Never Met a Stripe I Didn't Like

 J. Crew Factory Dress / J. Crew Factory Sandals / Similar Hat

It's true. I love stripes. Look in my closet and you might say I have an addiction to stripes. If you did, you would not be wrong. 

This dress was the perfect option for sightseeing on our recent trip to Israel. Previously, I packed for practicality, thinking I was being responsible by planning to wear tennis shoes and shorts. I think it was a holdover from college summers spent backpacking around Europe when I literally had to carry everything I brought on my back. Today, I pack whatever is currently on rotation at home with an emphasis on comfy dresses like this one. On this trip, I carried a long scarf with me so that I could cover the rest of my legs whenever we visited religious sites.

Spiritually, it was incredible to be in a place with so much history and religious significance and I hope we get the chance to return to see more of the Middle East.

Source: http://

Summer Solstice

Similar J. Crew Factory Dress / J. Crew Factory Shoes / Rocksbox Bracelet c/o

The last two months have been the most stressful and most incredible of my life. My husband and I purchased and moved into our first home. It's as wonderful and exciting as I expected, but no one prepared me for the stress and emotional exhaustion. And I was EXHAUSTED.

We've been in the house for over a month and are returning to some semblance of normalcy. This weekend in particular felt like we were finally settling in. The family of a dear friend gifted us with their old patio set and we were able to spend the entire summer solstice outdoors doing a combination of yard work, laying in the sun and sharing our first meal together outside. (Thank you Jan!) It was the sort of day I dreamed of when I thought of owning a home. A good reminder to stop running around with a laser focus on getting the house furnished and set up and to start enjoying it just as it is - unfinished and imperfect.

I waited so long to post these pictures, the dress had sold out, but J. Crew Factory is selling another one in the same fabric - just a slightly different silhouette. If you haven't checked out Rocksbox (think Netflix for jewelry) they're offering J. Frances readers one month free when you enter jfrancesxoxo at check out and who doesn't love free stuff?

 

Vacation Mentality

ASTR Caftan / J. Crew Factory Bikini Top and Bottom / Old Hat (Similar here and here) / Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Summer is quickly approaching, but we really couldn't wait for it one second longer. We needed to jumpstart our vacation mentality so we hopped in the car and headed down to Laguna Beach to spend the weekend at a friend's vacation home.

It's good to have good friends with homes in beautiful places. 

If you're looking to get a jumpstart on your summer wardrobe, check out this caftan from ASTR and classic striped bikini from J. Crew Factory. The caftan is too sheer to wear on its own so plan on using it as a coverup or grab a slip to go under it. Even if you're nowhere near a beach, the flowy piece is enough to give you that island vacation mentality wherever you might be spending your days.

Festival Fashion

Free People Dress (similar here here and here) / Shoes / Jacket / Deux Lux Purse (very similar here) / Ray Bans / Bangles / Necklace is vintage

Festival season is upon us and while a music festival is basically my worst nightmare (too many people, usually overly hot and dirty, major FOMO when there are multiple stages, etc.) I'll certainly take the fashion any day.

This dress from Free People is currently available in store at Off Fifth, but if you don't live near one of Saks Fifth Avenue's outlets, I've linked to a number of similar dresses on Free People's website. The vintage pink turquoise necklace was my grandmother's. Everything else you can easily grab online before heading out to the desert for Coachella or if you're just in the market for a few spring pieces.