Between moving again this summer and turning 30 next month, I have been in the process of re-honing in on my wardrobe. Moving twice in two years definitely forced me to make better decisions about what I was bringing into my closet in the first place and then getting older is forcing me to reevaluate my style and how I want to dress.
I’ve made “hard” (I use this term lightly because we are just talking about clothes after all) decisions because even if I love a particular dress or top, if it doesn’t feel like “me” I know that I’m not going to wear it. And what feels like me now at 29-almost-30 is different than even five years ago.
One thing that I didn’t have was a “nice” white dress. Well, technically I did have one but it’s very see-through (unlined!) so finding the perfect bra/tank/slip situation was always annoying. I’d always end up passing it over in favor for something else.
One day back in June, I got stuck in a massive rainstorm in Brookfield Place in NYC. I was avoiding leaving the area, which naturally led to a little bit of store wandering. I went into the Theory store looking for sweaters and ended up finding this dress on sale. It’s beautifully designed and feels so good on.
I can’t find the receipt so I’m not 100% sure of the style (or maybe it’s not available online anymore). But this is the same dress in a tweed– mine is linen. And this one looks REALLY similar but I can’t tell if it has pockets like mine does!
While I’m all about a crisp white dress on its own, I couldn’t resist pairing it with my Hermes scarf which really pops against the white!
Similar Dress // Similar Scarf (mine is from my last trip to Paris) // Sandals // Sunglasses // Similar Earrings // Handbag (on sale) // Lip Color: Burnt Red
Shop My Outfit
Hi Carly!
I have been following you for several years now and since we are the same age-I naturally feel like “I have grown with you” for lack of a better term.
While I have never been “into fashion” before, over the years I have developed a fondness for it. Through your posts I have acquired an appreciation for using fashion as a medium for communication with the world and self discovery.
I have also recently purchased something from ThredUp which made me really happy to follow through in my quest for sustainability. Thank you for your post on that. Would love to see you explore the topic of sustainability, affordability, and social responsibility some more on your blog.
To close off my post, I am naturally curious about how you have handled so much change over the last couple years. I have followed you through your various “moves” in life-physical and spiritual. In terms of the physical concept of moving-NYC, CN, Hoboken, and now Jersey suburbs-how did you find yourself in a new place over and over again? What are your tips in building community and friendships in a new place? What did you learn from each place and do you have any regrets? Of course, these are very personal so please share what you’re comfortable with. Since many people naturally move throughout their lives, your input would be valuable.
Thanks,
Gabriela
Yes! I second everything in this post!
There are a LOT of great pieces on the THEORY site that I could see you wearing for years to come. Looking forward to seeing you in more of their line.
As someone just turning 28 I find this to be very true – my style is really settling these days. Would love to see more of the changes and investments you’ve made in your wardrobe!
I second this! It would be so interesting to see an in depth post on how your style has evolved through the years, what pieces have survived each clean out, what you invest in nowadays, etc.
I love the look of the red scarf with the white dress!
https://alexagmarsh.blogspot.com
Love the way you used the scarf. I love how draping a scarf the way you did with a dress just looks so classically elegant. I also love the earrings, you always have the best earrings!
Everything about this is spot on!!! That dress is impeccable, what a lucky find! You look so polished and put together, and A+ for styling with the Hermes scarf! I feel like what I like to wear has also changed over the years, especially now that I am in grad school and turn 25 this month. I tell the dresses in my closet that they are so lucky to survive so many closet purges, aha. Happy August, Carly!!
xx Libby
https://premedwearspearls.blogspot.com/
This dress is stunning! I love the color pop and romance of the Hermes scarf. A great dress for a great woman!
I love that grey streak in your hair! Please never change it, it’s gorgeous with your dark locks.
Gorgeous dress! You look very happy, too!
-Meg
http://www.deposanddemos.com
I love how you styled this dress! White dresses are classic, similar to the LBD. I’m going to have to pick one up. 🙂
That dress and scarf are beautiful! I turn 30 TOMORROW (eeeek!) and we are planning on moving from Nashville to Charleston next year, so I feel like I’m in the same boat. Nearly 30-yo Kelly is definitely into more quality and timeless silhouettes than anything I wore in my early 20s. The issue I run into nowadays is that I am a work-from-home mom and barre instructor, so a lot of my necessary everyday wear is on the ultra casual and practical side of things (I try to dress cute but sweating to death walking to the playground tends to ruin those well-appointed outfits). I haven’t gotten to the point where I only wear “nice” athleisure; maybe that will be a goal for my 30s. Time for a good purge as we enter into fall!
Carly, love this post! Please write more about your evolving style choices. I turned 30 in December and can’t believe how different I dress from 25 or even 28!
Also, you look great in white.
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