I sang this dress’ praises a few weeks ago as I was planning my spring break packing list. I’m happy to report that not only did I wear this 3 nights during spring break (in Kauai, 70 degrees at night after long days of being in the sun and with sticky sunscreen), but I saw TWO different women in Hawaii wearing it too. It got me thinking, is this dress great on most people? Could it be the sisterhood of the traveling dress? Gretchen had already bought it, so I told the rest of the team they could grab one and we’d do an experiment to see if perhaps this is the perfect spring/summer dress???? And FYI I’ve washed it 3 times, hung dry or spun dry, and it has held up and drapes really well – not all wrinkled or misshaped which sometimes you can get with a really affordable dress. I think there is enough poly in it to give it that seersucker look (at least the green stripe) which makes it look great without steaming. Definitely a dress you’d happily wear after eating a huge burrito or dealing with normal bloat, FYI. It’s sooo comfortable. Ok, ladies – what did you think?????
But first I’ll remind you of my initial thoughts…
The Green Striped One
Headband | Sunglasses | Dress | Purse | Bracelet (similarish) | Sandals
From my fashion post: “This dress is the real winner of the season. It’s from Target and while I love the idea of Target clothes I do find that sometimes their cuts aren’t great on me or the fabric is just meh. This is lightweight (looks heavier than it is), has a seersucker vibe that lends itself to being casual, doesn’t need to be steamed, and has that cute gathering detail at the front but nothing on the back so it gives you a sense of the waist with extreme waist comfort!!!!! Might be too warm for extreme humidity, but it’s absolutely coming with me for nighttime casual dinners. I’m so comfortable and I feel really cute (add a trendy bag to take it down a notch in the mom category).”
Dress | Jacket
This dress! I saw it at Target a few days before Em styled it for her Spring Break Outfits post, but they only had the dark blue version in my size. I tried it on and I liked it well enough, but knew I would LOVE the green stripe, so I went ahead and ordered it. To my pleasant surprise, Em showed up to the shoot with said green dress and I felt so validated by my decision!
I love the way it drapes, with slits along the sides for a leg to peek out, plus the front waist is cinch-able, so I can pull a little shape but keep the back hanging loose. And POCKETS!!! I tried it in both L and XL but opted to keep the bigger size because it’s slightly longer and reviews say it’ll shrink some in the wash. I paired it with my other “new favorite” Madewell jacket and some old (un-linkable) favorites: a round canvas Baggu bag, vintage wooden sandals and some brown sunnies!
The Blue Striped One
Dress | Gold Layered Necklace | Sneakers
This dress is SO comfy and I was stoked when I found out it has POCKETS!!! The blue and white pinstripe is a classic pattern I’ve always loved and I’ll always love this look with gold accessories. I’m wearing a small and I pulled the lil strings on the side tighter to give it a little more shape (love that this adjusts BTW). Plus this lil slit was cute – wanted to show off my janky little ankle that I sprain all the time (this is its good side). I feel like Gwenette Paltrow on vacation which is not a bad thing to feel like for only $30!!
The White One
Dress | Sunglasses | Clogs (similar) | Purse | Bandana (similar)
I’m gonna be real: I did not think I was going to like this dress on my body! The sizing chart left a lot to be desired – my measurements ranged from “medium” to “XXL” – so I figured that parts of the dress would cling to my hips and bust. NOT SO, MY FRIENDS! I split the difference and ordered the XL and I am SO STOKED with the fit. I love the drape (it’s hard to find things that actually drape without bunching up somewhere!) and I’m so glad I got it in white! It’s been SO FUN to dress up and down and probably the only piece in my closet that feels appropriate for a museum and a beach, which is a pretty tall order. I’m wearing it with some clogs here, but I also LOVE it with a baseball hat and sneakers, some flat sandals and big glasses, or with a few pops of color. More than anything, this dress makes me feel a little cooler than I am, which is really all that matters:) it’s nice to wear things that actually make you feel good about yourself, you know?! (PS. This color/fabric will come rumpled and you will need to steam it. Still worth it. I promise!!)
The Navy One
Dress | Purse (similar) | Purse Strap (similar) | Striped Top (similar) | Sneakers | Yankees Hat
Dare I say I chose the least “springy” option but I just felt like it suited me best. Actually, the navy fabric is a little thinner than the green stripe one! So here is what I’ll say, I think this is a super cute and unbelievably comfortable dress. However, I don’t think it’s totally my style but hopefully, the way I styled it does it justice if it’s yours! I wanted to really mix it up in a classic “EHD style” way and throw a striped long-sleeved shirt under it. I know it’s still chilly in a lot of places so this could be an easy way to make it a little warmer and fun. And while you can surely dress this cutie up, I liked the idea of pairing it with a cool, casual sneaker. I also wanted to add a little structure and pattern so I threw on my beloved Clare V fanny pack with its checkered strap. TBF, it’s the only purse I wear these days so it really wasn’t a choice as much as my only option but I stand by it:) I also wanted to show you what it looked like without the striped top and then with a classic baseball hat. Three casual looks, one throw-on-and-go, easy breezy dress. I’m in a medium but we were told it shrinks a good amount so I would consider sizing up!
So there you have it! All our thoughts that will hopefully help you decide whether you were on the purchase fence or simply looking for a great, comfy, affordable spring dress. xx
Opening Image Credits: Photos by Kaitlin Green at Sunroom Studio | From: 12 Cute, Comfy Easy-To-Wear Spring Break Outfits
The post The Sisterhood Of The Traveling $30 Target Dress (So Does It Work For Everyone??) appeared first on Emily Henderson.
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