I’ve always been prone to the occasional purchase that ends up hanging in my closet for months, tags still attached, until I remember I bought it. Or the, “I’ll wear this all the time it’s so fun” piece that I only wear once. Not that those pieces are bad. Fun is good. Fun creates variety. Yet, when I have too many “oh how fun is this,” pieces I often find myself saying “I have nothing to wear.” Anyone else? Or, maybe I’m alone. Either way, I was recently asked to describe myself in three words. I said practical and sarcastic (fun, huh?) and I can’t remember the third word I used (#MomBrain). In that vain, I decided to start applying practicality to my wardrobe by invoking 3 rules for 90% of the purchases I make:

1. Can I wear it with at least 3 other clothing items in my closet and 2 different pairs of shoes? If I can answer “yes” then it’s a go. This works with dresses perfectly. Is it too dressy to pair with a pair of sneakers? If so, I should probably think twice before buying it… unless it’s a “special” occasion dress (like my wedding… just kidding).

2. Can I name 3 places where I would wear it? Can I wear this piece to lunch and date night? Can I wear it to a shower? To a meeting? How creative can I get in the dressing room in about 5 minutes? If the options are flowing,  it’s a go.

3. How trendy is it? All pieces are likely to fit a certain trend of the moment, but asking myself if I really think the item will be in style the following season helps me make that decision.

So…. based on those 3 self imposed rules, I opted for this dress, twice. When I was deciding what I wanted to wear to Hawaii on a night we have planned out, I went between several different dresses. I kept looking at brightly colored, tropical prints. While I love them, and think they are so “fun” (that dang word again…), I wanted something I could wear all summer…. and change up with different accessories. Knowing how much I already loved this dress in olive, I decided to opt for the white version knowing that I can wear it over the next few months. And can I just add… these kicks are absolutely amazing? Super comfortable, lightweight… for sure my go to #SummerKicks.

{Outfit Details || Tank Dress: Topshop (have it in white too, wearing size 2 for a looser feel) | Shoes: Lucky (so comfortable, 3 color options) | Jacket: Nordstrom | Backpack: Rebecca Minkoff (love this option too) | V Necklace: Gorjana | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Pendant Necklace: David Yurman}