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Prints Charming: Casual Summer Dinner Outfit

Good morning from Maine! We arrived late yesterday afternoon after spending a couple days with family in Massachusetts.

Here in Maine, we stay at our family cottage on a lake near where my mom grew up. It is familiar and comfortable and so serene. I’m sitting here with a mug of hot coffee, listening to the peaceful sound of the water lap up on the lakeshore interspersed every few minutes with the unmistakable call of a loon in the distance. It is absolute perfection.

Meanwhile, I have a summer outfit to share with you! I wore this for my birthday dinner a few weeks ago.

Casual Summer Date Night Outfit: Printed Drape Neck Shell with dark wash ankle jeans and chestnut brown Dolce Vita Randi Platform Sandals

Okay, I’ll fess up. My post title is not original. I saw that in the description of this top on the website and thought it was cute. I’m not that clever left to my own devices.

At any rate, I LOVE this printed drape neck shell that I picked it up at White House Black Market.

White House Black Market Printed Drape Neck Shell

The print is so pretty and different than anything I have in my wardrobe, plus the fit is fantastic. Sometimes ruching can cause a shirt to settle into your lumps and bumps, but this one skims the body nicely and along with the print distracts from any imperfections. It is lined so there’s no need for a cami underneath, and the drape neck lays nicely — sometimes they have too much material and are hard to style, but this one drapes perfectly.

printed drape neck shell with ankle jeans

I also like that you can easily dress this top up or down. It would be nice with navy or aqua dress pants and a white blazer for work, but I styled it with cropped jeans and a white denim jacket to go out to dinner at a local farm that serves dinner outside.

Summer Date Night Outfit: printed drape neck shell with white denim jacket, dark wash ankle jeans and platform sandals

I anchored the look with shades of brown in my shoes and bag. I recently sold two brown handbags that I’ve had for a few years and replaced them with this Tory Burch Thea Hobo. I’m considering it a to-me, from-me birthday gift. Ha! I love size and the relaxed styling with the trendy tassels, and the Bark color is the perfect medium brown that goes with almost anything.

The IT Bag for Fall: Tory Burch Theo Hobo

A lot of the bags I buy are because I want variety for the blog, but this one is for me. If I were going to buy one handbag for personal use this fall, this would be it. I know the price is up there, but the quality is superb, and I did get it when Bloomingdales was running that $25 off every $100 you spend promotion, so it was basically on a 25% off sale. I expect it will go on sale somewhere at some point this fall, and when it does, I’ll be sure to give you a heads-up!

I will also link to some similar styles when I carry it. I particularly like this R Minkoff Isobel Hobo, for another designer bag that isn’t quite as pricey. Oh, and THIS is a Tory hobo style handbag in Bark that is on the #NSale. For a brown hobo closer to $100, THIS is $118, and THIS ONE is only $28 at Target.

I saw these Dolce Vita Randi Platform Sandals on another blogger and fell in love. When I discovered them on Nordstrom Rack for $59, I snagged a pair. Mine are the size 8 and they are a little roomy, so you may want to size down in these.

Dolce Vita Randi Platform Sandals

Sizes are limited at Nordstrom Rack, but they’re also on Shopbop for $84. I love these shoes. They are so comfortable, and they have a great retro vibe. I’ve already worn them a few times, and I plan to style them with bootcut jeans this fall.

Dolce Vita Randi Platform Sandals with dark wash skinny jeans

I thought it might get chilly the night we went out for my birthday, and we were eating outside, so I threw my white denim jacket in the car. As it turns out, I didn’t need it, but I really love this addition to the outfit. It adds the perfect finishing touch.

White House Black Market Printed Drape Neck Shell with white denim jacket

The jeans came from Stitch Fix. They’re by the brand Black Orchid. This isn’t a brand I’d ever heard of before, but the price point is comparable to DL1961, Paige, and other premium denim brands. They’re very comfortable and flattering.

For a similar style at a great price, these Paige Verdugo are normally $189 and are on sale for $99 on the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. That is almost 50% off!! Seriously amazing deal on a classic pair of dark wash skinnies. (These are the ones I have in pink and mint.)

As of right now, all sizes are available. I bought them in a size 30 (I normally wear 29) so you might want to size up, or order your regular size and a size up and return the pair you don’t want to keep. Incidentally, they also have them in a gorgeous Aubergine for fall on sale for $124. (I snagged those too!)

summer outfit for women over 40: printed drape neck shell dark wash ankle jeans and platform sandals

I pulled my hair back and secured it with bobby pins because I knew we’d be eating outside and I didn’t want my hair blowing in my face.

summer outfit for women over 40: white denim jacket over printed drape neck top with dark wash ankle jeans

For jewelry, I kept it simple with this 3-disc necklace and large hoop earrings (these are similar, but mine are even bigger.) I added Alex and Ani beaded bangles and my favorite mixed metal ring. I felt super chic and confident in this outfit!

summer outfit for women over 40: printed drape neck shell with white denim jacket and crop jeans

shop the post

 

White House Black Market Printed Drape Neck Shell // similar cropped skinny jeans HERE ($99!) and HERE ($99!) // Dolce Vita Randi Platform Sandals (also HERE) // Kut from the Kloth Helena Denim Jacket // Tory Burch Thea Hobo (similar styles for less HERE, HERE, and HERE) // 3-disc necklace // large hoop earrings (THESE are similar but smaller) // beaded bangles c/o Alex and Ani // mixed metal ring

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21 Responses

  1. I really like this whole outfit- it seems like something a wide range of sizes and ages could wear with ease and feel put together. Question: do you wear your white denim jacket in summer only?
    Hope you have a wonderful vacation……..we’ve never been to Maine and it is definitely a goal!

    1. Yeah, I do pretty much only wear the white jacket in spring and summer. It’s not as versatile as blue denim in that way.

      Maine is a great place to vacation in the summertime! 🙂

  2. This is really cute! Those shoes are adorable.

    I ordered those Paige skinnies as well as a Hudson pair that were also on super sale during the Nsale. I hope one of them fit, as I’ll be sized out if they don’t. ???? I also ordered that Tory bag in Bark that you linked to from the Nsale a few days ago, love it! Her bags really are worth the splurge, they are the nicest quality of all the designer bags I own.

    1. Did you get the grey Hudsons? I got those too. The 29 fit perfectly. I do love a Tory bag. I used to be all about the Rebecca Minkoff bags, but lately I find myself drawn to all things Tory Burch. I like her shoes a lot too.

      1. I got the Hudson Collette in Voyager, which is a regular dark rinse. I figured I’d choose between those and the Paige (or neither if they don’t fit! I’m a 34 so if they’re too tight I’m out of luck. ????) I really don’t need any jeans but that didn’t stop me from ordering 5 or 6 pairs to try out. ???? I also ordered a Kut from the Kloth boyfriend jean and a few Wit and Wisdom pairs.

  3. I love this outfit! I have been waiting for this top to go on sale. It looks so nice on you! After seeing this post I may just order today. ???? Enjoy Your vacation

  4. Very cute outfit and I can totally recreate it with items from my closet! Thanks for the inspiration!

  5. A huge thank you for your recent post on bras! I’ve purchased many really good (expensive!) sports bras but have yet to find THE perfect one that supports me during high-impact Jazzercise and “contains” me when I am doing “downward facing dogs” in yoga. The Chantelle sports bra from Nordstroms does all of those and more! Yeah! Finally! It’s a winner!

  6. Ayuh! We schlep to Maine every year from the Pacific NW–hope you are far north enough to visit Red’s Eats/Wiscasset–a family tradition for us on our way to the Bristol area! I’ve never brought heels to Maine, but your outfit is making me reconsider for this year’s visit…you look great! Enjoy!

    1. I actually did bring these shoes to Maine, but I don’t usually wear heels up here. We took those pictures at home before we left. 🙂 It’s a pretty casual place, but I wanted to have them just in case. We usually go out to a nice dinner at least once while we’re here and have free babysitting (my parents.) 🙂

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