“Feel like a woman. Wear a dress.” Diane Von Furstenberg 

Personally, I think there’s a lot of ways to feel like a woman, but DVF does have a point. We finally (omg, you guys, FINALLY) got a heat wave here in Chicago. I was PUMPED (can you tell?!) to bust out a dress (no tights!) and sandals! It’s really the little things, right? Let me tell you, I sure did feel like a lady in my dress! Which, naturally, meant I had to take photos twirling in it. Another one of Fuchsia Couture by Liliana amazing creations, this dress is made out of bamboo fiber. I’m a first time wearer of bamboo fiber, and now a long time fan. If you haven’t worn it, it’s a bit hard to describe except that it feels more substantial than cotton, is apparently antimicrobial, a sustainable fiber, and the dress is locally made, designed, and sewn. Umm, feel like a lady, eco-concious, germ free, a supporter of jobs in textiles and fashion, and fancy, all at once in this dress. Sold.

Dress: Fuchsia Couture by Liliana

Blazer: H&M (approx $15 marked down from approx $40)

Shoes: Marni via consignment (paid $25, retails for approx $500)

Necklace with stone: Express (gift, years ago)

Necklace with tassel: made it! (charm from Michael’s, $3 on clearance, added chain and clasp)

Belt: Urban Outfitters ($5 marked down from approx $25)

Fashion Huntress tips:

1) This dress is a  great example of a more “casual” spring and summer dress styled for work.  Adding a blazer to an otherwise “casual” dress is one of the easiest ways to style your dresses for work and get more wear out of them.  This is also one of the easiest ways to go from “coffee to cocktails” aka from work during the day to out/dinner at night; just take off the blazer and you’re ready to go! You can find the dress via Fuchsia Couture by Liliana.

2) Readers, I don’t even know what happened with these sandals. I’m not sure how they wound up on consignment for $25, and looked as though they had never been worn. It’s confusing, but I think we can all agree it’s best not to ask too many questions sometimes.  Truly, consignment and resale are two of the best ways to get designer pieces that would otherwise be just slightly outside your standard budget (har har, more than slightly).  I know, I know, are you thinking, “but really? Resale for shoes?” Yes, readers. Bust out your sanitizer (alcohol wipes, alcohol from the pharmacy, Lysol/Chlorox wipes, shoe sanitizer from Amazon.com), and just clean them up before you wear them.  I only recommend using the Lysol/Chlorox wipes on the soles of the shoes, so be cautious! I think alcohol wipes or the spray works just fine on most exteriors and shouldn’t damage the shoe at all.  However, always start on the inside of the shoe when sanitizing to ensure you aren’t discoloring or damaging the shoe. After you finish the interior of the shoe, move to a small spot on the exterior of the shoe to again ensure that you aren’t causing any damage to the shoe.  With this pair of sandals, after I used alcohol swaps on the inside of the sandal and the straps, I went back with a leather conditioner to ensure the leather didn’t dry out from the alcohol.  

Anyone else have tips for styling spring and summer dresses for work? Feeling the love for bamboo fiber? Thanks so much for stopping by, readers! I appreciate it so much!