Sale PSA: A pretty silk slip skirt from Vince, now 60% off (I also like this shirt dress, also 60% off), a fun floral bag from Dries Van Noten, now 50% off, and a linen blend jumpsuit from Uniqlo, now under $20.
For those in the US, how was your long weekend? Ours was fine. Actually no I’ll be honest – it was quite tough. We’ve been under lockdown for months and months and gotten used to it and have had long weekends before but this one…I don’t know. My husband I both ran out of steam. Could not think of another meal to make, could not think of another “fun” family activity, overrun by guilt as it’s not our kids fault there is a pandemic yet and we don’t want to scar them emotionally yet we too are also going out of our minds. I’m writing this at 2 AM on Sunday night (technically Monday morning) because I meant to catch up on work and am now plodding at a snail’s pace.
Anyway. Here’s hoping for a better week. We can do it. You can do it! I’ll order another cute mask online (thank you for all the recommendations – I’m trying this Etsy shop, thanks to Marisa for the comment!) in the meantime.
So – sharing a dress (and shoes) from this weekend that I really like – this Madewell linen dress!
I was so happy to find this dress! On sale! A really good sale! I LOVE linen dresses, love the midi length, and so when the two are combined I’m usually interested. This sort of deep v is my very silhouette too – it’s flattering for most body types I’ve found, and the thicker straps mean you can wear a regular bra (key). The dress is a little similar to an Elizabeth Suzann (RIP) Polly dress I have BUT this has side slits which you can see here:
Which means it is even easier to move in. Which is great. The dress is really comfortable and I wore it all of July 4th. The material is thin which in black poses no issue for being see through – the ONE downside I’d say is the linen is slightly rougher, not scratchy necessarily, but just not super soft. It didn’t bother me while wearing so I was still happy -and I fully expect it to get softer in the wash.
Also, a note on sizing – I took an XXS regular and am 5’1. The size fits me exactly how I like – a little loose but not too baggy and hits me at my preferred spot. I usually get a petite size when available and had actually first tried petite but it was too short – then I did this and it worked out great. That being said, the dress does run a little narrow so I can see someone potentially having to size up for hips – if you’re uncertain I’d recommend maybe sizing up or getting a few sizes to try out.
Anyway, this one is for my linen lovers out there! A simple, classic black summer dress.
13 Comments
Diane w
July 6, 2020 at 10:07 amI, too, felt frustrated this past weekend. After months of adhering to SIP, wearing masks, and trying to distract myself with assorted projects, I feel like we should be making more progress. But, instead, we (at least in Calif) are sliding backwards. I realize that we need to keep following recommended procedures, but I’m tired. I’m currently coping by eating my body weight In curried chicken pasta salad. Today is Day 2 of this strategy…..
Thea
July 6, 2020 at 10:29 amThis is a difficult time. Give yourself some credit for keeping it together and being present to your family. At the same time, acknowledge you’re running low on energy and patience. We’re all experiencing those feelings. It’s good for kids to see parents having a tough time occasionally. It’s part of the human experience and will help them know how to handle their own tough times when they arise. Arrange for a couple of hours off duty with your husband. Get out of the house (no grocery shopping!) or sit in the backyard ALONE with your feet in the pool. Do the same for him. Hang in there!
Emma
July 7, 2020 at 10:34 pmI hear you, same here. One day at a time, I tell myself. “Try to focus on the step in front of you, not the whole staircase”. Yoga and meditation works for me, and I take a solo walk daily, no music no podcast, just the rhythm of my two feet. As for my kids, I can’t imagine not having our 6 year old dog around. A pet plays a huge role in a time like this. To hug, to kiss, to cuddle with, to talk to, to take cute silly pictures and share on social media………kids can spend some alone time but not feel lonely with a dog, and our dog is super cute and super sweet 🙂
Tks for sharing that linen dress, I enjoy my linen bed sheets and linen bath robe in the summertime, the clean crispness of linen brings a refreshing comfort to me at the end of the day and I have 2 linen face mask with cotton lining that I got from Etsy.
T
July 6, 2020 at 5:43 pmOMG, how much can you buy ? Do you wear everything 4 times, hoard it for a season and then throw it all out to some thrift shop ? Do you have any non-new clothes that you like at all that you want to wear ?
Kat
July 6, 2020 at 8:54 pmYes I do! But this isn’t really an “outfit of the day” sort of blog –
Jenny
July 7, 2020 at 1:21 amYou are choosing to come here. It’s like you walked in super angry into the wrong home and ready for a fight that doesn’t exist. This is not the place for you and that’s okay. Go somewhere else.
D
July 7, 2020 at 3:07 amI agree with Jenny. I enjoy Kat’s linen choices. They are cute! Please troll elsewhere. Shopping is her hobby and we all have / need hobbies to pass the time especially with this lockdown.
Lisa
July 10, 2020 at 8:24 pmI fear for the mental health effects of covid-19 on the population. It’s like being under siege and it has definitely been hard to cope. So many worries about schools reopening in September, possibly part-time. In my province, the number of cases is going down but I am still exhausted from over three months of being cooped up in the house, working from home and trying to get my children to do video class calls and complete homework. On the bright side, we spent more time together watching movies, playing board games and I added more chores to their responsibilities since they had loads more spare time. And I am glad that we got a rescue guinea pig as an emotional support animal which turned out to be greatly needed. Hopefully, things will improve and get back to some semblance of normal. Wishing you well.
Hadilly
July 6, 2020 at 9:46 pmHi Kat,
First of all, thank you for the Athleta mask recommendation a few posts back. They are working well for us. I particularly like the camo pattern. I am tempted by the Liberty of London masks, but haven’t committed yet.
Sorry to hear it was a tough weekend. It is so hard when you both are completely done. We went to play tennis and swim Saturday, socially distanced of course, and that was really nice.
I totally agree with Thea. See if you can get out of the house by yourself, or send everyone else out. Are preschools opening at all for you? My niece’s preschool in Berkeley has reopened. The city of Palo Alto has camps for kids, even 4 year olds. My kids are all in camp, hallelujah! Our neighborhood listserve has a communal list of teenagers available for babysitting. Swim and tennis clubs have resumed limited operations. If you feel comfortable availing yourself, I hope you can find similar resources.
I have been biking as much as possible too.
That is a super cute dress. I wish they had it in other colors. I have a no black rule right now. So far this summer, I have ordered Patagonia sun shirts and hoodies and a crazy dress from Marks and Spencer. My tailor should reopen this week and I have a pile of stuff to bring her.
Ooh, your kids might like playing in the creek at Bol Park in Palo Alto, and they could visit the donkeys.
Anonymous
July 7, 2020 at 3:15 amHaving kids below 3 years old during this pandemic is not easy. I agree with the comment above. Kids need to be socialized especially young ones. If you can go out in your area, take advantage of it. Covid is kinda exaggerated anyway. As long as you have a mask along with others, you and the family will be safe. Cases are going up but death rates are coming down. So I wouldn’t worry too much and just go out. Life is too short to live in fear.
But if you do have an older relative you visit, please do take caution. The old are most vulnerable with this virus. But for us young people, it is just a sneeze and one week sick in bed then life goes on.
Yumi
July 8, 2020 at 8:22 pmHi Kat! Just wanted to say that you guys are doing awesome. It does feel a bit like things are hopeless and there’s no end in sight but I know you guys are doing the best you can and sometimes that’s enough. It’s incredibly hard to work, deal with children and other people, and keep writing blog posts! But these posts provide a little bit of cheer for all of us.
Y
QQ
July 8, 2020 at 11:05 pmHi Kat, I want to share some mask recommendations as I’ve purchased from 10+ vendors for my on-site colleagues. They wear them 8-10 hours every day and are very blunt about the reviews. Their fave so far: radian jeans (soft ear loop), jaanuu (for smaller faces), string king (the mask lift away from the face), and swaddle design (very comfy). These are $5-$10/mask, mostly female own businesses. If anyone is looking for cloth masks please give these vendors a thought.
Kat
July 9, 2020 at 8:16 amThank you! These are all great!