And... I ended up buying something new to try. :S

Kapow! It's a kaftan!

Ran across it on sale for $16. It's a rayon challis, so drapey and COOL. Perfect for humid, hot weather in June. It is not high end, let's be clear. The edges are all serged instead of being hemmed. But I love it. It's breezy, comfortable, sensual, and easy to wear. I want to buy 2-3 more.

The colors are almond milk and burnt sienna, all swirled together. Not sure yet which shoe I'll pair it with. I tried it with pair of cage wedges for photos. Worried the cage wedges will look a little too ultra for a baby shower?? Might scale down to my pair of flat, strappy sandals.

Still trying to decide if I like it best with or without belt. If I wear it belted, it needs a gold or brown belt. So... Maybe a gold chain belt or an obi style leather belt.

Wearing new earrings purchased a month or two ago (photos 3-4), I think they will pair nicely with the kaftan. Rich, elegant, yet subdued. Normally, I would style the kaftan in head-to-toe boho: huge gold bib necklace, stacks of bangles, and flashy boho earrings. But that just feels too over-the-top for a baby shower.

I ordered a dress to try too: a floral surplice neck dress, maxi length (photo 5). I love both dresses. Might wear the kaftan just to travel in and wear the floral to the baby shower.

This brings me to why I am choosing to buy new.

The navy dress was purchased a summer or two ago. I loved it, don't get me wrong. It's a wonderful dress! Excellent quality fabric and great cut. And... trying it on this week, the dress instantly reminded me of how I felt last summer, when I was still healing from mold exposure.

The dress belongs to a version of me I no longer want to visually reinforce or emotionally remember.

In fact, I went through all of my summer clothing a couple days ago. All but one pair of pants makes me feel and remember the tail-end of my health journey last summer. Just... how lost I still felt at the time. It's almost like my body was physically, viscerally responding to wearing the dress.

I've put said clothes in a holding zone for now. But thinking I will likely donate or resell them.

This experience has also helped me learn the differences between love vs like. The navy dress wasn't a LOVE. It was a like. It fit me. It was boho. It was very nice quality. I felt pretty in it while allowing also hiding in it. (Does that makes sense?) I feel I settled even though I never admitted I was settling. The kaftan thrills me in a way the navy dress doesn't -- even though they're both in the boho zone.

Interesting to learn some more on the style journey!

Thank you for listening to me process.

xo