Hey there!! Yup, it's me up under the hat and glasses. You haven't seen me in full fall regalia before, all decked out in a scarf, hat, and boots, but ta-da, here I am! Truly, I run a little bit on the warm side so hats don't last long on my hot head. But I couldn't resist showing you how cute this little seersucker dress from Tartan Lane looks when it is accessorized for fall!
Didn't the summer pass by in just a blink? Are you emotionally ready for fall? For football, chili, raking leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes? I AM. Though I have a confession to make: I love Southern Tier Pumking beer waaaaay more than a PSL, as un-fall of me as that may sound. I do, however, love pumpkin bars and Paula Deen's gooey pumpkin butter cake. And gingerbread. And spice cake. Mmm. Good stuff!
Have I got you thinking about fall treats now? You may have noticed that I have a bit of a sweet tooth based on my frequent trips to Melt, and while I'm sad to leave behind summertime ice cream cones (they are good any time of year, and they are best in the summer!), I am happy to herald in the fall, especially since I don't have to forego this cute little dress for a long time to come.
Yep, this little dress lives to see another six weeks of wear because the off the shoulder trend that we have been crushing on all summer continues into fall and winter, and embroidery is exploding as the season's hottest trend. I sure hope you love it because you cannot escape it (and why would you want to??)! ;) I'm a big fan of embroidery when it is in beautiful jewel tones like the deep pink and jade green of this dress. There's also navy and a bronzey-colored thread in the design, which looks great with tobacco brown boots. And the embroidery is on the sleeves, and well, the phrase "statement sleeves" is about to become your new drinking game buzzword, right behind "open floor plan," "travertine," and "shiplap" for you HGTV fans. TANGENT: I know *they* say that shiplap is over. To which I reply:
#longliveshiplap #cheers #wherewasI
Drinking games aside, this little dress, despite its summertime seersucker fabric, is a perfect way to transition into fall. It will avoid being packed away until I see frost on the ground!
An affordable little number at $36, this dress, and all other Tartan Lane items, will be TAX FREE this weekend when you shop!
The dress comes in khaki or blue. Both are actually good for fall because the blue is a dark almost denim color, not royal blue like my embroidered top I posted earlier this season.
This look is so festival. Heck, you can even hayride in it.
Here's the BLUE and some close-ups pf the dress that I took before I shed my long locks.
I spy with my little eye a hint of dimpling. #keepingitreal #dimplesarecute
As far as sizing goes, this dress is available in S, M, L. I'm wearing the medium and I am a 6 or 8 petite. This one is actually a little roomy on me in the body. You'll see in a photo from the side that I have a little extra fabric happening, BUT I haven't washed it yet. Seersucker is a cotton fabric so one good tumble in the dryer on high heat and I think the fit will be perfect. A small would be too snug in the shoulders and arms because of the elastic banding that keeps this dress in place.
Here's a little glimpse of the extra room in the back. I feel sure one wash and dry will resolve that. Cotton is known to shrink so better to start a little too roomy than too small.
One of the major trends sticking around for fall is tassel necklaces. All things with fringe and tassels are in, and Tartan Lane has some really beautiful necklaces that are mineral and gemstone beads with soft fabric tassels. Add a little fringe anywhere you can; you'll see it on earrings, necklaces, purses, boots, and all manner of clothing.
This dress would also be pretty cute with those little lace boot toppers or with a frilly slip underneath, you know, the kind that intentionally pokes out so you can see the cute ruffles? Shop one HERE that's super adorable. This fall, styles are going to get romantic and a bit folksy, so this dress extender will get plenty of wear. The one I linked to will also give you some added detail and a little bit of modesty at the neckline underneath low-cut dresses.
Don't you know my sweet mini Iris tagged along on the shoot. We worked really fast and she kept herself entertained with her sippy cup, Cheerios, and some dancing. She also made friends with some cute little girls who were on vacation.
Everyone got a little hot and sweaty, and I got a LOT hot and sweaty in my scarf and hat. Though I'm no supermodel, I now feel like I better understand the tough working conditions that models go through, wearing coats in July and bikinis in December. The ensemble is adorable, just save the blanket scarf until later on in the season, unless you're going for the sleek sauna suit look?
I left a trail of clothes across the courtyard of House of Blues, much like I did at home in my teenage years, but ahh, how nice it was to dream of fall and how much nicer to unzip my boots and trade them in for peep toe wedges for a look that works right this very minute, while I countdown the days until temps crest at 75 degrees. By the way, don't you think fall needs its own groundhog, some autumnal mascot to predict whether we will have six more weeks of blistering heat or whether we'll snap our fingers and be in the land of Sweater Weather? Who would we nominate to such an important position? I've heard that yellow butterflies come out at the end of summer so maybe if the butterfly lands on a shrub and doesn't get eaten by a rabid wolf, then it means fall officially starts right now? Yes, I think so! Pass the petition!
This dress has really neat broomstick fraying on the sleeves and hem. It's very soft and gives you a hint of fringe that you can echo in your accessories.
This dress also gets high marks for being nursing friendly. If you're a breastfeeding mom, you'll love it! If you are looking for a fantastic strapless bra to wear under off the shoulder necklines, I highly recommend this one, which I am wearing under the dress in these photos.
Man, Iris is captivated by these vacation-kid! She's got major FOMO here. That or she's practicing her "Mom, you're embarrassing me" face. Funny how that works that once you have kids, you feel a little more comfortable being goofy and free, right when the little ones are trying to protect their cool images. ;) God's sense of humor is awesome.
While I goof off, let me add that I love the length on this dress. As a petite, it isn't too long for me. If you're very tall, go ahead and get the dress extender I linked above for a flirty flounce and some extra length, unless you're embracing the fall "no pants" trend. I'm not kidding. Madame Nicole Kidman was on the cover of InStyle without any britches on, and an article in the mag said fall is all about the long top, sweater or micro dress sans pants. So, um, don't put away your razor just yet. ;)
Get on over to Tartan Lane and scoop up this fab, affordable frock! You can wear it right now and you can wear it all of fall. To order this dress for yourself, shoot the fabulous Jackie Blevin a message HERE.
Oooh, I just saw a yellow butterfly go by...
