HOW TO SPICE UP A NEUTRAL DRESS FOR SUMMER WITH ACCESSORIES?

You guys know how much I like printed dresses for summer, right? However, that doesn't make me blind to the numerous benefits of wearing neutral dresses. As much as I love bold colours and prints, I'm the first to admit that neutral dresses are not only practical, but also a perfect choice for almost any occasion. Today I'll show you how I like to wear neutral dresses in summer. Classic pieces are always a good investment. Every women should have a LBD or a neutral dress in her closet. This is especially the case for those of you who shy away from colour, but even girls who embrace colour (like yours truly) need neutral dresses and pieces in their life. If you're wondering how to jazz up your LBD and neutral dress for summer, you have came to the right place. You knows I'm a big believer in shopping one's closet, right? Well, finding different ways to wear neutral dresses is a great way to shop your closet in summer time. Sometimes a well selected accessory can transform a neutral dress.

A SQUARE NECK LBD WORN WITH BROWN HEELED SANDALS AND A MINI BAG

Let's start with this classy outfit featuring a cocktail square neck LBD and statement accessories. When it comes to styling a LBD for summer, it is the accessories that make all the difference. Another thing to consider is the cut of the dress and the event or date you're wearing it  for. If the event is more formal, then you should choose formal accessories to pair it with. If you want a more relevant look, all you need to do is to choose a trendy accessory. There are so many cute accessory trends to choose from this spring, such as oversize hair accessories, statement earrings, layered necklaces and so on. There is something for everyone. As I already said in one of my posts, I feel everyone is less inhabited during the summer and that makes it the perfect time to have fun, try out something new, wear an original or trendy accessory. Even if the social occasion is a formal one, you can still have fun with accessories. Jazzing up a neutral dress with accessories is such an easy way to make it feel more unique and special, something you should definitely make advantage of.  



KEEP IN MIND THE OCCASION BUT DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN 
What was the occasion I wore this dress for? I wore this dress for a classical music concert held in Kosača. The convert was amazing and I was happy with the outfit. This LBD is not only very comfortable (I love this length) but also pretty easy to style. Square necks dresses have a certain elegance to them and once you slip them all, most of the work is done, especially if the cut of the dress is flattering (as is the case here). I emphasized this LBD by choosing a classy necklace and a pair of statement earrings to go along with it. I didn't wanted to look way over the top, though. I choose a brown leather bag and sandals to balance the classy accessories and dress. I feel this bag is neither too formal nor casual, so it matches an outfit like this one well. Another good tip for styling a LBD is to take an oversize scarf with you. A nice oversize silk scarf can be easily tucked into your bag (even a mini one or clutch one) and it can be a life saver if the night gets breezy. I like wearing big scarves as covers ups, they're simply ideal for summer (see the photograph bellow to see how I tied it around my dress). Tell me, what do you think about this styling? Do you wear oversize scarves this way? What is your favourite summer cover up?
LBD DRESS: ZAFUL, BAG: OLD, HEELS: OLD, SCARF: OLD (NOT BRANDED)


A BLACK AND WHITE DRESS WORN WITH LEOPARD HEELS AND A STRAW BAG
Next outfit proposal features a bicolour dress. The combination of black and white can be quite timeless. Similar to LBD, black and white dress is a very elegant choice. However, if you want to stand out a little bit, you'll need to spice things up a bit. How did I jazz up this BW dress for summer? First, I choose to wear a cute headband. Oversize headbands are very trendy right now, but I actually had this one for ages. I even did a little DIY project with it, sewing some glitter flowers to it. The next thing I did was to consider the choice of shoes. I opted for leopard heels to bring some pattern and colour to this look. Finally, I finished the outfit with a straw bag to make it feel more summery.  Accessories are such an easy way to jazz up things a bit, don't you agree?

In case you're wondering what was the occasion I wore this outfit for, I wore it to see an amazing play titled Paraleni svjetovi (Parallel words). This play is by one of my favourite writers Miro Gavran (that I had a great pleasure of meeting in person last March!). The play was performed by guest actors from Split National Theatre who are my favourite actors in the world so you could say that it was a good night. I own a complete collection of Miro Gavran plays, but it was lovely to see the play on stage all the same. It is always so inspiring to see talented people performing talented writing. I honestly don't understand why some people would rather spend their money on silly blockbusters than on a live performance by talented artists. To each his own, I guess. I might write more about it some other time. Anyhow, I think that the outfit fitted the occasion nicely. 

HANDBAND: OLD + DIY, DRESS: OLD, STRAW BAG: NO NAME, LEOPARD HEELS: NO NAME

HAND MADE GREY MIDI DRESS WORN WITH WHITE MULES AND A BEACH BAG

We are down to the last outfit proposal of the day, an look featuring a grey midi dress I sewed myself. I used a pattern from Burda, but I altered it a bit and choose a different fabric so I feel that I not only made but also designed this dress myself. I just love the cut of this dress (obviously!) but the material is a bit warm for the summer, so I don't wear it as much as I would like. Still, I found accessorizing it for summer a walk in the park. Here you can see how I styled it with a straw hat, a beach bag, a pair of white mules and a golden necklace. A straw hat is my top accessory on a sunny day and I typically start wearing straw hats as soon as the sun gets strong. Just like the straw hat, this beach bag comes with strong summer vibes. White mules are a nice choice for a summer shoe. The metallic golden necklace (not real gold) is there to make the look a bit more relevant. Isn't it interesting how accessories can really spice up an outfit? I didn't have summer in mind when I made it dress and yet with summer accessories it seems perfect for summer. Neutral dresses can look cool in summer too.

I can't remember the occasion I wore this dress for, I think it was for a date with my significant other. I do remember that it was a really warm and sunny day. Speaking of the weather, Mostar has been kind to me so far. Yes, it has gotten hot, but not unbearably so. Yesterday night (I went to a festival, i.e. Mostar Summer Fest 2019) it was even breezy and fresh. That doesn't mean I'm not plotting to go away somewhere for summer, but even if I stay here, I'm sure I'll make the most of it. Time to wrap things up for today. I hope you have enjoyed my outfit proposals with neutral dresses. Let me know how you spice up your black or neutral pieces for summer. Styling dresses for summer is a topic I could go on and on about. If you enjoyed this post, you might be interested in similar posts where I cover the theme of styling dresses in summer: 
OUTFIT DETAILS: STRAW HAT: OLD+ DIY /DRESS: DIY (I made it myself)/ GOLDEN NECKLACE: AVON/ WHITE MULES: NO NAME


That would be all for today. I'll be linking this outfit with Nancy's Fancy Friday Linkup. Thank you for reading and visiting. Have a fabulous weekend everyone! Enjoy summer and take care. 

Comments

  1. What a pretty LBD! How you wrapped the scarf is so beautiful. The black and white dress looks so fun to accessorize. A perfect cover up for slight chills. Agreed, live plays are so much more fun than movies! Have a great weekend!

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  2. Ta koktailowa sukienka w kolorze czarnym jest świetna, ja też latem skłaniam się do naturalnych materiałów są owiele bardziej praktyczne :)

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  3. Yes solid color dresses do have their place in a seas of prints and florals. You styled these dresses in so many great ways from the over-sized hat, to the leopard print shoes and super cool handbags!

    Allie of
    www.allienyc.com

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    Replies
    1. thank you Allie, I find that neutral colours are easy to accessorize!

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  4. Black outfit in this picture was very elegant

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  5. The black dress with straw wide hat and blue bag look casual and summery :)

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  6. Love the dresses Ivana! You look so pretty! Have a great weekend!

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  7. Amazing Ivana, i love your Style! Great Outfits, also the Bags are wonderful. :)

    Happy Weekend <3

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  8. My favourite element of this elegant look would have to be the statement necklace - it adds so much impact and 'sparkle' to the evening outfit :) I hope you're having a lovely weekend so far Ivana!!

    aglassofice.com x

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  9. I love all of these dresses. I find it particularly difficult to try and style a neutral dress - mainly because my skin colour clashes with a lot of colours anyway so wearing a neutral dress in a shade that suits me is difficult. I love all of these tips though and would definitely try them out - who knows, even I might be able to pull off a look like this some day! The photographs are gorgeous.

    Have a great weekend :)
    Amy x Wandering Everywhere

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Amy. I think the colours that matter the most are those close to our face, so by wearing a scarf in 'your colour', you can reverse the effect from a dress that isn't. That's what I do sometimes when I end up with a dress that doesn't match my skin tone.

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  10. Loved seeing this more dressed up look on you... love the lbd. I really like the way accessories can really change up any look.

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    1. thank you Radi. Yes, accessories can change up a look!

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  11. Your Looks are beautiful. I love the Dress at the red carpet :)

    Many greetings Sabine

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  12. Great photos😘💙💜💚

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  13. I'm such a fan of any kind of accessorizing, Ivana. I love how you talk about it and can showcase the details. In fact, that scarf was an incredible addition to the dress.
    XOOX
    Jodie

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  14. Все платья очень элегантные и красивые! Даже трудно сказать которое из них мне больше понравилось ))

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  15. Anothet beautiful post! I enjoyed this so much! Thanks for sharing this post ♡ cant wait till your next one ♡ all the best hope you have a great week ♡♡♡

    Jadieegosh

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  16. These are all lovely dresses on you! Accessories can make a big difference in an outfit! That colorful scarf is so pretty!

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  17. You look stunning in that red carpet, black never goes out of fashion.
    Xoxo

    marisasclosetblog.com

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  18. I love all of your tips! Accessories are important pieces that can elevate and complete any ensemble. The LBD was my favorite. I don't usually pair scarves with my dresses but yours was perfect.

    xo, Maria
    https://www.miamiamine.com/

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    Replies
    1. thank.you Maria, I'm glad you liked the scarf with the dress look.

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  19. il primo vestito è il mio preferito *_*

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  20. Thank you for these tips! You look gorgeous in that dress by the way <3

    https://sarahrizaga.blogspot.com/

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  21. Very elegant the black and white dress.
    xx
    Mónica Sors
    NEW BLOG POST: MES VOYAGES A PARIS

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  22. wow, bellissima!adoro i vestiti tubini neri , insieme a questo bel cappello sembri Audrey Hepburn ;-)

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    Replies
    1. si, sono molto belli quelli vestiti tubini neri

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  23. Your little black dress is so chic and I loved how you accessorized it! Beautifully, I might add! It looks very classy. What was the programme at your Classical music concert?
    I like the dress you made yourself too- it is very stylish also. A pity the material is a little too hot- it is a lovely shape!

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    Replies
    1. It was a night of Russian composers and the besides the Mostar orchestar there were guest classic players from the region playing.

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All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

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