Summer Dress Wish List 2020

First and foremost, I am not a style blogger.  I love dresses.  I don’t love fast fashion.  I’ve dropped designers in recent years because their quality has gone to crap with mass production.  When I buy something, I expect it to last several seasons, at a minimum.  For the past few years, I’ve put together a summer dress wish list.  Let me reiterate wish.  I am like a bird stalking its prey.  I will wait for the seasonal sales for most purchases.

I have wishlists set up on several retailers so I’m always ready when things go on sale.   This summer is a little different in the sense that I can’t see a pathway forward.  Most of my conference presentations for the fall are in jeopardy.  I have no idea what is happening with school.  We aren’t going out to dinner.  It’s becoming increasingly clear that our anniversary trip to Argentina won’t be happening.

Most of the time, I find it hard to imagine wearing real clothes again, which isn’t rational because our governor and our state keep telling us schools must open.  In spite of all of this, sometimes I need to indulge the superficial, and that’s what I intend to do right now.

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links for tours or products I love.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Sail to Sable x Jenn Lake Maxi Dress // KJP Shirt Dress 

Zimmermann Znnia Halter Dress // KJP Gingham Dress (similar, Emilia Wickstead, longer version) // Emilia Wickstead Claretta Dress

Emilia Wickstead Nisa Dress // Hillhouse Home Ellie Nap Dress 

Not Pictured: the 2 fall Emilia Wickstead dresses I bought (and the 1 summer dress its way here)

Summer Dress Wish List 2020

Truthfully, I’ve been so uncomfortable lately that I only want to wear things that aren’t constricting.  A long sleeve shirt dress is hardly practical in Texas during the summer, but it looks so comfortable and cute.  Like the time I wore Tom’s shirt to a birthday dinner because I was feeling less than confident about my weight and wardrobe.  (I didn’t look nearly as chic.)  The KJP scoop neck dress is a shorter, less formal version of an Emilia Wickstead dress that I fell in love with last summer.

These Emilia Wickstead dresses are some that I go back and forth on.  I love the cut, the movement, and the overall style of both of them.  I wasn’t sure how I felt about the Italy print though.  I could picture wearing it on a warm day in Italy, but is the print too cliche?  They also made it in the Sheila mock turtleneck dress (which I own in 3 solid colors).  Ultimately, I couldn’t decide and I missed ordering it in my size.  It’s just as well, I suppose.  It does make me miss Italy more than I probably should.  I actually had the opportunity to pre-order the mint gingham dress, and I regret not taking advantage of the pre-order pricing.  That said, it is truly a summer dress, and with nowhere to wear it this summer, it’s probably for the best, too.  Wouldn’t it be cute in Cinque Terre though??

I discovered these Zimmermann halter dresses a few months ago and I love the look of them.  Of course, backless halter dresses aren’t at all practical for work, but this one is super cute for summer.  I also love this polka dot midi dress, which is a little more work appropriate.  (There is a periwinkle blue with a scarf belt floating around that I love but can’t find, too.)

I love Jennifer Lake’s content on instagram, and I find her to be very authentic and responsive, too.  I was so excited when she announced her Sail to Sable collaboration, and it didn’t disappoint.  The colors are bright and beautiful, the designs are classic Jenn, and they all look so comfortable.  (Now if I could just learn her home decor skills, too!)

The nap dress is actually something I splurged on this summer.  The one pictured is 100% a nightgown.  It’s pretty sheer and it’s perfect for puttering around the house and keeping cool.  Nell and her team at Hillhouse Home have actually released versions that can be worn outside in the last few weeks.  It’s seriously the most comfortable thing I own right now.  I actually ordered a duvet cover and sheets from Hillhouse, too.

Maybe someday I’ll finish decorating our master bedroom and share it on here.