Surpassing seasonality with a striped dress

Every now and then you come across an item that goes beyond the limits of seasonality and trends. When you have one, take full advantage by mixing and matching it as many times across as many seasons as possible.

Enter my beloved black and white striped midi dress. Before we get into the special powers this dress possesses, a bit of back story. Surprise! This dressed used to be maxi length with a sheer black panel at the bottom that I bought literally five years ago. I wore it once or twice as a maxi for fancier occasions, but it mostly just hung in my closet…for years. I got it stuck in my head that I would wear this dress more if I removed the panel. My biggest regret is that it took me so long to actually make it happen! It’s one of the boldest alterations I’ve ever done and I’m so happy with the outcome. If transformed this dress completely into a closet staple.

Back to the magic of this one-of-a kind dress! It’s classic. Stripes are always a good idea and they never go out of style! Beyond the print, the cut is also timeless. A simple, straight midi with a cinched waist is universally flattering. This dress is also the ultimate canvas for any combo of accessories. It offers the freedom and a huge creative license to take this from casual to fancy and season to season. This is where I really started having fun. Check out some of my favorite pairings.

Same dress, same jacket, different season! Swapping out sandals for boots take this outfit seamlessly into fall.

Is there an accessory that doesn’t work with this dress?! I started getting more creative than just a traditional belt, jacket or shoe and upped the ante. A silk scarf is good around your neck, but try around your waist! Not only is the dress surpassing seasonality, but a silk scarf can make a summer cameo as a belt. As the weather got cooler, I added a button-down on top tied up to maintain the waist cinch. Pop of color? Do you know me? The answers is always.

What item in your closet can surpass seasonality? Wear it over and over! Take some creative license with some out-of-the-box accessories to constantly reinvent a beloved piece.

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