What do bikes, turtles and ropes have in common?

Last summer I was all about the bike t-shirt; a year later, I'm in love with the bike dress.

From Anthropologie, naturally, the Two-Wheeler Shirtdress,$128, is parked happily at the intersection of whimsical and appropriate. You have a very modest, business-like shirtdress silhouette, and from afar you might this is a simple navy fabric with a white circular print. But get closer and...
Penny-farthings as well as classic bicycles! Penny-farthings, if you're not up on your antiquated methods of transportation, are the bikes with the giant front wheel that the rider perches atop, with a smaller wheel behind. The Penny-farthing has been on my mind Cafe Deville, on the corner of 13th and 3rd Ave, was just replaced by a restaurant called The Penny Farthing. My first year in New York (almost five years ago!), I used to walk by Cafe Deville on my way to the gym and was also impressed by the young, attractive, interesting-looking people drinking wine at the sidewalk tables. I thought, "When I'm an attractive and interesting New Yorker, I'll drink wine at a sidewalk table at Cafe Deville." But I never ate there--if The Penny Farthing has sidewalk tables, though, maybe I can fulfill the spirit of my dream if not the letter.

Anyway, the dress--it's exactly the sort of thing Anthro does exquisitely. It reminded me of another dress that Anthro is sadly now sold out of, the Turtle-Print dress.
If you had asked me a month ago if I would ever wear a dress with turtles on it, I would say, "What do you think I am, some kind of manic pixie dream girl?" And, let's be honest, this does look like something Zooey Deschanel might wear while singing old-timey karaoke to a boy whose heart she will eventually break. But hey, it's summer: maybe I want to break some hearts while singing old torch songs at a karaoke bar (no, I definitely don't want to do the latter--I want to sing "Oops I Did It Again" in Koreatown). The dress is designed by Moulinette Soeurs, and while it may no longer be on the Anthropologie website, I will definitely be keeping an eye on Ebay to see if it pops up.

So there's a dress that I can't buy because it's too expensive and a dress that I can't buy because it's sold out. Anthropologie is all, "Ok, you've done a good job resisting thus far, but what about this?"

Also by Moulinette Soeurs (a name I'll clearly need to keep an eye out for in the future), the Know the Ropes dress is on sale for $69.95. Really, the reason I want it is because it looks like Burberry plaid--so much classier than regular hipster or lumberjack plaid. But the asymmetrical neckline is hot, especially for showing some unexpected skin in the summer. The nautical name alone is enough for me to get out my credit card, but then I realized what the "ropes" were referring to...

The "plaid" is actually coiled ropes! Man, if I ever get invited to a party on a yacht, I'm going to be prepared.

Have I been wrong about rompers?

I'm 100% positive that if I went to Coachella, I would spend the entire time nudging my friends and saying, "Did you see that girl's fugly ass outfit? She looks like she fell on the tracks of a Brooklyn bound L train." It'd be like the one time I tried to see Vampire Weekend in Central Park, and while in line tried surreptitiously to photograph a girl with a raccoon tail on her purse. The hipster style is not for me, but I have to admit, this outfit is sort of really cute (via Refinery 29):Between the leather belt and the old-fashioned halter and the sweet white shoes, this hipster girl has managed to make the romper retro-classy. Miracle! And I'll admit, a romper might be a good choice at a music festival, when you'll be sweating a lot but also sitting on the ground (making a dress a bad choice). My only misgiving--besides that all rompers should be burned in a fire--is that you would have to get totally naked while using the Port-a-Potty, which seems very dangerous.

My resistance must be wearing down, because I got an email from Urban Outfitters today and thought, "What a cute dress...no wait, it's a romper...and it's still cute?"

Pins and Needles Eyelet Romper, $58

I'm just a sucker for white eyelet fabric and a waist sash.

There's another UO romper that I'm almost too embarrassed to admit I like, because it's very self-consciously hipster.

Samantha Pleet Run Amok Romper, $178

First, let's all acknowledge that this model looks hideously malnourished--her face is screaming, "I haven't eaten in so long that I've completely lost the will to live, and thus am unable to take this ridiculous hat off." That said, look at that super fun fruity print! Don't you want to wear it on a picnic, after going to your local farmer's market for fresh mangoes? The print reminds me of something Betty would wear on Mad Men, in between yelling at Sally and pretending her marriage isn't a nightmare. Of course, she'd wear it as a dress with a full skirt and actual undergarments, and look all the more glamorous. But she wouldn't be able to sit Indian-style on the ground in a dress.

Printed Dresses

The vast majority of the dresses I own are solid colors-- I have a bit of a fear of prints. But I'm trying to mix it up, maybe with some florals, geometrics, or painterly prints.

I think a good way to ease into this world of prints is with a skirt. An bold skirt is easy to play down with a solid fitted top, so you don't have to worry about looking like your Grandma's couch. I really like this Ecote Silky Watercolor Skirt, $58, from Urban Outfitters. The wide band at the waist helps disguise any possible food babies, and the circle cut of the skirt gives it a fun 50's vibe. The print, of course, is a hipper take on demure florals--the watercolor effect is very arty.

Is the sort of dress that I own 8 times over in solid shades--cap sleeve, jersey, v-neck, empire waist, mid-thigh length. Also from Urban Outfitters, the Kimchi Blue Print V-Neck Dress, $58, has all of my favorite features but also a great vintage-like print. I love the swirls and swoops of the vines.


The Sunner Vanderbilt dress, $97, reminds me of two things I like very much: Blue Crush and this Proenza Schouler for Target dress. I think the fuchsia hibiscus flowers would look sort of ridiculous in New York (especially in February), but if I lived someplace with palm trees I would definitely rock this dress. The big ruffle sleeves are a fun contrast to the very simple cut of the body of the dress, and shiny teal silk is always a fun choice.



I really like this printed dress because it's not entirely printed--the solid portions work as a nice palate cleanser. It's available from Modcloth for $54.99 in a small, or Lulu's for $48 in a large. I like the Lulu's name better-- Iris Eyes Are Smiling--so I'm using their photo. I also like how the dress is made of two distinct parts, because sometimes, if a print is too overwhelming, you kind of look like a giant blob of colors.

If you're feeling really bold, try this Fred Flare Painterly Leighton dress, $64. Part eighties, part MOMA, completely fierce. The banded waist and tank top shape make it easy to wear, but be sure to keep your accessories super minimal.


This is definitely my favorite printed dress: from Corey Lynn Calter, the Tamara Pleated Tank Dress, $209, is ladylike in a completely fresh way. The paint-splattered spots are super fun, and you know I go crazy for accordian pleats. I also appreciate how the gold waist sash is included, since it's essential to dress like this. I want to wear this entire outfit on every first day I go on, from now until the end of time.