The Elusive "Dressy Casual"

I've always had a hard time mastering the "dressy casual" look when it comes to dresses.  I love sundresses but I find the traditional jersey knit sundress to be too casual for things like dinner out or brunch.  I love a great cocktail dress, but they're often too much for drinks with the girls or a beach-front date.  Since it can be hard to find anything in between, I usually end up going with dressy jeans and heels to achieve the "dressy casual" look.  Unfortunately, we spend a lot of time outside in the spring and summer, so jeans are not always a comfortable option. 

That said, when I find a great "dressy casual" dress, I tend to snap it up.  In multiple colors if possible.  Enter the Pleated Keyhole Dress from Old Navy.

Thanks to a store credit and some Old Navy bucks, I was able to buy it in two colors without spending a dime.  I picked it up in Tropical Undertow and Black Jack and I'm hoping to eventually get it in Hazard Orange as well.  The Raspberry Punch is really pretty also, but a bit bright for my taste.  If it goes on sale I may snag it at some point too.

The picture on the website really doesn't do this dress justice.  It is super comfy, really flattering, and the perfect balance of dressy and casual.  It's more than a knit sundress but less than a cocktail dress so it will be perfect for summer events and dinner out.  Add some fun accessories and shoes and it really has some great possibilities.  I love the inspiration outfit Old Navy has on their website using this dress:

How cute is that?  Colorful and comfortable.  Since we live near the water, we like to go out to restaurants that have patios or waterfront seating and I think this will be perfect for these outings.  We've also got a rather casual afternoon wedding coming up in June so this might be perfect for that as well. 

Old Navy doesn't always get it right but I've been a big fan of their spring and summer items this year.




**Diet log 4/16-4/22
Amount remaining from last week - ($43.07) Sad!
2 Old Navy Pleated Keyhole dresses - $0
Total spent -$0
Total Remaining - ($43.07)