
Talking all things outfit 1 of 5 today from my recent 5 Spring Outfit Formulas post.
As I mentioned before these formulas are just a jumping off point for me, but I had fun coming up with a few ideas that I will enjoy repeating on the regular this Spring!
Soo here is Outfit formula 1 of 5:
Floral Maxi + Sneakers
What I love about this combo is how effortless it is to the eye but also in the way it feels. It’s a trick to make what you see visually also match how you want to feel. This dress does both for me, it looks effortless and lovely, but it also feels very comfortable at the same time.
Something I have learned is that if you start with items that look the way you want them to, you can grow in finding items that also check off how you want to feel comfort wise, make sense?
Styling Notes | For this outfit I paired the dress and sneakers with a structured square bag, to add a little more shape to the whole look. It adds interest to an outfit to pair a structured item with a looser more free-flowing item and similarly it adds interest to an outfit to pair something casual with something more dressy.
So if I were to break down the Floral Maxi + Sneakers into more of a conceptual formula it would be the formula below and the second formula when thinking about what the bag adds.
Casual item + Dressy item
or
Structured item + Flowy item
Both of these concepts are really fun to play with in my experience!

Now onto more about the outfit…
This dress was actually a trade with a friend – the first time I’ve actually ever done anything like that. And I’ve got to say it has been a really sweet way to try something new that I had been wanting without going out and buying new. It’s definitely a fun thing to do with your close gal friends when the things in your wardrobe aren’t hitting the spot for either of you.
It’s a piece from Christy Dawn, an ethical LA-based brand that makes swoon-worthy dresses that will definitely take a chunk of change out of your wallet but are well worth the investment in my opinion. And if they aren’t in your price range I have found them second hand on eBay which is a nice option if you have been eyeing one for a while but hesitant to pull the trigger.
The sneakers are a basic skate shoe by Vans, and the bag is a part of a new core bag collection released by Madewell called the “Abroad collection” which has been my favorite collection lately from them because of the structure, and added brass detailing.

Outfit Details:
Dress (old) / Similiar here (budget conscious) / Similar (made responsibly)
Sneakers / Similar (responsibly made)
Sunnies (old) / Similar here (budget conscious)
Bag / Similar here (made responsibly)
And that’s it for Outfit Formula 1 of 5, hope you enjoyed my musings!
More Spring outfits to come, but for now tell me, what do you think about pairing contrasting ideas together? Have you tried trading clothes with a friend as a sustainable fun alternative to shopping?
so much love,
Mary Beth
1
My girlfriends and I do a party twice a year where we all bring stuff we no longer wear, and swap for things you want in stead. No rules, bring as much and as little as you want, and you go home with lots of stuff even if all you brought was a scarf…
A great way to renewing your wardrobe, trying out new styles, and having fun. Did I mention that we drink wine while doing this?