This post is for lotusblossum, who asked for styling options for the Rising Vapor Dress (review here, guest review here).
This first look is a dressier work outfit that would transition well from day to evening. One of my favorite things to do is play with tones of the same color. The one pop is the clutch, which is a fancy touch yes but really caps the outfit off nicely. The dress is really begging for a belt! It’s a tricky situation though — a classic leather one just will not do here. Instead, I looked for a woven-style belt with a nice clasp in the front. This particular belt clasps closed into a flower but since it’s a uniform color it doesn’t distract from the dress.
T-strap sandals will look wonderful with this dress (I have another option in a set below). I confess to owning these particular sandals and loving them. The blazer’s soft waves echo that of the dress in a complementary fashion and the openness is good for showcasing the dress. Look for a necklace that matches the neckline of the dress — rounded with not too many dangles. Hmm, all of a sudden I want to track down this dress!!
In this outfit:
Rising Vapor Dress (no longer online), style #033011
Tomasina Blazer ($128)
Lauren by Ralph Lauren Florie ($98)
Celestial Stones Necklace ($58)
Paul Island Earrings ($178)
Wood Bead Stretch Waist Belt ($28)
Kate Spade square encrusted framed lella ($325)
Here’s a second option for the taupe version, this time with a sweater instead. Darker greens coordinate with this dress well for an earthy outfit. To keep it from being too earthy-crunchy I chose the faux-python sandals. Love them! The t-strap is good with this dress because it continues the vertical lines of the dress, which makes you look tall and lean.
For the belt, I found a leather belt that works. Why does it work? First, it doesn’t have a metal fastener. The front buckle has just one scant piece of metal which keeps it from standing out too much. Secondly, the lace overlayer softens the piece further. And lastly the color is close enough to the dress that it won’t break the visual line created. Since most of this outfit has a softer, feminine look I picked a bag that’s a bit more modern and clean. The necklace here draws the eye upward while the earrings are another reason for your face to sparkle and shine.
In this outfit:
Rising Vapor Dress (no longer online), style #033011
Soft Scallops Cardi ($118)
Parallel Purse ($158)
Fromage et Pain Belt ($48)
Elemental Blooms Necklace ($48)
Blushing Bright Hoops ($80)
KORS Michael Kors Rothwell Suede T Strap Sandals ($295)
On to the darker version of this dress. This outfit is bolder with the pattern combinations but that also makes it kinda fun, no? I love the look of the woven belt, though I do not like that this one seems to be made of plastic. Or maybe it looks better in real life — I’m not loving the product shot. I’d look for one like this but in a woven organic material. Platform peeps replace the sandals from the sets above and a fun wrap will leave you completely enveloped in waves. It’s a little visual dissonance with the horizontal and vertical waves.
The roundness of the necklace and earrings bring a completeness to this outfit. It would work for a party, a night out on the town or an event.
In this outfit:
Rising Vapor Dress (no longer online), style #033011
Fluttering Lashes Poncho ($58)
Multi-Braid Stretch Belt ($24)
Pelle Moda ‘West’ Platform Pump ($150)
Ganymede & Io Necklace ($168)
Shang Yuan Earrings (now $20)
Aquarium-A-Gogo Bag ($68)
I know it’s a little early to be thinking of cold weather but this dress will transition well, so I wanted to put one cold-weather option out there. As with the taupe version I looked for greens to pair with the dress. So both the tights and the scarf have tones of green within. The earrings have a grey that reads green here so we can count those too!
Everything else is brown, and the coat tops things off with black and brown. The main things to look for here are a strong boot that is not black. You could do heeled boots here but choose something with a chunkier heel.
In this outfit:
Rising Vapor Dress (no longer online), style #033011
Catalunya Coat ($598)
Stormy Plaid Tights ($18)
Bowtied-Beauty Boots ($248)
Ad Infinitum Scarf ($48)
Solitary Hat ($37)
Stepping Stone Satchel ($278)
Paul Island Earrings ($178)
