Summer 5×5: Look 3: Hey Jude

This was a hard day. My sweet baby boy turned one. I feel like the last year has flown by in a blur. That’s partly what happens when you struggle with PPA. I find the first year after baby to be a year of flurry. I can’t sit still. It’s a year of action. I start groups, I learn new skills, I start home renovation and organizational projects galore (whether I finish any of them depends largely on if I paid someone else to do it). Suffice it to say, this past year was no different (has anyone noticed this brand spanking new blog full of collaborations and new friends- like Corina who’s doing this challenge with me?). 

This mural has graced our small town for about a year now (in fact, it was started exactly 2 days after my little HeyJ was born). I’ve passed by it many a time without really looking at it. You see, it’s not exactly pretty. I like pretty things. To me pretty is shiny, symmetrical, and, well, perfect. This painting? It has sharp angles and jutting features. The colors are vibrant to my soft, muted tastes. It’s unique. It’s interesting. It’s one hundred and ten percent IMperfect. 

Working on this blog has changed the way I look at things. That run down abandoned motel? That’s the perfect vintage backdrop for a photo shoot. The side of the bank I used to work at (where I first discovered small town dynamics- not an entirely pleasant experience) features a beautiful white wall that’s perfect for modeling (and comes with a busy street and honking and hollering passersby as a bonus). 

Back to the mural: a year ago, I never would have noticed it other than to comment on it’s assymetry. Today, I took a closer look. I didn’t see the imperfect noses and jarring eyes. Instead, I saw a family. A beautiful family. I saw a picture that invokes so many feelings: love, laughter, togetherness, home. That’s why I chose this backdrop for today’s challenge. Because it happened to fall on my sweet one’s first birthday and this mural represents so much more to me than just what meets the eye, not the least of which is my own personal growth. 

Okay okay, enough of the philosophical thinking, let’s get back to fashion. Here’s the low down on look number three. 

Look 3 Wardrobe Pieces: 

Dress: c/o Gozon

Shoes: Josef Seibel 

Why I picked this: This was a semi-casual occasion and I wanted to dress up without spending too much time on it. This dress is casually chic and oh so comfy. In case you’re wondering, it also washes well (care instructions say hand wash and I advise you to follow them. Me? I throw everything with those instructions in on the cold delicate setting and hope for the best, I never dry clothes that say to line dry…every but really I will not with this dress and it came out virtually wrinkle free). But, I digress. Let’s get back on track. 

What worked about this outfit: The casual front knot. This dress is slightly too long, it also loses shape on me when it drags on the floor. Adding the wedges gave me just enough height to allow a quick knot in the front and keep the drape of the back. I’m really loving the side slits on this one because they allow for free movement even when the dress is knotted, which can be an issue for dresses without slits. 

How I felt: Comfortable. It was perfect for everything from lounging with the baby on the couch to cooking dinner and singing happy birthday. (See my note on the shoes below.)

I wore this dress three times in the last two weeks. It is a staple. Black is classic, goes with everything, and can be dressed up or down. This dress is especially fun with the surprise twist in the back. I love the knotting trick to add a little character and shape without a single accessory. 

How many ways can I wear a simple black maxi dress? I’m fixin’ to find out! 

Dress: c/o Gozon

Shoes: Josef Seibel (Note: I love the way these shoes look but the foot bed is not as nice as my dansko shoes, it’s more like Birkenstocks with the well worn in foot outline, they also rub the outside of my pinky toe. My honest review would be that they’re gorgeous but not my favorite for wear and comfort.) 

Mural: Alice Mizrachi “Poetry in Motion”