My Late Spring Style Uniform
If you see me in person this late spring, there is a good chance you will see me in this outfit or a variation of it. Relaxed jeans that offer some airflow and flexibility, a lightweight cotton or linen top with interest, and Birkenstock sandals.
My Late Spring Uniform with a Farm Rio Blouse
This past year has taught me that more isn't better. You don't need a packed closet; in fact, more clothing creates more confusion. When it comes to colorful breezy tops like this I own three. One I bought last year (the colorful wrap top with flutter sleeves in this post), one I got from Universal Standard (this floral top from their collaboration with Erdem; I have it in XS), and the FarmRio one I am wearing today.
Totally not related to the topic, but this top also comes in a maxi dress; I just HAD to share it!
Outfit Details:
Top: Farm Rio (size Large) | Jeans: Gap (size 32 Regular) | Shoes: Birkenstock | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Hoops: Jenny Bird (gift of brand from many years ago) | Short Necklace: Rellery (gift of the brand almost a year ago) | Date Necklace: Etsy | Larger Gold Bangle: REALM (gift of the brand) | Smaller Gold Bangle: Metal Marvels
Having lunch with a friend at a restaurant with a patio? Going shopping? Inviting relatives over to our house for our kid's Zoom piano recital? Visiting relatives for the first time in a year for a casual lunch and get-together? You can bet it's going to be one of these tops with a pair of my looser jeans (which could easily switch out for linen pants, relaxed chinos, or a pair of shorts).
It's okay to wear the same thing again, even with the same crowd, if it's something special. I mentioned in this Friday Shop when I bought this top from FarmRio that I felt it was special, and it does “spark joy” each time I wear it.
For reference, I am wearing this top in a Large. I find FarmRio runs big; I have even rented dresses from the brand at Rent the Runway in size Medium and they have worked for me.
Confidence doesn't mean running around town in rhinestone cat-eye glasses and purple hair, or rocking a crop top and hot pants. Confidence means doing what is right for you, no matter what others may think. And for me, a 46-year-old woman, that is comfort while still enjoying getting dressed. And I so enjoy wearing this top!
I've gathered a few other tops that have caught my eye lately and have them below in the carousel. Use the arrows to scroll through and if you tap on one of the images, the page where it is sold will open in a separate browser window.
Shop Breezy and Fun Tops for Late Spring:
Gap Sale: 40% off (and that includes these jeans!)
These are the same jeans I wore in my what to wear to get the vaccine post. They are the high-rise cheeky straight from Gap and are exactly what I was looking for when I did this Madewell denim haul and when I was discussing the three denim trends for 2021. And right now they are 40% off.
I got them in 32 regular, they have been washed at least four times and I still love them. This is the Light Indigo Destroy color, but Gap has several washes and distress levels of this style of jean; I have shared them below in this carousel:
Shop Gap High Waist Cheeky Straight Jeans:
The Gap 40% off sale is through the 18th. Use promo code FRIEND to get 40% off full-price items, and at least at the time of writing this, use COOL to get an extra 30% off sale items.
Anyway, back to the outfit. I may be a Grown Ass Woman who knows what she wants… but I am also still learning and changing and growing and trying to figure it all out. Right now? I want comfort and fun and color and ease.
I wore this look to lunch with my friend Sylvia last week to a very “scene-y” yet casual restaurant and had several compliments on my top and two women compliment me on my shoes… and I saw they were wearing the same ones. I was thinking about what I wore the last time I went to this restaurant; it was this look that was far more restrictive and far less fun. Still appropriate, but not anything I'd wear in 2021.
The world changed this past year; if you are heading back into it don't think you have to head back to old ways if they didn't serve you well. You'll find you're not the only one, and your choice to put your desires before those of “everyone” may inspire another to also follow that path.
Shop the Post:
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I love this look on you Alison–here’s to wearing things that spark joy! 🙂
Thanks Tara!
I am totally on board with your post about the new ways of living and dressing over the past year and how they have left their mark. I was often wearing a column of black color through the years before we all went home. At home that’s what my “house clothes” are. Black. So I zoomed in my black with a version of a black topper. If it was cold in the house I had on a scarf in color. I wore ONE pair of silver hoops all year I realized last week. Bam. This is my new look. Black. With a topper of some sort or a scarf with color. I sold shoes for 9 years in my younger life so I will always have a party on my feet, usually in a fun style not color, so I will ditch the house slippers. 😉 Finally I feel I am dressing authentically “me”. Understated, easy going, put together. (My style words since I started following clothing style bloggers 7-8 years ago!) But this time it isn’t with “shoulds” of the same sort: I should wear something different tomorrow or not the same thing over and over. I should wear a capsule or have more colorful tops. Nope. Black. Denim occasionally. Cool shoes. Some color is n a scarf or topper only if I feel like it. My uniform. I am happily going with it. Thanks, Alison, for all the sharing by you through these years. I have learned a lot.
I love everything about your comment, Sandra!
Finally decided to order the white Birks! Going to visit family (HOORAY) in a hot and humid city and hoping these will be that perfect multi purpose travel shoe. Thank you for the nudge!
Yay I hope you also love them!
Love the top. And you’re right, 2021 is not 2020. I’m not the same person, not at all. But I do have the same job, and soon I’ll be called back to it. I’m really struggling to imagine if we even fit anymore.
Who wouldathunkit that a pandemic would cause us all to have a version of a midlife crisis? New body, new priorities, new outlook, and the world wanting us to go back to “normal” like nothing changed. <3
Super cute outfit! The top is colorful in a grownup way. Sometimes too much color looks juvenile — this definitely works.
I really disagree about too much color looking juvenile but I AM picky about my prints. One reason I struggle with Soma and Chicos is that I don’t love their prints. I don’t know if it’s the color ways or the prints themselves sometimes feel a bit dowdy to me. I do love a loud, sophisticated print. Jonnie Was and JWLA are great for tops like this.
I agree, I often pass on Soma and Chico’s items because the prints feel a bit dowdy/dated. Some are great, others… pass. And yes to Jonny Was, amazing prints!
Thank you!
Love the top – looks cheerful! It’s way too hot in the subtropical humidity here even for jeans, so I’ve basically taken to wearing the long dress version of this top. Showing some wrist & ankle adds just enough structure for it not to feel like I’m drowning in a muumuu (for me personally).
PS – The link to your outfit the last time you went to that restaurant seems to be missing?
I don’t have a link to that time, it was Friday before these photos were taken! 🙂
Whew, that’s what I get for replying to your comment before my morning coffee! I see what link I forgot and updated the post; the outfit can be seen here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxj4sKIJ5mQ/
Haha no worries, I see it now – thanks Allie 🙂
You look fab there too but that’s a BC (Before COVID) outfit for me for sure – can’t remember when was the last time I even wore my heels, let alone for an event that wasn’t super fancy (like a wedding etc)!