Contempo Casuals

Sometime within the last week, I noticed that the flowers in the front of our house are really quite beautiful. Much more beautiful, at the very least, than the lame spot in the hallway where I keep taking my pictures.

This outfit was inspired by one of Amanda's questions to our Style post that asked how we dressed up casual outfits. This morning I put on shorts and a tshirt -- nothing too exciting, but immediately felt that the outfit was transformed by belting the tshirt around the waist. It still stayed casual -- I even untucked it -- but once it had the belt as an interesting accessory and a means to a more flattering silhouette, I felt like I could easily wear this as "something nice."

I guess my suggestion is accessories. A tshirt and jeans is immediately interesting with statement jewelry. But, I think my real suggestion would be to know your style. I don't actually like dressing casually, so I don't spend a lot of my effort buying clothes that look casual. If you know that you like dressing casually at home, and that you're most likely to transition from sitting around the house to going out pretty quickly, make sure your around-the-house jeans are in decent shape, fit well, and in a nice wash. If you like wearing stretchy, spandex-like pants around the house, invest in a nice Lulu Lemon like pair, ones that can also be paired with a long tshirt dress and necklace in the summer or sweater and belt in the winter. If you're looking for something to wear in both non-fashionable and fashionable settings, buy some cotton tshirt dresses that are comfortable, versatile, and easy to wash.

And that's the end of my fashion advice. Back to the outfit:
This hat is one of my much-worn but rarely photographed pieces -- a common last-minute add-on for outdoor activities or to make a boring outfit a little bit more interesting. I can't wait for when it's a little bit cooler out and I can wear it with my denim button-down.

I love this plant. I love this hat. And I still like wearing dress socks and oxfords.
Shirt: Gifted by Elana, Target

Shorts: Thrifted, Value Village

Belt: Thrifted, Value Village

Shoes: Thrifted, St. Mary's Hospital Thrift Store

Hat: Arterie, Montreal

I find that the heat and humidity is trying to squelch my motivation to dress well. I know I complain about the cold, but just drop 10 degrees! Let me layer a little? xoxo Anna Rae