Twist and Blog Hop

Topanga Dress: c/o Aventura (use code mommyinflats20); Grey Duster: Asterisk Boutique; Shoes: Oliberte (stay tuned for more on this amazing brand and their mission to create jobs in Sub Suharan Africa)

You know I really love a good dress. I also love a piece I can wear over and over without getting sick of it. That’s why I love the Topanga dress from Aventura’s Spring line. It has so many cute details from the cute cuffed sleeves and vertical meets horizontal striped pockets to the surprise back detailing. I love a good stripe and this dress is stripes and so much more (heathering, beautiful neckline, perfect length). But, I really hopped on to remind you all of my favorite way to transform any dress to wear it over and over and never get bored.

From city chic to country elegant with a few simple changes.

All it takes is a little twist and a quick knot and voila! New length, new look. I wore this dress last week for my first Spring 5×5 but I knew I was going to wear it again soon and couldn’t quite figure out how to make it a completely different look. I’ve been doing the spring jackets a lot lately and I still love them but I wanted to do this one up just a little bit different.

Usually, I reserve my twists, tucks, and knots for dresses that are either a little too long or too big. This dress is neither. It’s really the perfect length and fits to a tee (no pun intended…okay maybe a little intended;). But, I thought what the heck I’ll give it a try. Here’s where I’d like to insert that I wear shorts under all my dresses (even long ones usually) because I find it more comfortable. So, while this shortened my dress and showed off a little more leg than normal, I kept it modest and covered with my slip shorts (I bought these and love them).

If you’re wondering how to do it (I really bet you’re not – see what I did there?), here’s how. First, choose where you want your knot. I usually prefer it to the side and like to switch it up as to which but you can also do it in the middle. Second, choose length. With a dress that’s already short like this one, you don’t have all that much wiggle room. But, with a maxi you can add a small knot just at the bottom or make it a midi or even a mini depending on where you place the tie. See this post for more on that.

Before I move on to the blog hop, I want to talk shoes for a sec. Anyone who knows me, knows I am obsessed with a good shoe. If you’ve been following my blog, you also know, I’m looking for ways to shop more eco-friendly (hence my love for Aventura which is also a sustainable brand) and follow a minimalist approach to my wardrobe (I know this is a work in progress but my closet is thinning out a little…maybe?). When I stumbled across fair trade shoe company Oliberte on Instagram, I knew I had to try them. Not only are they fair trade, but they provide work for people in Sub Suharan Africa. I’ll save my diatribe on how amazing it is to find eco-friendly AND people friendly brands later and let these cute, comfy shoes speak for themselves.

Now, enough about me, let’s hop on over and see how everyone else is wearing this fan favorite- seriously, everyone needs this dress (use code mommyinflats20 for 20% off your first purchase!).

Mary from Real Girl’s Realm:

This cute dress is perfect for throwing on with tennis shoes for running errands or you could dress it up with wedge sandals for a date night!

Ruth from My Little Nest:

The Topanga dress is a striped spring classic from Aventura Clothing. It’s easy to layer for the cold spring weather that everyone seems to be having. A denim vest paired with beige ankle boots make this an easy spring look that anyone can wear!

Shannon from The Simple Moms:

Stripes, pockets, lightweight material…sold! Adding this dress to my closet was the best fashion decision I’ve made for the spring so far!

Kristin from Taz and Belly:

The thing I love most about the Topanga Dress, is how versatile it is. Not only can I mix it with so many pieces in my current closet, but it works just as well with a baby bump as it does without! Paired with comfy sneakers, a denim vest (or jacket!) and my favorite baseball cap is the perfect weekend look for this expecting mama.

Erin from Home with the Boys:

In the summer, I’m all about no-fuss outfits. The Topanga dress makes a statement all by itself, while also being one of the comfiest pieces of clothing I’ve ever owned. It really is the perfect summer dress!

Are you sold yet? One dress: so many ways to dress it up! Which one is your favorite? I couldn’t pick if I tried!

This post was sponsored by Aventura Clothing but all thoughts and opinions belong to the bloggers herein.