Sometimes you see a dress and no matter how impractical it seems, no matter how frivolous it seems, no matter how limited in use it could possibly be… you absolutely just have to have it. When I first saw this bright neon yellow-green number, I knew I needed to have it. While I often gravitate towards neutrals, there are times when I absolutely can’t resist a colorful, bold color. After all, they say that fashion is about experimentation and having fun, right?
Just as soon as I made the purchase, I placed in the back of my closet with few occasions to bring it out. Indeed, my social calendar post-graduation has been fairly desolate, with the exception of various weddings across the country that have demanded more of a casual mini dress than a formal affair. But during my closet cleanse, I saw the dress yet again, and I knew I needed to do something about it. So I came up with a new series for the blog that I will name ‘Style Mixology.’ Of course, some clothing can be worn over and over again; however, the aim of this series is to tackle those challenging pieces in your closet that you bought on a whim because you couldn’t resist their unique allure, but which have been a struggle to wear more than once.
And so I found myself in the middle of Santa Fe for a friend’s wedding, with a bright neon yellow dress, a couple of tops, a pair of shredded jeans, leggings, and a black romper in tow. The wedding was billed as ‘semi-formal’ and, knowing the bride, I knew that traipsing in a maxi dress instead of the garden-party variety style her friends’ would invariably sport would push me in ‘trying too hard’ territory. As such, I forced myself to persevere and come up with a reasonable outfit that would 1) suit my style and 2) not be too flashy.
Voilà, my experiments.
GLAM GODDESS
Is there anything more glamorous than a waist-defining column dress, big earrings, and show-stopping teal suede heels? I think not. If I’d had enough time, I would have pulled out the curlers and attempted a 50’s style ‘do à la Jessica Chastain at awards season. The neon yellow-green tone of this dress works exceptionally well with jewel tones, so these teal heels and blue earrings create a beautiful palette. The cross-over V-neck is elegant and sophisticated, and would work fabulously well at an evening soirée (and especially an celebrity-laden movie premiere or awards presentation).
QUIRKY SOPHISTICATE
I envision a funky artist or curator wearing a similar getup to a gallery opening. I think it’s the combination of bold color and subdued minimalism that pushed me in this direction. Either way, I find this style distinctive, particularly if paired with sleep sunglasses, a slick ponytail, and some fierce shoes. Here, I wore my favorite snakeskin heels, but I could easily see a pair of black platform pumps as well.
LUXE NOMAD
The contrasting textures of cotton/lace + silk here create that ideal contrast that fashion editors have been raving about for the past few seasons. A topknot, some golden platform cork wedges and a bold necklace were my accoutrements of choice, lending a bohemian vibe to the outfit, as if I were going to an upscale-music-festival-ball affair. I thought that the oversized white clutch is not too formal, despite the crazy oversized jeweled strap, but I could easily see myself with a cute cross body purse for a playful Harley Viera Newton look.
In the end, I opted for the “luxe nomad” look for my friend’s wedding (although I left my hair down instead, and layered a black leather jacket when it inevitably got cold). While it definitely got a few stares, I felt like the dress was a great choice for the environment—not just a wedding, but a wedding in the colorful city of Santa Fe.
Which style do you prefer? Are there other ways you can think of styling this dress?
The Dress
JAY GODFREY jasmine multi-strap gown, similar here & here
Glam Goddess
DANNIJO Lizabeth earrings, similar here
MIU MIU clutch, similar here & here
JIMMY CHOO Tamber heels, similar here
Quirky Sophisticate
THEORY silk top, similar here
JIMMY CHOO heels, similar here & here
CHANEL BOY BAG, similar here & here
JENNIFER ZEUNER starburst lariat necklace, similar here
Luxe Nomad
ALC lace crop top, similar here
PRADA platform cork wedges, similar here
DANNIJO Leona necklace, similar here
DANNIJO Aviva cuff, similar here
HIPANEMA bracelet, similar here & here
MIU MIU clutch, similar here & here
Now, almost completely unrelated… we ended our trip in Santa Fe by taking the so-called Turquoise Trail to Albuquerque where we caught our flights back home. It’s a kitschy route that takes you through some old ghost towns of New Mexico, places that seem largely deserted but actually hold some treasures thanks to the hodgepodge of artists and retirees that have decided to settle and let their whimsical imaginations roam free. My favorite stop was Madrid, NM where I enjoyed a much-needed grilled peach & proscuitto salad as a reprieve from the weekend’s enchilada overdosage. Check below for more pictures!
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