Partial Ingredients

Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

floral dress

Summer in Blue

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We had a brutal heat wave the last few weeks, and on both coasts that heat has unfortunately continued. Now that it’s returned back to more milder temperatures, I feel like I can finally enjoy Summer again! Recently I stumbled across this 100% cotton midi dress from H&M (on Poshmark) during my pursuit for perfect Summer dresses. Cotton is definitely my jam in the Summer, just because it’s lightweight and breathable. Midi dresses are also great because you don’t have to wear any tights or leggings underneath to cover up. Speaking of which, does anyone else get annoyed by dresses that are so mini they might as well be long shirts? How am I supposed to wear those in the Summer without leggings? The last thing I want to wear on a hot day is leggings, so mini dresses are pretty much out for me in the Summer (kind of ironic, no?) I digress. This dress reminds me a bit of the #cottagecore vibe which may or may not be passe by now. Not really sure what the status is, but I don’t mind keeping a few pieces of that trend around in the future since florals and shirt dresses are pretty much a closet staple of mine. Just out of morbid curiosity, I recently read one of those “what’s OUT of style and will date you in 2021” pieces, and can I just say that the very topic of “what’s in” and “what’s out” feels really….dated to me? Expecting people to throw out perfectly good clothes for the sake of the latest trends is 1. horrible for the environment and 2. an exercise in futility as those trends will just circle back around in a couple years. It would be great if the internet just gave it up already, and let people wear and enjoy whatever they want without being slaves to the latest trends. Sigh, maybe one day.

On a totally separate note, the garden has really taken off this year (pics below). Gotta say I am pretty proud of the rose bushes, they are producing like crazy!

Outfit Details: Dress: H&M (Thrifted from Poshmark); Bag: Etsy; Hat: eBay (Unbranded); Shoes: Free People

Garden Party Florals

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It has really started to feel like Spring again and it seemed fitting to bring some Spring vibes to the blog, like this lovely floral tea dress from TopShop (which FYI has since closed down). This dress is perfect for any kind of outdoor occasion, and can be easily dressed up with heels or down with sneakers. On this occasion, I styled it for a more casual “garden party” look with the classic Converse All Stars because you can’t go wrong with a pair of chucks. The fit and flare shape of this dress is also a timeless and flattering shape that looks good on just about everyone. This floral pattern along with the blush color is such a pretty combo and has such delicate/romantic vibes. Blush is such a perfect color for Spring! If you want to find out more on this one, check out my Poshmark as I currently have a duplicate of this dress for sale!

For Spring, I couldn’t resist bringing out the woven circle bag again lol. In the back of my mind I have second thoughts that maybe I have worn this a little too much buuuut…oh well. It’s just a great bag that looks perfect with so many outfits–especially in the warmer months. Speaking of which, can we ditch the “this was so last year” mentality? For one, it’s a useless attitude and bad for the environment, and two, as long as the thing isn’t completely heinous, keep rocking it! But that begs the question, if it’s heinous in the first place, why was it ever trendy to begin with?! I digress. My general philosophy on trends is to pick and choose the ones that you actually like that have some staying power in your closet and have a classic look that won’t look stupid in one year’s time (looking at you extra wide leg pants). If it’s “in” for you that is what matters! Plus it helps slow down the fast fashion cycle which is a +1 for the environment too.

Outfit Details: Dress: TopShop; Shoes: Converse; Bag: unbranded; Jewelry: Forever21; Hat; Unbranded

Prairie Dress & Spring Cuts

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Spring is always a wacky time in Colorado, it’s never clear when you can wear Spring attire or bundle up in layers again.  Lately I’ve been into longer “prairie” inspired dresses and when it finally warmed up I jumped at the chance to wear this one from Adored Vintage! Adored Vintage has been a recent favorite online boutique–they have so many gorgeous options for Spring!  It was hard to limit myself to just a few pieces since they’re all amazing.  Love the ditsy floral pattern and the color of this one.  While I salivate over Christy Dawn dresses, the price point is a little much for me, and this one is way more affordable.  And just as beautiful might I add!  Since I’m on a dress and sneakers kick (no pun intended) these converse All-Stars add a perfect casual vibe to make it a more every day or “out to brunch” outfit.

Oh, and as you’ve probably noticed already, I lopped off a good 8 inches of my hair a few weeks ago.  Does anyone else grow out their hair and cut it all off for Summer?  It feels amazing getting rid of the unhealthy ends and the excess weight!  Since I’ve gone with longer hair styles for several years, I had to relearn how to style short hair, and that required an addition of several products into my routine.  I’ve always loved natural waves but it was so easy to throw wet hair in a braid and be good to go in the morning.  Now that’s not really possible so I’ve started using Bumble and Bumble’s BB Texture Cream and Ouai Wave Spray on damp hair in the morning.  I just scrunch with my fingers and voila–laid back beach waves!

Outfit Set:Outfit Details: Dress: Adored Vintage; Shoes: Converse; Bag: Unbranded; Necklace: Forever 21

Vintage Florals

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Lately I’ve been enjoying the warmer weather and getting into more vintage items for Spring.  Being able to wear dresses and skirts without tights or boots has been amazing!  Instead of going to the local thrift store, I’ve been finding some really awesome boutiques online that have great vintage finds.  I recently discovered a couple Etsy shops that sell dresses and other items from all different eras.  This floral dress is from FoundPretty and looks to be from around the late 80’s/early 90’s.  I was drawn to the pretty pattern and flowy shape of the dress.  It’s a perfect dress to layer up for Spring!

While this is easier said than done, I always try to keep vintage pieces looking modern.  My general rule of thumb is one or two vintage items max per outfit.  Anything more can, but not always, start to look a little costumey.   I personally love pairing dresses with laid back sneakers like these “Old Skool” Vans for a fresh, updated look.  And you get to avoid wearing heels which is always a plus!

Vintage Florals - The Partial Ingredients blog

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Dress: FoundPretty, Bag: Vintage/Etsy, Shoes: Vans, Cardigan: Bajee Collection