Stylized Existence: A little bit of whimsy

Lately I've found that I've been thinking to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice if some women wore more clothing?".... I don't know if this is a sign of me getting older or if something has happened to my generation, but it seems that women are covering up less and less these days. I've noticed this mostly in dresses and skirts sold over the last few years. Forever 21 actually carries a line that they say has "a more modest fit" which basically equates to "doesn't show your bum if you bend over". I have pretty average length legs for my height and still do the "bend over" test every time I try a dress on to ensure it doesn't show the goods to the whole world... is there something wrong with this picture?

In today's post I want to celebrate that fact that their are many modern day stores that are making beautiful dresses that still allow you bend over and pick that pen that you dropped up from the floor without showing your whole office your polka dotted underwear. In particular, Anthropologie has done a wonderful job of keeping the classiness and whimsy in their clothing, year after year. I picked the two beautiful and vintage looking dresses from Anthropologie in order to celebrate the classiness of styles of the past with modern updates. These two styles are from different eras, but I picked accessories that could work for both outfits to show you how a few well-appointed accessories will get your wardrobe very far.

On the left, the floral print dress has a bit of a "stepford wife" vibe to it, but a nice cropped sleeve and interesting print modernizes the dress. The dress on the right is a classic that will work through your 20s and well into your 30s. This dress could work for the office, but would also be perfect for a Bridal Shower or a dressy Sunday brunch.

The t-strap black shoes will always be in style - this is a purchase you will be glad you made, especially if you buy a pair that can last through the years. I chose the black bag from Urban Outfitters because it also has a lovely vintage look to it, but it is rather large in size (check out the other pictures on their website) to accomodate the loads of things that the modern day girl puts into her bag. The necklace and the ring are simple, cheap pieces from Forever 21 that won't break the bank, but complement the prettiness of these two looks.