Sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue.

Every summer for the past decade or so, I’ve invested in one semiformal statement dress. I think it started in that late-20s phase of life where weddings, showers and Finally Wine Tasting Not On A Party Bus were in abundance, and paying a little more for a piece was easily justifiable based on the number of uses it’d see.

Nowadays, my summer schedule looks a little different, vacillating between weeks where we’re stressing over errands and summer-camp lunches or stressing because there’s no camp at all. But that seasonal pull to inject my wardrobe with something worthy of a party, should the opportunity arrive, still prevails.

This year in particular brings its own set of style challenges since we welcomed little Elle, so I had to get strategic when choosing a dress that would realistically get plenty of wear.

My findings?

The perfect alternative to a statement maxi dress (the likes of which I’d usually gravitate toward) is an equally stunning, nursing-friendly two-piece set.

Casual + A Little Boho: This (Nursing-Friendly!!) Matching Set By Farm Rio

top (XS) | skirt (S) | crossbody | shoes

top (XS) | skirt (S)

A couple of weeks ago, I indulged myself and spent an entire extended nap time (!!) browsing Saks’ selection of matching sets (I love navigating the Saks website — the filtering options are so intuitive, and the “For Me” tab at the top always teases me into taking a deeper look at something), and, no surprise here, landed on this cheery two-piece matching set from Farm Rio.

Somehow, this was my first time actually putting a Farm Rio garment on my body, and I was instantly smitten. For someone whose style leans unapologetically casual and maybe just a wee bit boho, Farm Rio’s entire vibe is ideal. It’s the perfect juxtaposition of high-impact, low-maintenance dressing: eye-catching patterns, bold colors and flirty flashes of skin all grounded by (mostly) natural fabrics and silhouettes that are extremely comfortable for moving about in real life.

This Vibrant Farm Rio Crop Top + Maxi Skirt Combo Checks All The Boxes

top (XS) | skirt (S) | crossbody | shoes

Of course, this set is no exception.

A gorgeous colorway, super-beautiful details — like the beaded drawstrings on the hem of the top and the waist of the full skirt — and a forgiving fit. And together, the impact of these two pieces is as dramatic as a cutaway maxi dress but with way more functionality for my current phase of style.

• Nursing-friendly? Check.
• Baby-wearing-friendly? Check. (I would, however, tuck the beaded drawstrings away so they’re not damaged by a more structured carrier or uncomfortable for baby in a soft wrap.)
• And perhaps my favorite feature of all: mix-and-matchable with more casual pieces to expand the opportunities for wear? Check. (I’ll work on putting together a follow-up post showing more of just that, because the cut and pattern of these pieces make them really easy and, dare I say, even a little exciting to wear as separates.)

Test of all tests, the whole thing works with these stellar Fila high-tops (more on those below), which makes me infinitely more likely to reach for it on days when momming takes precedence.

top (XS) | skirt (S) | crossbody

skirt (S) | shoes

Outfit Details

Farm Rio Jungle Flow Crop Top: With an elasticized hem plus an adjustable (beautifully beaded) drawstring, this is an easy one to loosen up for nursing access from beneath, and because it’s more or less full coverage, you can get away with wearing your favorite bra, whatever it may be. (This time around, I’ve just been wearing super-stretchy bralettes that can be either pulled aside or pushed up and away.) The 100% cotton is light and airy, with enough nubby texture to keep the look really interesting and elevated. Worth noting: I sometimes have an issue with elasticized puff sleeves being uncomfortably snug on my arms, and these are nice and loose. The fabric isn’t overly sheer, either (in fact, I’m wearing a bright-red bra in these photos). Sizing is generous on this one — I’m typically between an XS and a small in tops (more on the Small side when nursing), and this XS is plenty roomy.

Farm Rio Jungle Flow Maxi Skirt: The exact same light, airy 100% cotton fabrication as the top but with a cotton lining. The beaded drawstring is super-pretty here too. I sized up to a small for the skirt, thinking that the elasticized waist might be too snug because I tend to be straighter through the middle, but I could have gotten away with an XS. Note that I’m 5’5″ and wearing this pretty high-waisted with flat sneakers, and it’s nearly floor-skimming. (The description says it’s about 40 inches in total length, but I’m kind of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants when it comes to measurements and sizing, so do with that what you will.) You could most definitely wear it lower on the waist or hips or add a platform or heeled shoe to make it work for a variety of heights.

Fila Madina Mixed Media High-Tops: I love a classic all-white high-top, and the mix of canvas and leather trim on these makes them just different enough while still being completely timeless. I’ve paired them with all manner of jeans too, and I’m convinced they’re literally the perfect white sneaker (and at a great price). And, friends, I’m so tickled these are Fila! What’s old is new again, and I am LOVING it. Wearing my usual size 8, and they were comfy straight outta the box.

Longchamp Green District Belt Bag: I’m slowly amassing a small collection of belt bags (or hip packs, whatever you call them), and they’ve seen so much more wear than any of my other purses of late. This belt bag from Longchamp’s Green District line is designed to be unisex, so the one flaw for me is that, on its smallest setting, it’s too large to be worn on my straighter hips. (If you’re curvier, though, this could be just the ticket!) That said, I tend to wear this style of bag as a crossbody 90% of the time, so with the sustainable, recycled-nylon construction, the sleek appearance that can be dressed up or down, and the generously sized, easy-to-access interior, it’s a keeper for me. Bonus points that the black nylon hides stains and is easy to wipe clean of things like spilled milk or spit-up.

Shop More Nursing-Friendly Matching Sets from Saks

A few more seriously pretty, breast-feeding-friendly two-piece sets that can be dressed up or down and mixed and matched all summer long.

Shop Cute Nursing-Friendly Dresses from Farm Rio

Saks’ selection of Farm Rio pieces is pretty stellar. In fact, I tried this cutout maxi dress first as a nursing-friendly option, and while it absolutely would have been the perfect way to hack a maxi for breastfeeding, the weight of the skirt made it hang lower on my hips (read: show a lot more tummy) than I was expecting. But the craftsmanship was gorgeous, and the effect was really freaking sexy. (If you’re as drawn to it as I was, I recommend sizing down; the elastic is quite stretchy, and the full skirt does add weight.) More truly beautiful, nursing-friendly Farm Rio dresses below.

So pleased to have upheld my informal summer ritual by adding such a statement-making set to my closet. Now, it’s just a matter of digging up any and all excuses to wear it. (Camp pickup and grocery shopping totally count, right?)

xo!
Em

Thank you so much to Saks for sponsoring this post. The Saks shopping experience both in-store and online always makes me feel like a bonafide grown-up — it’s just so lovely — and it was truly a treat choosing a couple of really exciting, playful pieces that will carry me through this summer’s activities and live in my closet well beyond. And thank you, as always, for reading along with us and supporting our brand partners here at The Mom Edit. It genuinely means so much!

Friends! Follow me on Instagram for accessible, easily adaptable recipes; sneak peeks of The Mom Edit content (and sales!); and more snippets of our life on the Northern California coast. And if you feel so inclined, pop over to my personal food + lifestyle blog, The Pig & Quill, where I share salty scribblings from my kitchen and home life. Byeeeeee.

Photos by the lovely Carolyn Stockman.

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