We all have that can’t-live-without-it multipurpose dress in our closet and there are some weeks where it’s all we want to wear, taking it from work to play dates, often just by changing our shoes in between. No matter what your own favorite dress looks like, you can use these styling suggestions to help extend its life and use in your wardrobe.
Don’t have a dress that fits the bill yet? Can we kindly suggest you get one, as in, you should really run out and grab one right now? We used the Old Navy Wrap-Front Jersey Dress in Black Stripe ($25), which is a great option because of its classic shape (who doesn’t love a wrap-dress?) and simple pattern. Don’t count out a dress with a bit of texture, a pop of color or a hint of pattern as your go-to dress — it will help keep your outfits interesting and you’ll be able to take it even further with your styling choices!
One Dress, Three Ways
by katiekavulla featuring a cuff bracelet
Easy play date style
While dressing cute for a play date with another mom or family might seem like a priority, we all know what’s on the top of our list when it comes to play date style… comfort! But sacrificing style doesn’t mean that you need to look like you just rolled out of bed either. Add a cute pair of colorful kicks to your favorite dress for a pop of brightness, as well as other functional elements, such as a big bag to store play date must-haves and a layering piece to stay warm when the sun starts to go down.
Purse: Longchamp LePliage Large Tote in Gunmetal (Nordstrom, $145)
Scarf: Fox Infinity Scarf (Etsy seller Poe Poe Purses, $30)
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars in Peppermint (Zappos.com, $50)
Date night dress-up
It’s date night! (Finally!) Time to bust out the heels, grab a purse that is much too small to fit anyone’s extra pants to give your go-to dress some grown-up time. If your favorite dress is a bit on the casual side, like this one, and feels out of place with stilettos and jewels, add wedges or funky booties and accessories that are big on color to take things to the next level for date night.
Bracelet: Curved Arrow Cuff Bracelet (Dailylook.com, $13)
Clutch: Double Clutch in Citrine (Stella & Dot, $89)
Shoes: Steve Madden Nextstar Bootie (Piperlime, $120)
Functional work wear
Working moms who have a favorite dress in their closet likely have it in heavy rotation. After all, there is nothing to make a long day at work more enjoyable than feeling great about what you’re wearing while you’re there! To take this dress into the work-zone, a neutral pair of easy-to-wear flats is a good match and lets you play up some color and texture with your accessories instead. Don’t forget something cozy to throw on for when the office air conditioning kicks into gear!
Sweater: Textured Open-Front Cardi in Soy Latte (Old Navy, $40)
Necklace: Cherry Harvest Necklace (Anthropologie, $48)
Shoes: Corso Como Tawna in Natural Suede (Zappos.com, $99)
Having just made the move from big city life to settle down in the town where she and her husband both grew up, Katie is a mom of three who strives to slow life down a bit… as impossible as that is with three kids under the age of 10. A blogger turned writer, Katie has spent the past few years combining the things that she loves into a career, with a focus on helping other moms tell their story, because Katie truly believes that every mom has one to tell.
When it comes to fashion, Katie puts her past retail experience to work as a contributor to Savvy Sassy Moms. Most recently with Anthropologie, she has been in and out of women’s retail fashion for the past 16 years. If you twist her arm, she’ll even tell you about the time (pre-baby body, mind you!) that she worked with Abercrombie and Fitch. Katie’s love for shoes runs deep, even though she spends most of her time running around in a stinky old pair of classic black Converse.
You can also find Katie on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
