Smocked Summer Dresses
This summer seems to be the summer of the smocked dress. The Hill House Nap Dress has been all over Instagram and is on my wishlist for the rest of the summer. I personally love this style because it is so easy to throw on and make a cute outfit, whether that be on its own or with a jacket or sweater over top. It can be tailored to so many different styles and works so well for both a daytime look and dressed up for a night out.
I always love browsing the new styles on some of my favorite stores, including J. Crew and Urban Outfitters. But so much of the time I find that the clothes are so cute but so expensive. This is why I love thrifting. I firmly believe that you can find exactly what you are looking for at a lower price if you thrift it. Yes, sometimes it takes more effort, but with all the ways you can thrift nowadays, it really might be easier than you think. Some of my most worn clothes and shoes have come from Poshmark, which is my favorite way to shop second-hand. If you know what you’re looking for, you are often able to find the exact style and size that you need. And sometimes (or in my case, most of the time) you’ll find so many other things that you love along the way. I could truly browse for hours on Poshmark. With a little effort and some digging on the internet, you can easily save money and give these clothes a second life, which I think is pretty cool. This isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy shopping at traditional stores - I do that on occasion as well. But as a student and someone who enjoys a bit of a treasure hunt, I really enjoy thrifting, both in-person and online. I hope to share a mixture of both approaches to shopping on this blog, in hopes to help you find new ways to buy the styles that you want.
This yellow dress was a recent find from Plato’s Closet, a consignment store that sells trendy, younger styles at a fraction of the price. I love going there to find the best deal on styles that are very current but that I may not love forever, so I don’t want to splurge on a piece that I may only wear a couple of times. I usually don’t find any pieces from Loft at Plato’s (I honestly didn’t think it was one of the brands they carried) but I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the tag on this dress and it was from Loft’s beach line. I quickly added it to my pile and after trying it on, decided that it would be a perfect addition to my summer wardrobe. I love this dress for so many reasons, but the main one being that it is so versatile. It would be great at the beach as a light coverup, or it would be perfect with a jacket and some sandals for an afternoon of shopping or exploring. I even think with a cute pair of nude heels or espadrille wedges and some statement earrings that this dress could easily transition to a style for a night out. And the best of all - it only cost me $14!! What a deal, truly, this is why I love shopping second-hand. And when I am done wearing this dress, I can take it to a consignment store or donate it to help it hopefully live another life with someone new.
This entire outfit was thrifted, but I linked some sellers that I found on Poshmark and eBay that are selling the exact styles. That way, someone might be able to get the exact pieces, and if you are interested in the future in doing your own treasure hunt, you will have the name of each of the items. I have also created a collage at the bottom with similar styles that are currently for sale at some of my favorite stores. These are at all different price points, so there is something for everyone!
This blue dress is absolutely adorable and gives a more nautical feel (if only I lived closer to the beach!). This was a purchase from a boutique in Chatham, Massachusetts while I was on vacation on the Cape this summer. It was a bit more of a splurge but it will last for a while and I just loved it. I know I will wear it a lot this summer, and hopefully, this style will carry into next summer so I can bring it out again! Unfortunately, I can’t find this dress online, but I will link some sellers I have found that are selling this exact style. The same as above, I have a collage below with similar styles for those of you who are looking for something like this dress!
Yellow LOFT Beach Dresses for Sale Second-Hand:
Blue & White Striped Dress Forum Dresses for Sale Second-Hand: