one dress, two ways

i don’t know about you, but when i get dressed, i find that i often play with variations on the same themes. as an example, this weekend i decided to pull on this new polka dot tunic from j.crew and i loved the look of it so much, that both of my weekend outfits revolved around the same piece. it’s essentially the same outfit, but with a few tweaks here and there. i do this type of thing very often because it’s an easy way to get more mileage out of my favorite pieces of clothing. usually i would only share one of the looks, but today i thought it might be fun to show you the different ways i’ve worn the same piece.

this first look is what i wore for a day running errands around town. the sweater is super cozy and i’m obsessed with these two recent acquisitions: an epic vintage equestrian hat that i picked up at a new vintage shop in berkeley, and a pair of rachel comey mars boots in a lovely chocolate brown. i’ve been lusting over this particular style of boots for years, but never got them because i was anxious about the price. i’m glad i finally broke and got them, because they’ve been on my feet since the moment i took them out of the box!

hat: vintage equestrian hat
dress: j.crew retro-dot tunic
sweater: j.crew cashmere boyfriend cardigan
tights: target
shoes: rachel comey mars boots

this second look is a little bit more adventurous. i’ve been playing with the idea of picking up a leopard coat for ages, but somehow felt intimidated by such a flamboyant print, despite that fact that it’s such a classic print that it’s practically a neutral in most people’s closets. now that i have it, i don’t know how i went so long without one! and of course, why not have fun and mix spots with spots? throw in my crazy round sunglasses and a little charm around my neck, and i’m feeling a bit like a new age space case. and i’m not saying that’s a bad thing!

dress: j.crew retro-dot tunic
sweater: j.crew cashmere boyfriend cardigan
shoes: rachel comey mars boots
coat: vintage leopard coat from secret shop
sunglasses: karen walker von trapp
necklace: toujours toi stables necklace