Dress up! I’ve always been one of those girls where I do much better dressing up than dressing down. Perhaps it was spending 12 years in Catholic school in a skirt and dress shoes, or perhaps it’s just me.  I had one of those nights Friday night where my closet looked like it threw up on my bed in hopes of trying to find an outfit just to wear out for a casual dinner. I ended up in a dress. I must have had some carryover on Saturday when trying to decide on an outfit for my nephew’s 5th birthday party (complete with reptiles). I tried to keep the dress a bit more casual with some basic sandals but I needed to kick it up somehow so went for the Fan Fringe necklace and a hot pink belt.

This is the J.Crew Factory lace Cora dress in which is their version of the retail Lucille Dress from last year. I’ve seen mixed reviews on this dress but I had good luck with this lace version. I did not have good luck with the Factory cotton sateen version, but I already have the Lucille from last year so it was probably just as well.  The dress definitely looks better with a belt, it loses a bit of it’s shape without it.  I’ve already worn it to work with flats and a cardigan so I think it will be a solid summer staple and it’s on the short list to bring on vacation as well. The lace on the dress is subtle so doesn’t read overly dressy in my opinion. So there you have it, another weekend outfit. How about you…do you prefer to dress up or down? Would love to hear your comments and thanks for visiting!