The Perfect Summer Dress…

Shop the Look

Dress: Chicwish, c/o {buy here} | Sandals: Dune London, c/o {buy here; also love these} | Handbag: Michael Kors {buy here; love this one too} | Sunnies: Urban Outfitters {buy here} | Cone cuff bracelets: Ann Taylor, c/o {buy here} | Gold bangle bracelet: Sweet n’ Spark, c/o {buy here} | White marble cuff bracelet: J.Crew {sold out; similar here and here} | Friendship bracelet: Kendra Scott, c/o {buy here} | Hat: Target {buy here}

On Jack

Top: Target {buy here} | Shorts: Target {buy here} | Moccasins: Freshly Picked {buy here}

How was your weekend guys? Jack and I jaunted over to Boise. Every year, I get together with my two best girlfriends from childhood. We’re on year seven! Pretty impressed with ourselves about that, not gonna lie. Last weekend was Girl’s Trip 2015, so grandma and grandpa kept an eye on Jack while I went and played with my gal pals. It was so nice. Mamas need some girl time – amiright? And I have to admit: every time I visit Boise, I remember why I loved it there so darn much. I’m not sure I can even put words to it – it’s just a real, real good place. Now it’s back in Cali and back to the grind. Trying to slap on a happy face bout that and just do the dang thang. Nipping those post-vacay blues in the bud – woot!

In other news, I have pretty distinct feelings about what makes a perfect summer dress, and my preference isn’t always easy to come by. And by ‘isn’t always’ I kind of mean never – it’s never easy to come by. Lately I have been all for dresses with sleeves. I don’t do tank tops for religious reasons, and even if I could, the truth is that I’ve just never been super confident about my arms. That’s not me dissing myself – not even trying to be critical or mean. I’m just speakin’ my truth – even when they’re in shape, they’re just not my favorite feature, ya know? So I usually feel most comfortable in tops or dresses with sleeves. In the summer though, that can start to roast you like a regular rotisserie, and no one wants that. I was stoked when I found this dress from Chicwish because it has all my perfect summer dress ingredients: a) Sleeves! Huzzah! b) light, airy material that breathes so that even though there are sleeves, I didn’t feel hot as death while wearing it, c) Long enough. I like my dresses to hit at about knee length. Again, that’s partly for religious reasons, but also because I just don’t prefer feeling like I’m about to give folks a choch-shot at any given moment. Unsavory.

So there you have it! Shannon Willardson’s personal recipe for a perfect summer dress. Now tell me – what’s yours? Huh huh huh? Tell me!