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Nautical-inspired stripes are having an “in” moment – Nina Garcia recently pinned them, if you need proof. I would argue that stripes are very classic, frequently worn by the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy (Photos’ source: This fantastic round-up of stripes in fashion history by Habitually Chic).
I have a penchant for striped garments, myself. My latest purchase was this striped colorblock dress from Gap:
Photo source: The Gap
(The dress also comes in a navy/charcoal stripe.)
Below are eight ways I have styled it, ranging from dressy to casual:
Watch: Seiko Women’s SXDC33 Diamond Coutura White Dial Watch
And here’s why I like the nautical-inspired shift dress:
1) Versatility: This dress can be dressed up or down very easily by altering shoes and accessories. This way, I can wear this to work but also running errands or playing with my daughter.
2) Fit: Any shift style dress is straight cut, so it is flattering to a wide variety of shapes. An added benefit of this is that it will likely fit you with some minor fluctuations in weight or on days when you’re feeling a little bloated. If you prefer your garments to have a little more shape, you can always add a fun belt!
3) Longevity: Stripes are classic! You will never look back at photos of yourself wearing stripes and think, “What was I thinking?!”
This particular dress from Gap also impresses me with these characteristics:
4) Fabric: It is a heavier knit, which I think works well for our current fall season but is something one could wear in winter and spring as well.
5) Machine washable: Do I need to explain this on a mom blog?!
6) Cost: At regular price of $64.95, this would be considered “high end” on my budget. However, I purchased this with a coupon code (you can too…see my note below!) and received free shipping.
7) Availability: You can purchase online – time saver.
8) Sizing: I am on the tall end, so the fact that this dress had tall sizing was a huge selling point for me. It is available in Petite/Regular/Tall sizes to accommodate a wide variety of body shapes. I also think the length of this dress is good for a variety of activities: it is not so short that leggings would always be required.
9) Colorblock: The red colorblock (another current trend) adds a little “something something.”
Here are ten more variations on the striped-dress theme for your consideration:
- Ruched Long Sleeve Jersey via Old Navy, $19.99
- Mossimo Belted Sweater Dress via Target, $20 on sale
- Colorblock Jersey Dress via Old Navy, $24.99 (VERY similar to my dress above)
- Tommy Hilfiger Kane Dress via Macy’s, $41.74 on sale
- Nautical Shift via Gap, $47.99 on sale
- Striped T-shirt Dress via Banana Republic, $49.50 on sale
- Striped Side-Panel Sweater Dress via Ann Taylor, $98
- Eliza J Contrast Trim via Nordstrom, $98
- French Connection Bambi Knits Dress via Nordstrom, $98
- Striped Sweater Dress via Banana Republic, $110
Can’t wait to get your hands on one of these striped dresses? Reader, you are in luck as six of the dresses featured in this post are on sale!
TODAY ONLY, get 25% off your Gap online purchase with the coupon code GAPEARLY. If you have a Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic credit card, you can get 30% off online purchases until Wednesday, 10/24, with the coupon code STUFFSAVE.
What do you think? Can you envision the striped shift dress as a staple of your fall wardrobe?
P.S. — I did not receive any compensation from The Gap or any of the other stores featured in this post. All views and opinions represented in this post are entirely my own.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Love this!! Great job ladies!
thanks Michelle!
Amy S recently posted..Hobby Update
I am obsessed with stripes! especially navy blue and white….can’t get enough! Great post!
Ha! Brooke, I’m right there with you. My entire closet is stripes!
Amy S recently posted..Hobby Update
Woo-hoo!! I’m on trend!!
Amy S recently posted..Hobby Update
And those are 8 concrete reason this is your calling. I would never have thought of all of those options! For example, the “feel” of #2 and #7 is so drastically different. You actually just gave me some ideas to expand the look of a piece in my closet! Nice work Haute Mama!
Ali recently posted..The backhanded compliment
Thanks Ali! Glad I could give you some ideas for something that was already in your closet, since that is my favorite way to “shop”
(P.S. I will also have to show your comment to my husband who patiently took all photographs of me for this post in between fantasy football computing)
Amy S recently posted..Hobby Update
I completely agree that stripes (nautical inspired clothing in general) are “the” trend right now. But I hate to say it, the Gap color-blocked dress is perhaps the WORST example of how to successfully wear this trend.
First of all, any time you have stripes going on in an outfit, there is a tremendous level of “activity” just by virtue of the stripes… so adding color block to the pattern is overkill! Subtlety still goes a long way, especially in terms of fashion. Color is certainly important when you have a neutral stripe patern going on. But that is much better accomplished with accessories. NOT with a colorblock pattern on the dress itself. Furthermore, the ways in which you pair the Gap dress SCREAM fashion disaster! In fact, the only acceptable ensemble is the one where you paired that dress with the belt and the jacket. Putting leggings or skinny jeans under that shapeless shift are a serious fashion don’t.
I thought the point of fashion fridays was to try to help mothers find a way to not completely lose their sense of style while balancing a limited budget (and let’s not forget time) with which to accomplish this. For some, they are also learning to dress a completely different body post-baby. Simple updates to classics is one such way to accomplish all these goals. But this post really fell short of doing that. I’m sorry if this comes across as too harsh, but I don’t see how this post has helped my wardrobe in any way.
Hi Anonymous: I’m sorry that you didn’t find anything helpful in the post re: the striped shift. Stripes can be a bit of a bold move and something perhaps not everyone is on board with. Fashion is an interest of mine, and certainly not something I have been formally trained in. I am mom that likes fashion, not a fashion expert. I hope that a future post may resonate more with you. Thanks for the feedback!
Wow, What a hot comment from “Anonymous”…she was rude and cowardly. No wonder the she replied without her name attached! The point of the post was not to help with YOUR wardrobe, but to provide some general tips for a diverse group of moms across the country. If you can so readily identify “fashion disasters” as you so confidently labeled a very popular dress, then why were you even reading for fashion tips? Your expertise is clearly of a higher caliber than the rest of us, perhaps you should write your own fashion mom blog? If you don’t like her tips or can’t find any help with your wardrobe from this one post, wait for another one or stop reading Fashion Fridays!
Amy, thanks for taking the time to give so many options for something I never think works for my body type: the “shift” dress..argh–> They are always SO short on me. It’s good to know that Gap carries dresses in tall…and I like the idea of pairing skinny jeans with it!