Dresses galore

I wear a lot of dresses in my day-to-day wardrobe choices and I want to shatter the myth that wearing a dress means you're dressed upand uncomfortable. When I wear a dress, I'm often more comfortable than I would have been in sweatpants, yet when people see me, they immediately think I'm so dressed up and polished. It's such an easy illusion to maintain, too! Another myth with regard to dresses is that it's expensive to dress in them a lot. Not true! I shop a LOT at Marshalls and TJ Maxx to find discount designer dresses, but I also frequent Target and Body Central for bargain frocks. Think about it: a dress is an outfit all by itself, but tops and pants, while often less expensive individually, are more expensive when you consider the cost of the full outfit. Right? Right!

Here's a tip for you: shop for dresses that can transition from one season to the next. This is easier than you think because SO many dresses available now are of the most comfortable fabrics and styles and are easy to wear year round. In the winter, I wear a lot of my "summer" dresses, but I pair them with boots or a cardigan or a pair of tights, even a pair of jeans or pants- the possibilities are endless! Here is a dress for sale on Body Central's website for less than $30.It is a fabulous summer dress- the fabric is lightweight, the silhouette isn't too clingy- it's great! You can wear it with a pair of flip flops or ballet flats and voila! Instant cool summer outfit! "But how do I transition it into the fall and winter?" you ask. Well, I'll tell you how! First, throw on a pair of opaque black tights and your tall black leather boots (if you don't own a pair, shame on you). Next, add a cropped jacket or cardigan sweater on top and if it's an extra chilly day, add a scarf around your neck for added warmth. Done! In the winter, layering is key, so think of your summer dress as the "base" and then pile on the winter duds over it. It also makes the transition easier on your closet- fewer summer clothes to pack away for the winter, true? True! Now is a good time to start to take stock of which summer clothes will stay and which will get packed away in a couple of months. Also, if you start thinking about it now, the task will seem less daunting when it actually comes time to do it.