I don’t pay too much attention to trends anymore, which is why this tie-dye thing—which is very big at the moment—caught me by surprise. I dislike most things that skew too hippie-girl, and so I’m liking those pieces that are pretty clean-lined—nothing handkerchief-hem or flouncy—and I’d wear them with similarly clean-lined pieces. I think this button-down is right on the money in that respect.
This huge quilted tote by M.Z. Wallace has a slightly Japanese shibori vibe.
This tee could actually be totally office-appropriate with the right pencil skirt or skinny pants.
A well-priced and ladylike knife-pleat skirt that looks very Prada from back when Prada was really cool.
I’ve got a few pricier-than-usual tees in this post, and this 6397 number is one of them, but I just love that red.
And because I’ve got a few expensive tees in this post, here’s a cute cheap one.
And another cheap tee, in a very pretty lilac.
This blazer is just a kick.
These espadrilles don’t overdo it, which is why I think they work. Perfect for the beach.
An ideal tote for carrying to the greenmarket.
This charmeuse blouse is the most hippie-ish piece here, but the subdued colors keep it sophisticated.
This tee almost looks like a floral print.
A chic pull-on skirt that’d be great on really hot days.
I like the stripe action here.
Just a very cozy-looking hoodie in the always fun color combination of pink and red.
I want this dress very much—the silhouette is nice and relaxed, and the print makes a statement but doesn’t overwhelm.
A lightweight summer scarf that’d be aces with an all-white outfit.
And finally: I think this cami is just gorgeous—brown and red are an unexpectedly good combination—and I would wear it peeking out from under a blazer or cardigan.
I’ve also been surprised to find myself seriously reconsidering tie-dye! Found a little sustainable brand on Instagram – – a woman who hand-dyes lovely scarves, etc.
— and am tempted to order one of her beautiful silk blanket scarves, which are very reasonably priced:
https://argamandefiance.com/collections/cozy-collection/products/fine-silk-blanket-scarf-machine-washable?variant=15039518736427
While I find tie-dye appealing in my retro hippie girl moments…say while listening to The Dead, and I could see myself adding Shibori pillows to my living room sofa, when I see tie-dye I’m reminded of every tee shirt my girls made at camp and wore to smithereens. To each, her own!
Given where I live ^^ there is no tie-dye in my sartorial repertoire and never will there be.
Just fyi. I happened to have tried on the striped one from Nordstrom, black with white tie-dyed stripes. It wasn’t very special in person so I returned it.
I lived the sixties tie-dye movement and don’t think I could do it again. Maybe the more shibori looking top in the first pic, but…I’m going to have to sit with it…
Get thee to a goodwill where pretty much all these styles can be had for under 20.00. my child has quite the wardrobe of tiedye all from the thrift racks. The sixties never died around here (SF bay area)
I’ve been weirdly attracted to tie-dye this year, and hippie stuff has never appealed. I think the colors are what tip the balance – blacks, browns and indigo reads more sophisticated than trippy.
As with patchouli, I have come around on tie-dye but only when it is indigo shibori, which presents as much more restrained and elegant than the 70’s psychedelic tie-dye I grew up with. And patchouli improves when it isn’t being used to cover pot-smoking and unwashed body odor.
Surprisingly, I do like a lot of these. I prefer the more subtle stripey tie dyes versus the circular. I’ve got to be honest here: that Ambush tee (still over $100 on sale) looks eerily similar to one my daughter made last weekend with a t-shirt and dye bought from JoAnn’s Fabric (under $10 and yes, I used the mandatory coupon – just plain silly if you don’t).
That cami…..sigh. And, I was really tempted w/the All Saints tee until I realized it was severely cropped. Does any GoaCA really do cropped??
I do cropped tops with severely high waisted skirts, nothing shows, but just in case I always wear a knit cami underneath. I don’t like cropped tops that show skin on anyone over the age of five, but I find the high waist short top to be a very flattering cut for my long waisted figure.
I will amend my comment below to accommodate this way of wearing of crop tops. 🙂
While there are GOACA that have the bods to pull it off, I think severe crop tops, mini skirts and shredded jeans belong to the younger gals. Never fear, as we gain much more after 40 that more than makes up for that loss in the closet. 🙂 That said, you will have to pry red lipstick from my cold dead hand, even those it’s supposed to be an “over 40 no-no.”
One is never too old for red lipstick!
Amen!
In support of your red lipstick choice, Mindy…I observed Blythe Danner yesterday wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and bright deep red lipstick. She looked gorgeous.
Blythe would look gorgeous in a burlap sack.