Hi everyone and welcome back to another Wednesday fashion post. As much as I love writing this post every week, coming up with ideas can be tricky since I’m certainly not always out shopping new styles, nor wearing them in a way suitable for a photo!

Prairie Dress

A good Brazilian friend of mine Cris solved this problem for me this week by giving me this gorgeous and fun Ulla Johnson dress for my birthday. Cris is one of the most generous — and gutsy — people I know. One year, she gave me a lovely pair of earrings and another year, a bikini. I don’t know too many women who would give a bikini to another woman as a gift, since we all tend to be so self-conscious. The dress, like the bikini, fit perfectly and I felt so grateful to have something new and fun to wear. More than that, I felt grateful to have such a thoughtful, loyal friend who stays in touch despite the great distance.

A 7th grader, Hedley (my oldest) is preparing for his Catholic Confirmation this May. Last weekend, our church hosted a Sunday afternoon retreat for parents with their kids. Running to my closet at the last minute, I spotted the new dress, also grabbing a navy thin turtleneck from JCrew, since our church tends to be chilly. On the bottom I put some heeled burgundy boots that are more comfortable than they seem, since tall boots tend to look nice with long dresses.When my younger kids see me dressed up — i.e., not wearing yoga clothes – they get nervous thinking I’m going out and leaving them behind. Taking a few extra moments in our entryway to have the CloudMom in-house photographer (aka my sweetie, Marc) snap photos did not help matters. “Why are you dressed up, Mommy,” “Where are you going,” and “Why is Daddy taking pictures of you?” were some of the questions tossed my way. The lighting here is not perfect, but we did the best we could given this scrutiny and the tight timing.
With ribbon piping in camel brown and matching tassels that tie in the front, this dress applies modern touches to an old world style, creating a contemporary take on the classic prairie dress. The multicolored fabric, including deep blue, cream, camel, and yellow — gives a lot of options when it comes to shoes, tights, or, in my case, a shirt or blouse underneath for cozy winter attire.
From the back, you see the pretty capped sleeves, plus the fun ruffles gracing the bottom skirt.
During winter, it’s easy to get into a rut and fall a victim to the drudgery of the your every day. In whatever way you can, try doing something new today. Wear something you haven’t worn in a while, eat a different kind of vegetable, change where you part your hair or put in a barrette, even switch your type of tea. In these small ways, you can keep things fresh and new and lift your spirits.

Thanks for reading and check back in next week for another fashion post.

Gratefully,

Melissa