caught up on work Thursday morning I was able to attend a Christian women’s event nearby. Outpost is a summer speaker series for women hosted by Northeast Women’s Bible Studies. They’ve been hosting these gatherings for almost 25 years, and they’ve been meeting in homes for small group Bible studies for well over 30 years. If you’re in the Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky area I invite you to check it out. The three monthly summer gatherings are free, no reservation is required and they meet at a beautiful country club just outside of Cincinnati.
I was dressed like many of the women in attendance in a summer dress and sandals. This patriotic Jude Connally dress came in yesterday and I decided to give it a whirl. I have it in the longer length and I’m wearing my TTS medium very comfortably. How sweet is this for Independence Day??? I carried along a denim jacket in case it was cool in the meeting room, but it was so full of women that it actually got a little warm. I had a delightful time and the speaker and the soloist were tremendous. It was well worth it to get out and go.
So that’s how I put together summer outfits for my casual lifestyle this week. I especially enjoyed wearing the dresses, but the linen outfits were fun and cheerful, too. What was the favorite thing you wore this week? I’d love to hear about it!
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Blessed for My Day
I’ve taught women and even written books about the importance of biblical meditation. To meditate on scripture means to chew on it, ponder it, circle it. And when we “eat” the Word of God in this way we satisfy our souls in a way that nothing else does. The truth of God’s Word sets us free, spurs us on, satisfies our desires for love and security and purpose.
But the speaker at yesterday’s women’s event shed new light on the concept. She said the Hebrew word “hagah,” that is translated meditate, is an onomatopoeia, meaning it sounds like the concept it is describing. The idea is to “consume it like a lion consumes its prey.” She even had us say aloud the Hebrew word to sound like a lion devouring its victim. Try it! That’s the way we are to partake of God’s Word – with voracious hunger in search of deep and gratifying satisfaction. Just something to think about the next time you sit down to read your Bible.
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. ~ Joshua 1:8
Outfits with color are my favorites, so this post with all the color is definitely a favorite. The two outfits you show – the plaid dickey blazer and the red dress – really speak to me. The outfit that I wore to work this week that I loved on me was navy wool trousers (in a summer weight), a navy dickey blazer, and a white with navy stripes t-shirt. It may be a “classic” way to dress, but I felt wonderful and ready to meet anyone: clients and co-workers. It also set the tone to “get things done” for my day BTW, that plaid blazer is so lovely on you.
LOVE the blue and green together on you.
That VB plaid blazer really works so well for you in so many ways! I love your more colorful outfits, like the blue linen shirt and the JC dress.
I love this week’s outfits. They all look great on you! I have an odd question. I follow you and a couple of other fashion bloggers, and really enjoy the different styles and perspectives. I would also like to find a blogger who is shaped a bit more like me (5’3″, 140-145 pounds, size 8 (or small, sometimes medium depending on cut) on top and size 10 or 10 curvy (when I can find that) on bottom, sometimes a 12. Medium pants sometimes fit, large are not proportioned well for me. I’m definitely a pear, with narrower shoulders, small bust, and wider hips and thighs. Do you know of any Pear-shaped fashion bloggers, or do you have suggestions for how to search for one?
Hi Melanie, I really can’t think of one off the top of my head. And I hesitate to name one anyhow since I’m not really familiar with sizes and weights. But I do suggest you check the LTK shopping app. There are so many influencers there and you can search with terms like over 40 or midsize or petites.
Thank you, Kay! I had not thought of checking LTK and will definitely do so.
I learned about the Hebrew word for meditate in the women’s Bible study this past spring. We watched videos of Kristi McLelland on Jesus and Women. She taught it from a Middle Eastern perspective. It was such a good Bible study. What you said is what she said about the word meditate.
I really liked the last dress. It’s so hard to find a short dress these days and that length is most flattering on you and most of us.
Thanks for sharing your daily looks and thanks for all the hard work you do! I also enjoyed the insight into the Hebrew word translated as “meditate” and am glad the conference was fruitful for you.
Thank you, Mary Jean. It’s always so amazing how inexhaustible the Word of God is. I love learning afresh from it daily. Thanks for sharing.
I. Always enjoy the “what I wore” posts. They help me put outfits together with pieces I already own. Love the linen looks and the Jude C. Dress. So pretty on you. Have a great day and thanks for all you do!
You’re so welcome, Laura. Thank you for showing up here and supporting me. Have a lovely weekend.