The first day of summer is only days away. As I firm up summer travel plans, I have also started to wardrobe-plan, as a poorly packed luggage can easily sour a trip. I am partnering with Ann Taylor today (just in time for its Cyber Summer event–use code MAKEWAVES to take 50% off everything and to enjoy free shipping on all orders) to share some travel-ready dresses (a few of which I plan to feature more prominently in future posts).
A travel-ready dress must possess the following qualities: 1) is standalone–the dress can be worn without the aid of accessories; 2) be wrinkle resistant (at a minimum, not wrinkle-prone); 3) can be cleaned easily; and 4) be versatile enough to wear from sightseeing to dinner.
Pineapple Embroidered Halter Dress Midi-length pieces are always polarizing. If you, like me, are a fan of the skirt length, you will likely find a lot to like about this dress. The 52% linen/48% cotton material (mostly wrinkle resistant) is substantial enough to give the skirt structure without making it cumbersome to wear. If you have a more rectangular shape (like I do), you can add a belt to break up the print and define your waistline. Judging by how quickly this dress flew off the racks at my local store, I am guessing I am not alone in taking a liking to this dress. I opted for the dress in “regular” length for a slightly longer skirt and shortened the criss-cross straps myself (takes 5-minute). The fit is true to size, but I would advise sizing up if you are buxom.
Stripe Belted Wrap Dress I did not expect to like this dress as much as I did in person. The 100% polyester material is surprisingly wrinkle resistant after you remove pesky fold marks before first wear. The material has almost no stretch to it so I would recommend ordering a size up. I am a big fan of the print, though, and of the flirty silhouette.
Side Ruched Flare Dress The first thing that caught my eye when I visited my local Ann Taylor was this dress. The yellow was vibrant without being lurid. While it does have to be steamed after spending time in a suitcase, it won’t develop many new creases over the course of wear. The dress has stretch so you can size down if you like a closer fit.
Pleated Flare Dress The color name “banana palm” doesn’t capture the matte-r appearance of the dress; in person it’s a duller chartreuse, which is a rare (and rather interesting) color this season. The pleats in the skirt and the defined waist enhance one’s waist-to-hip ratio. But I wish it were more wrinkle-resistant; you’ll need to steam this before every wear. The fit is true to size.
Floral Applique Halter Dress This is one of the dresses that I picked up and can’t wait to show better in a future post. The feathery floral applique is ethereal and adds dimension (literally) to the print. The silhouette is somewhat baggy though and the style runs 1-2 sizes big. I would recommend ordering at least a full size down.
A few special mentions:
Textured Fringe Sweater Jacket My new favorite jacket for transitional weather (but too warm for current temperatures). The knit is medium-weight so can take you from air conditioned rooms to chillier evenings in the spring and fall. Fit is true to size; if you are in between sizes, I would recommend taking the larger of two sizes as it’s a cropped style so every half inch matters.
Wide Leg Sailor Pants I’ve been looking for “oatmeal” and “flax” colored linen pants for about two years, and finally found them this season. The nautical details are a nice touch and the wide pant-leg detail is very on trend. The style fits maybe half a size big, but you may want to size down more if you like pants with closer-fitting pant-legs.
Geo Jacquard Sweater Shell and Geo Jacquard Flare Skirt Matching sets can be severe/aging, but the modern print, textured appearance, and light-to-medium weight fabric work so well together. I didn’t get to try them on as nearly all sizes have already sold out in my local store. I ended up ordering online and am now waiting in breathless anticipation.
More sale picks:
Thank you Ann Taylor for partnering on this post!
