The weather is warming up in the Northern hemisphere, and for some that might mean refreshing and replacing warm and hot weather wardrobe items. Since Spring and Summer are my favourite shopping and dressing seasons, I’ve been enjoying a bit of a wardrobe refresh too. I’m quite impressed with what retailers are offering online this year, and I have milked the looks that work for me.
Ralph Lauren’s “Lauren” collection is a lot more affordable than the designer items that strut down the runways at fashion week, and well worth a look. Trendy classics, colour-rich fabness, tailored fluidity, good fabrics, nice fits, and size-inclusive assortments. Make sure you search for the plus size and petite options of the items too. If you purchase Lauren items at Macy’s, you almost always get a good discount.
On that note, here are this week’s top picks. Browse the colour options and read the reviews for an alternative opinion to mine.
- Short Sleeve Shirtdress - ALEXIS for Target Blue: A fit-and-flared shirtdress with a trendy puff sleeve, good length, great fit across the bust, and fun POCKETS. A gorgeous shade of French Blue.
- Naot Footwear Taos Footwear: These come in many colours and are a very good fit for wider feet if you can manage the thong component. VERY comfy and pretty good support.
- Floreat Puff Sleeve Shirtdress - Christopher John Rogers for Target Red: Target's designer collaboration with Christopher John is sublime. This dress launched me into orbit so I ordered it. Elegantly Trendy Classic and a LOT of dress. The skirt is a full circle and drapes with the best of them. The sleeves overwhelmed my slight frame so it went back. But I LOVED it. I thought about altering the sleeves somehow, but no luck. Dramatic and gorgeous fabric, and straight off the catwalk stuff. Click the link to see people of varying body types wear the stunning dress. Compelling swoosh and very luxurious. I am still thinking about it.
- Söfft Malaga Gladiator Sandal: SUPER CUTE gladiators with a graphic touch that can work quite well for fussy feet. Comfy, soft, and a lovely shade of pewter. Love the white sole.
- Naot Footwear Taos Footwear: If you're looking for a nice and VERY comfy "comfort bed" sandal, try this one. Room in the toe box, good support, and comes in yellow and black.
- Naot Footwear Taos Footwear: This sneaker can work for a wider foot, and is CANVAS not leather. Lots of colours, a few prints, and fun cool-toned hardware. Comfy, and creates a clean look on the foot.
- Sleeveless Ruffle Two-Tone Tiered Dress - Christopher John Rogers for Target Orange: This is for Team Long Neck who likes orange. Beautiful drape, fab tiers, and fun pockets. You have to be okay with the muumuu volume. You're ready for NY fashion week in this number.
- Sleeveless Ruffle Shift Dress - Christopher John Rogers for Target Red: Alison from Wardrobe Oxygen and a petite client blew me away in this fab dress that they paired with white Birkenstocks and sandals. Stinking cute and excellent on a hot and humid day. Petites CAN wear volume and look sublime. Fashion-forward.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Striped Belted Linen Shirt: An elegant and classic belted linen shirt that has a great fluidly tailored effect. The tabs on the sleeves keep your sleeves scrunched. Really good on long torsos, and comes in light neutrals.
- Chaus Sleeveless Floral Tiered Midi Dress: Simple Tiered Dress Fabnes for Team Jewel Tones. Quite structured, and very comfy.
- G-Star Raw Tapered Patch Pocket Pants: A pair of cargos in an interesting camouflage pattern. Great quality and sustainably produced.
- Gap Urbanite Tank: This sleeveless hi-low shirt has great drape and polish. Breezy and dressier than a tee. No need to tuck! Excellent fluidity and a good amount of tailoring. Runs big and comes in other neutrals. Click the link to see it modelled on more body types. Nice side view too.
- Old Navy Mid-Rise StretchTech Jogger Pants for Women: These joggers look quite polished and come in lots of neutrals and a camouflage pattern. They mould to the contour of the body and work on most body types. Not too high in the rise. Comes in petite, plus and tall. And many neutrals. Easy to launder and comfortable.
- Everlane The ReNew Anorak: An architectural raincoat that works over lots of layers. It has a back drawstring that adds a little structure if that's your preference. Comes in other neutrals.
- Talbots Poplin Shirtdress: An elegant warm weather shirtdress with cleverly added back elastic that creates waist definition. Click the link to check it out. Lovely sleeve detailing, comes in black, and works well on Team Curvy. Might run a little big.
- Eileen Fisher Crushed Silk Tiered Midi Dress: A broomstick pleated tiered dress that is structured, but not clingy is a rare find - and here it is. A very easy pull-on-and-go frock to dress up and down.
- Talbots Linen Scallop Detail Shift Dress: A casual dress for Team Sheath. Structured, and made of natural fibres. Lots of vertical integrity.
- Easy Shirtdress: A beachy shirtdress for the dog days of Summer, or to lounge in at home. Wear it casually with slides, sneakers or sandals.
- Old Navy Waist-Defined Tie-Belt Cap-Sleeve Shirt Dress for Women: An easy and very breezy cotton/rayon dress that works well on a curvier body type.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Twist-Front Jersey Sleeveless Top: A tank with interesting front twist-knot detailing that provides some structure, and makes it work well with skirts. Comes in white.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Floral Maxi Skirt: A beautifully festive midaxi skirt with a comfy smocked basque. Moulds to the body of most body types. Lots of swoosh, relaxed elegance, and easy to hem.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Striped Cotton Broadcloth Shirtdress: A shirtdress in a columned silhouette that's fairly fluid, midi, yet defined with a belt is not easy to find - but here's one in a subtle blue and white stripe. I loved the shape of this dress, and found it flattering and NOT constricting. The length and curved hemline adds interest and structure to the leg line. 100% cotton, and VERY lightweight. Great for a hot day when you need to stay covered. If you wear nude-for-you undies, it's not see-through. I returned it because the stripe wasn't high contrast enough for my complexion. But I loved the understated elegance of the style. If it came in something more vibrant, it would be mine.
- Radley London Pockets Medium Leather Crossbody: A sleek, minimal and modern casual crossbody that lies flat against the body. Lots of colours. Comfortable broad strap.
- Madewell Embroidered Flutter Sleeve Top: A pretty and breezy flutter sleeve blouse to wear with utility pants, jeans or shorts. The '70s integrity is appealing, and fun with flares too. It's very fluid so you might need to semi-tuck or size down.
- G-Star Raw Officer Shirt: A fashion-forward military shirt with a hard and strict edge. Boxy. Sustainably produced and lovely quality.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Denim Shirt: A clean, crisp, and classic denim shirt for Team Shirt. The wash makes it look dressier than the norm. Love the white buttons.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Sleeveless Floral Maxidress: A beautifully panelled dress that is conventionally flattering and festively swooshy. Fab on Team Curvy. The V-neck adds a lovely touch.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Dolman-Sleeve Linen Shirt: A modern classic diagonal sleeve linen shirt that works well on a larger bust. Lots of colours. Casual, but dressier than a tee.
- Zella Mix It Up Performance Tank Dress: A dress made of technical fabric that is easy to launder, pack, and wear. Great on very hot days. Works on a curvier and straighter body type. Nice waist definition, but not overly structured. Comes in black.
- SWEATY BETTY Mellow Asymmetric T-Shirt: A better-than-basic tee that can be worn a couple of ways. Click on the link to see how. Nice fabric, good drape, runs big, and comes in black.
- Madewell The Large Transport Camera Bag: A compact bag that is roomier than you think. Cute boxy shape and fab white guitar strap.
- Revitalign Revitalign: Teal Poolside Fabness. Comfy, dramatic, and fashion-forward.
- Vionic Women's Louise Platform Sandal - Ladies Flatform Sandals Concealed Orthotic Support: A comfy platform sandal with support for wider feet.
- FRAME Le Original High Waist Front Cuff Straight Leg Jeans: I bought these and absolutely love them. Thick, substantial, not see-through, no stretch, sustainably and ethically produced, and with a button fly. They are just the right relaxed straight fit that is my favourite at the moment. Boyfriend-y but without the slouch. Perfect tailored fluidity. Size down a size. Super cute staggered hem detailing too so click the link to see that in detail. IMPORTANT: The stock photo shows them ripped, but the ones in stores are NOT ripped, and I bought those.
- AG Caden Crop Twill Trousers: Very comfortable and soft chinos that mould to the contour of the body. Luxe fabric. Curvier figures might need waist alteration, or wear a belt. Lots of colours.
- AG Caden Fatigue Ankle Denim Trousers: Fun casual jeans that are roomy and faded, but not ripped. They can work for a slightly straighter or curvier figure. Straighter figures size down.
- Josef Seibel Clea 06 Platform Slide Sandal: A comfy platform toe sandal with a bit of support that comes in two more neutrals. Works quite well for a higher arch.
- Nine West Printed Knot-Front Midi Dress: I'm plugging this dress again because it's beautifully flattering, and I feel like a million bucks in it. For $67 it earned a place in my wardrobe, and I'm wearing it now. It's a pink and red geometric pattern that blends to look orange. Almost all my dresses are high maintenance laundry, sustainably produced, and made of natural fibres. This low-maintenance dress is easier for a change. I stitched the neckline up a bit to create a high V-neckline that's better suited to my body type, and it's perfect. This type of twist-front-knot detailing works very well on a range of body types because it nips you in at a narrow part of the torso, and glides over the rest. Especially great on those who wear V-necks well. Easy to launder and wear, comfy, classic, and elegant. I love the slight '70s vibe too.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Petite Floral Boatneck Top: Luxe fabric, and a nice tight fit. Great cuffed sleeves. It's very long so good for Team Long Torso, or Team Tall. It has cute side slits so you can wear it untucked.
You can see the items alongside my descriptions on the collection page.
