Monday Musings: Styles I Spotted While Traveling and New Finds
Happy Monday, ladies. People-watching is one of the extra benefits I love about traveling. I’m constantly inspired by seeing how women put themselves together in different locations for varying activities. When I changed planes in Dallas, the gals boarding the flight looked a bit dressier than the gals boarding in Miami and San Diego. Overall, my impression was a lack of sameness which was refreshing.
I also saw a lot of athleisure in varying levels of formality. The other thing that caught my eye was how many women were embracing the new sling bags.
Outfit of the week
When sling bags got popular last year, I was positive it was a look I would never adopt. I’ve seen enough of them now that I’m beginning to see their appeal. They’re not that different from a crossbody but have a slightly sportier vibe. This one from Anthropologie comes in four colors in the woven texture that’s so popular for spring. I paired it with the perfect lightweight jacket (that’s what they call it), which comes in four colors, sizes XXS-3X in classic, petite, and tall. I really love it in blue, but I think this surplus color has a more casual vibe.
The cotton sweater is great for those who don’t wear wool and comes in four colors, XXS-3X. I was thrilled to find one of my favorite bootcut styles of NYDJ at Nordstrom Rack for 70% off in four washes. The hinged bracelets make a fun statement, and even more so when you wear one gold with one silver. The platform sneakers are very popular for spring and comfy for a day full of running errands. I added a bright pop of lipstick to go with the sweater.
I love hats and wear them often…all except for baseball caps. I’ve never found one that didn’t look dorky on me. I’ve spotted a lot of stylish women wearing them lately, so I want to find one that works for me. Yes, the shapes are all the same, but the vibe varies by color and fabric, so I’ll be on the hunt.
Not seen
What I didn’t see were many women traveling in dresses…and I was intentionally looking for them. I saw one or two women wearing skirts, but they were rare. Most women traveled wearing stretch fabric pants, jeans, or the always popular workout leggings with everything on display. I also don’t see many women in my daily life wearing dressed or skirts. Do you wear them? Do you want me to style more for you?
Easy Shrimp Appetizer
Our dinner group finally got together again over the weekend, and it was so fabulous. We’ve been dear friends and have been through the ups and downs of life together for over 40 years. Everyone brings something to contribute to the meal, but of course, the hostess and host are doing most of the work. I brought a shrimp cocktail appetizer.
I’m not a huge fan of the classic red cocktails sauce, so I make a hot wasabi sauce which is always popular. It’s dead simple, start with a medium container of sour cream, and whisk in a tube of wasabi paste to the hotness you like. See, I told you this would never become a food blog š¤£.
This is always a super casual get-together where the goal is to catch up, not dress up. One gal arrived in her slippers (smart cookie), and another changed out of her slippers into her Sketchers just before she came in. I looked down at her sneakers, she looked down at my sneakers, and we chuckled that for our feet, comfy was everything these days.
I wore a favorite slouchy cashmere boyfriend cardigan over a warm crew neck sweater and a blouse with comfy stretch pants and my new high-top platform sneakers.
The platform makes them extra cushiony, and the double-stacked sole gives me a 1 1/2″ height boost while being totally flat. I love flatforms!
Monday Finds
I do a tremendous amount of perusing on the internet, so I thought it would be fun to share what’s catching my eye. The best things at Nordstrom Rack sell out in the blink of an eye, so I thought I would share what I’m finding while they’re fully stocked. Some hit my shopping cart, and some aren’t my style, but you may like them, so here we go-
A FEW MORE FINDS AT THE NORDSTROM RACK
Back to dresses….do you wear them?
Thanks for reading and have a fabulous Monday.
OK summers are sweltering so āt-shirtā dresses and skirts/skorts are what most of my friends and I wear starting as early as April some yearsš¤ – I also enjoy wearing skirts/dresses to church. I love the look of the converse sneakers and the crossbody bag BUT I have three grandgirls in college and that is about all they (and their friends) wear – even with really dressy dresses – which Nana just canāt understandš¤Ŗ so those items are a no for me. Maybe the cute bag from Anthropologie you highlighted would work. I do LOVE my Double Decker shoes from Keds. Keds are VERY well made, have a great insole with stable arch support and keep on trend with their styling. I probably have ten pair of the slip on style and several tie as well – oh and booties too. The web site is good and their orders are filled promptly and the pricing is great! I am a big fan and have converted quite a few of my friends.
I wear mostly skirts and dresses in late spring/summer/early fall here in DC. I’m still old fashioned enough to wear panty-hose (flesh tone) as my office is freezing! Pants and tights in the winter…commuting by bus and train can be cold, too. Love your posts, Jennifer, even if I wouldn’t wear the item, I like to see what other women are wearing.
Yes to dresses! I find them much more comfortable than pants or jeans when it starts to heat up in south Louisiana. But casual dresses can be hard to find. I try to find something that is semi-fitted without a belt. Also, I want them to be right above my knee which is difficult because of my 5’9″ height and not “too cute”. I also wear skorts, which I hope remain popular, because at 68 I feel shorts just don’t work for me in public. I recently found a J. McLaughlin shift dress, a Karen Kane tiered dress, and an adorable embordered Roller Rabbit dress for a Caribbean cruise and they were perfect! Recently my 53-year old niece wore sheer stockings to a wedding shower and you couldn’t tell – she said if Kate Middleton can wear them she felt like it was okay. But, the weather was still cool (for us) and it was inside.
Yes, hose is back!
I’ve had a vertical chicken roaster for many years. I love it. When my kids were young and first saw the chicken in the oven cooking, they said that it looked like the chicken was dancing. Hence forth, whenever we used the roaster they declared “we are having dancing chicken for dinner”. The name has lasted for decades.
Thatās hilarious. They do look that way.
Yes! I love dresses. They are easy to dress up or down. But only merino wool which keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer.
In the winter I prefer shorter ones with merino wool leggings (so much warmer than jeans!) and a sweater or blazer.
In the summer I prefer a midi length. Dresses keep me cool and I look put together and ready for anything.
I even wore a merino wool dress in 90+ heat at Disney World and was comfy! Merino wool is magical!
I like the wool& dresses as a blank canvas to play with. There is even an active Facebook group where Iāve gotten a lot of ideas.
The Cole Haan raincoat is the spitting image of one I’ve owned for years. It always gets compliments. Mine’s been on hiatus, but with lilac on trend again, I’ll be wearing it a lot this spring and summer.
I LOVE dresses!! At home, out and about, and the airport!! Yes to the dress!!
I love dresses for all seasons! I don’t own any athleisure items. I like to keep exercise wear completely separate from my other clothes.
Yes, yes I wear dresses! I teach and find that dresses are more comfortable all day long. I think you would have seen more dresses if you were traveling between May and September. The only drawback wearing a dress on a plane is that it can get cold. I always travel with a large wrap (Peshtemal – large Turkish ‘towel’) so I can use it as a blanket if needed. It can be generational, and the way I was brought up, but I would not wear the ‘yoga’ ‘exercise’ pants on a plane. Having traveled for business before teaching, I found that being dressed would often help me upgrade on a plane for no cost.
I have never traveled in exercise clothes either.
I used a sling bag for my trip to Paris in the fall.It was leather,from an art show.It sat in front of me where I kept an eye on it.It was roomy and quite perfect.
I love that they’re worn in front for travel. That’s one of my issues with backpacks…you don’t see them.
Well I think I own 2 dresses and a skit.
More into cause dress with pants that can be dressed up or down.
Comfort is my game but still want to look appropriate for all occasions.
Love the cocktail sauce receipt. Will differently try that one.
Happy Monday.
I love wearing dresses at any time of year, especially in summer here in Australia. It’s easy to throw on a dress and easy to accessorise. I feel “free” and comfortable in a dress.
That is a wonderful way to feel!
I am a native Texan and a jean girl. I have just a few dresses. Some I have never worn. But I never know if I have a wedding or funeral to attend . The stand up rack for the chicken? I have had a couple for 25 years. You canāt see it in the picture but there is open slot for a beer can! We call the cuisine ābeer can chickenā! Lol. Seriously, the beer makes the chicken tender as it steams. We cook it outside on the grill.
Lol, I can’t believe I never saw those before.
Love dresses especially here in our NC heat! They always look fresh. Love ones from Tommy Bahama often seen at Nordstrom Rack at a big discount. I too like the sling bags, much to my surprise! They are so easy to use especially when running errands during the day. As a fellow knitter, I also love yarn and patterns from Purl Soho. Their yarns are beautiful! Happy shopping and happy š§¶ knitting!
I agree that dresses are cooler in warm weather, and I have a few for that reason, but don’t wear them outside the house or beyond my own patio anyway. My legs/ankles are my worst feature, and I am completely unable to wear heels (following a sprain). Why present the worst version of myself to the world? š If you find a nice maxi suitable for a pear-shaped figure, I’m all ears!
Lol Jennifer! Thatās a high-falutinā and delicious looking example of beer-can chicken!
I LOVE midi dresses in the summer when my legs are a bit tanned and would appreciate seeing how you would style them.
Thanks for your many enjoyable postings!
Yes, I wear lightweight skirts and dresses, mostly in the summer when it can easily go over 100 degrees. I have many skirts from the Darn Good Yarn company, which sells skirts made of recycled saris. This keeps them out of landfills, employs women in India and Nepal, and the skirts have some beautiful colors. The light weight material is also more comfortable in the heat here than shorts. The skirts are reversible, just wish they had pockets. You don’t have much choice when you order beyond requests for a particular color or range of colors, but this has made me reconsider what colors I can and want to wear.
I love wearing dresses because they are cool and comfortable in our warm Louisiana climate. A simple dress, sandals, and a pair of earrings are my easy one & done formula to look instantly pulled together and ready to take on the world! I wear dresses all the time but I typically wear casual pants and a knit top that work with my New Balance sneakers when I fly. Wearing my bulkiest shoes saves space in my luggage and they are comfortable when walking long distances making connections in Atlanta. In the winter or when we travel to cooler cities, I like to wear sweater dresses with opaque tights and flats or booties.
Great point about wearing your bulkiest shoes when you travel
I love dresses when the weather is warm and long skirts with sweaters when the weather is cold…..BUT I do not wear them when I am en route….they are for after I get to my destination. This is because even with Covid inspired cleaning, planes and airports are dirty places. It is easier to manage my pants in the ladies room, at my seat on the plane, etc. than a skirt…..skirts drag into everything as if they had magnets in them for dirt. Chances are good that the same yuck gets on the skirt as is on the shoes I wear (have you seen the studies about what is on our shoes!!)
No to dresses … they just don’t really fit in to my lifestyle
I live in Omaha and lead a very casual lifestyle. Would like a dress below the knee, but not maxi, and mostly have trouble with my arms so want them covered to elbow. I think I’m about your size, Jennifer.
I am on the hunt
Jennifer – For ball caps, look for ones that have shallow crowns. Most ball caps lengthen my face which makes me look stupid. I have discovered shallow crowns reduce that effect. Of course, fabric and color and whatnot come into play, too.
Great tip, thank you!