Happy Friday!  Today’s outfit combines two of my all-time favorite details when it comes to dressing; stripes and dramatic flare sleeves.  It’s a look you can easily dress up or dress down, and it’s a silhouette that makes you feel stylish in an effortless way.  Oh, and the material is super breathable.  And nothing is more important to me in the summer than a dress that’s comfortable and low-maintenance.  Can I get an amen?! 

I first wore this black and white stripe dress recently when I hosted a floral and entertaining class at the new Williams-Sonoma at the Avalon, when I was going to be in it for a few hours, with dinner plants to follow.  The ruffle sleeves made me feel fun and festive, while the bubble waist ensured I would feel confident and comfortable all evening long. 

Like all dresses with this dramatic shape, this one subtly hides my area—my tummy—and it flatters the upper arms, an area I’m working on trimming right now.  But word to the wise: this dress is not meant to be tight.  And at certain angles, it can even make you look larger than you are.  So if that makes you uncomfortable, this dress it not for you.  But the best part is that once you try on one of this style, you know if it’s your thing or if it isn’t.

To bring the look together, I had fun mixing the stripes of my Loeffler Randall Arabella Platform Sandals for a little pattern play.  Sadly this pair is sold out where I’ve looked, but I’ve linked a few similar styles below, along with a few more black and white stripe dress options worth seeing.  And while I kept things monochromatic in today’s look, next time I’m thinking of adding some color with a bright statement necklace like this one or bold colorful earrings like these.  How fun would that be?!  

And for all of those asking about my gold bangles…they’re from the shoppe!  They’re all-weather so you can wear them all day long—even at the beach or in the pool—and are the perfect accessory to any outfit.  Don’t be surprised if you see me wearing them all season!  Truly, MKR   

P.S.  I wasn’t kidding that a ruffle and a stripe was my favorite pair.  See this outfit and this outfit for more ways to wear this winning combo.  xo  

I’m one of those people, that whenever I read a great book, I have to tell the world about how good it is. You know those life-changing, stays-with-you kind of books?!  The ones that introduce you to characters and feelings, goals and dreams that you carry around with you forever after you’re done?  LOVE those books.  And even more, I love sharing them with friends and family.

Now I’ve never been part of an OFFICIAL book club, but I honestly don’t know how that has happened because I’m such an avid reader.  And I can totally appreciate the conversation over a good book, and the community that it brings.  So when Talbots invited me to be part of their launch of the Talbots Summer Book Club, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.  And I knew exactly what book I was going to give: Sheryl Sandberg’s Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience & Finding Joy.  This simple, refreshingly truthful take on everyone living some form of their “Option B” is downright inspiring; I think everyone will get takeaways from this sure-to-be bestseller that was just released a few weeks ago. 

So here’s the deal: I’d love for you to join me in the Talbots Summer Book Club.  The idea behind Talbot’s Book Club is simply “Give a book. Get a book.”  You just bring in a favorite book to your local Talbots store and pick up another one that someone else has enjoyed and passed along!  So fun.  There are also bookplates in stores and online that let you write a quick note as to why you’re recommending the read for the next person.  

And since we’re talking Talbots here, can we take a few minutes for their punchy summer collection?! While always a classic, a woven wicker bag is back big for summer, so I had to snatch this one up as soon as I stepped into the store.  And the wicker bag comes in an amazing navy and white too which I plan to grab at some point!  The wicker bag paired with the leather trim is so sharp and well-made…don’t be surprised if you see this bag on repeat all summer long.  

And this plaid shirt dress is the right amount of feminine and fun for summer BBQs and sunny days at the park with these sandals that are just as comfortable as they are stylish.  And I’d be amiss if I forgot to mention these fabulous brooches either; the monkey, parrot, watermelon and pineapple.  Here I added the parrot to the center of my bow, but I plan to add all of them together to my favorite denim jacket for just a bit of a statement.  

All in all, I’d say between the clothes and the beach reads, I’m pretty ready for summer.  I’d love to know if you’ve picked up any must reads lately? Truly, MKR