I have a lot of clothes. Like I’ve broken two closet rods a lot. My favorite pieces are by far my dresses. At one point I had over 100 in my arsenal, which I completely understand is kind of crazy. Keep in mind probably 75 of them were from Forever 21 and cost less than $15. As I get older, I’m starting to really go for this whole “quality versus quantity” thing, and that’s where Ellie Kai comes in.

I had first heard of Ellie Kai at a trunk show at an event in 2014 here on Nantucket. I thought the concept was cool, but still was hesitant about custom-ordering a dress online. Like an addict, the rush of shopping feeds my soul. Touching and feeling the fabrics, trying them on, and of course, getting a bargain, are all an essential part of my fashion DNA. Basically, with Ellie Kai, you choose a fabric and a style of dress, and poof! It’s made for you, celebrity-style. You can even add extra customizations like short, tall, etc. Is it a bargain? Not exactly, but you know that saying “you get what you pay for?” As an adult, I’m starting to learn how true that is.

When Kate asked me if I wanted to give Ellie Kai, I thought, why not? Summer on this island is filled with function after function, and I often go back and forth between attending things like a normal human to working them like a show pony. Hence why I chose the Kelsey sleeveless dress in Ketan, one of this season’s new prints. Wrap dresses are basically a universally flattering silhouette, and are office but also cocktail appropriate. There’s a gajillion and one patterns to choose from, but I decided to stick with something that would work with my already vast nautical wardrobe. Plus blue and white are basically the national colors of Nantucket. If we had a flag, this would be it!

When the dress arrived, I immediately starting thinking of all the ways I could style it. I knew I couldn’t just pick one! So this is the first of a mini-series of posts with the different options for wearing this baby out and about, starting with a casual daytime look. I’m so excited to have partnered with Rebecca Love Photography – if you need any kind of photos on Nantucket (wedding, family portraits, little kids – you name it), she’s your girl. We spent a gorgeous Sunday morning walking around downtown and she indulged all of my blogger fantasies by telling me how cute I looked as I melted into a pile of humble goo and performed quick changes out of my car. We had the best time and I hope to work with her again very soon. Like tomorrow and then the next day and then maybe just all the time 🙂

Check out my daytime look, and stay tuned for evening and office styles to come!

~L

Ellie Kai Kelsey dress c/o / H&M denim jacket (old, similar here)/ Kate Spade clutch (outlet find, sort of similar here / Kendra Scott earrings / Vintage brooch / Jack Rogers sandals / Old Navy & vintage rings / Burt’s Bees lipstick in Fuchsia Flood