dress (similar) | hi tops | sunglasses | backpack

Hey hey. Can you believe summer is winding down? No, me neither. Most of the country has even started school already. Gasp. Up here in the PNW, we get until Labor Day (this year, a bit before and apparently everyone went insane about that).

Regardless of school starting, it’ still HOT in many places. I don’t typically wear dresses, but this recent stint of living without AC has made me realize that dresses are the coolest outfit to beat the heat. No thank you to shorts sticking to your nether regions (insert covered-eyes monkey emoji here) or heaven forbid pants above 90 degrees. Nah gurl. Put on a dress and feel pretty even though you’re sweating buckets.

My edit?  Balance out girlie pieces (like a dress) with something tougher.  I rely on my trusty black hi tops to add an unexpected element to the ensemble. What I adore about this combo is that it’s great for all-day this time of year…cool enough to get you through the heat of the day yet not overly casual for picnics, BBQ’s or dinner on a patio.

Keep reading to see a few no-fail dress styles that have worked really well with hi tops…..

Short Hemline + Denim Jackets

Hi tops can really cut your legs off visually. I like to stick to a dress that hits either above the knee OR has a high-low hemline and flowy feminine details.  The denim jacket balances out the sporty vibe of the shoes.

dress (similar shape and style) | hi tops | jacket (similar) | sunglasses | backpack

If you follow me on Instagram (@elletrain) you saw this dress in it’s original length, a maxi that made me look like I was playing dress-up in my mom’s clothes. I shortened it to a much more flattering length and it’s become my favorite to wear with my Chuck Taylor Hi Tops. I’m a sucker for hand-made details and the embroidery on this is so fab.

Sidenote: GO visit the San Juan Islands. We just got back from Orcas Island (we’ve been 3 times now) and it’s so gorgeous up there. The San Juans are just off the NW coast of Washington State and Canada and an easy (but reserve ahead to take your car over) ferry ride from the town of Anacortes, WA. There’s plenty of hiking, kayaking and horseback riding to do on the island – restaurants, art galleries and shops to see, too.

This day we were waiting on the ferry to go to Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island, where we checked out the San Juan County Fair. There were baby pygmy goats, you guys. (heart eyes for days) The seafood up there is amazing, as you can imagine, and the weather this time of year is insanely beautiful. There are many Airbnb places to stay or a few inns on Orcas Island. Doe Bay and Rosario are popular for fancier stays, but I’d highly recommend a place with a water view on the North side. Breath-taking. Lots of photos of that over on the ol’ IG account, too. Seriously. Add it to your list!

Try With a Maxi, But Consider Some Details

dress (similar) |hi tops | jacket (similar) | sunglasses | backpack

This is another dress that is a fave of mine with the sneakers. It does hit below my knees in front, but I think it still works with the high-low hemline and the fact that it’s super light and flowy. I wish every piece of summer clothing I owned could be out of this cotton gauze type fabric. OMG.

Linen + Stripes + Hi Tops = My Fave

dress (similar) |hi tops

Somedays you just need a new perspective. So, this #myeverydayedit photo from the coffee table it was! But I love this combo. It’s my fave fave. There’s just something about linen and stripes in a fun, simple dress that makes me happy. I think this length dress is probably the most flattering, too.

End-Of-Summer Dresses and Favorite Chucks

Any favorite beat-the-heat, interesting outfits you’ve tried? Let me know! It’s still roasting over here y’all.

Love and tacos…
L