Skirts 'n Dresses

The warm weather of spring is upon us, and we're enjoying it very much over here in our neck of the woods (well, except for the ticks. We had to pull one out from behind John's ear the other day!). I'm happy about the change of wardrobe the warmer weather brings. For me, spring and summer clothes are much better than cold-weather clothes. They're lighter, more comfortable, more durable, easier to take care of, and more attractive. My favorite thing to wear in warm weather is skirts and dresses. I love, love, LOVE skirts and dresses! I'm totally addicted to shopping for them, even when I have enough. It's a big weakness for me. I get excited by all the really cute and modest offerings that are out there now. My favorites are usually knee-length and A-line. Here are some of the results of my recent Internet "window shopping."

*Picture captions are above the picture, not below.*

I have an addiction to knee-length skirts, from basic black to colorful patterns and florals.

Knit ruffle skirt from Ann Taylor Loft, $54. This is a versatile skirt that can easily be dressed up or down.

Talbots Ombre stripe & dot fluted skirt, $69 (originally $108). I tried this skirt on a few months ago and I liked it, but the steep price tag kept me from buying it. It's come down in price now, but it's sold out in my size on the website. I like this skirt because you can wear a variety of colors with it, like pink, brown, and green, all colors I like to wear. This skirt is so pretty. Brown lace skirt, http://www.christa-taylor.com/, $39 (down from $55).

Blue is one of my favorite colors to wear. This looks like a perfect summer skirt. Dot skirt from Martin + Osa, $49.95 (down from $98).

The "It" skirt of the season from the Gap. It's cute and it comes in a bunch of different colors. Gap ruffle skirt, $39.50.

I've had my eye on this skirt for about two years now. I want to get it in the blue/green dot or mixed green floral fabric. It has a petticoat underneath, which gives it some nice fullness. Essential summer skirt from Garnet Hill, $88.
Cute! I could wear this skirt with almost any of my summer shirts. Pleated denim skirt, Garnet Hill, $78.
This is an exceptionally pretty skirt, and roses are my favorite flower. Rose embroidered organdy skirt, Garnet Hill, $128.

Beware! Some really cute summer dresses ahead...

This is a nice classic black wrap dress. Faux wrap shirt dress, Ann Taylor Loft, $79.
I have this dress, and I like it a lot. I love its classic, pretty silhouette; it reminds me of the bygone era of the 1950s. It's well-made and very comfortable. Gingham dress, Isaac Mizrahi for Target, $39.99.
This is another Isaac Mizrahi for Target dress, the Herringbone Shirting Dress, for $39.99. I got this one too and I love the classic look of it. It looks like a dress that Hayley Mills wore in The Parent Trap. The only problem is that the neck is scooped a little too wide, so it shows stuff. I need to see how it looks with a shirt of some sort underneath. If it looks funny, I'll have to return it. It's a totally cute dress and I hope I can make it work!
This is a "pretty in pink" dress. Yet again, it's Isaac Mizrahi for Target, Toile-Print Dress, $39.99. I really like Isaac Mizrahi's style for dresses and skirts and I'm bummed that he's leaving Target soon. It's the only way I can afford him! This dress also comes in "silver birch." I wish it came in a light blue or pale green print, too.
Sag Harbor dress from Down East Basics (.com), $34.99. I'm not crazy about the bow around the waist, but other than that, I think this is such a cute dress.
All it needs is a camisole underneath and this pretty blue wrap dress is ready to wear! Chambray wrap dress, Gap, $59.50.
A perfect summer dress. Cotton oxford shirt dress, Ann Taylor, $138.
Yorkshire dress from Shabby Apple (.com), $98. It's wool tweed (lined with acetate, so it's silky inside) so it would be better on cooler days or to wear in the early days of fall.
For special occasions, party dresses are a must...

Silk taffeta ruffle wrap dress, J. Crew, $245 (it would have to be a very special occasion to justify the cost!).
Simple and cute, and in one of my favorite colors to wear, navy blue. You could wear some great jewelry with this dress. Crossover knit dress with ruched waist, Ann Taylor, $128.
Isaac Mizrahi for Target Trapunto dress, $49.99. As I said above, I love navy blue. I have this dress in black, but I like the navy one even better. All you need to do is wear a cute little sweater to cover for the lack of sleeves. (I got a great black one from Ann Taylor Loft.)
This little jacket would work over the above dress. I like it; it's cute and different. http://www.sooncollection.com/
It's prom season! I wish they'd had more modest prom dress options like this one when I was in high-school. I don't think I would have gone with a black dress for prom, but I really like this dress and I would wear it to a formal function today if I had one to go to. Taffeta tea-length gown, http://www.beautifullymodest.com/, $149.