One thing I love about wearing (and designing) dresses is their versatility.  I also love being able to transform a look I have just by adding a new accessory. 

Let's take a look at the Beach Dress, shall we?

First of all, this dress looks great on many different body types.  The asymmetrical neckline and the flattering waistline really is designed to cover any imperfections you may feel in your stomach area.  

Plus there are pockets!  I mean, who doesn't love a good pocket?  If you can get away without wearing a purse for the evening, it's the perfect size for your iphone and some lipstick.

I love seeing my customers in clothing I designed.  But, I especially love to see the combinations they come up with to make it their own look.  I appreciate that two people can be wearing the same dress and it can be styled to look differently on each person.  

I've seen some great belts with this dress.  Here are some examples of how you can change out this dress to keep it current and fresh.

Bright Skinny Belt

Photo via J.Crew

A pop of color can make even the dreariest days seem delightful.  And remember your shoes don't need to match your belt or purse.

Vintage Belt

Photo via Ebay.  Ebay has some awesome vintage belts (plus it's a more eco-friendly option.)

How have you (or would you) take this dress to make it your own?

In my personal life, I am dedicated to eco-friendly practices.  Let the record reflect, that I do not claim to be an all-knowing, green expert.  Nor are all of my practices 100% eco-friendly. 

But, I TRY.

So it is what it is.  And I'm learning as I go.  I'd like to share what I learn so that we can all try together.  Because that is what this life is all about - learning as we go to make the world a better place.  Didn't you learn anything from Michael Jackson? 

Michael Jackson - Heal the World video

One of my favorite green websites to go to is Care2.  I find that the information they post is interesting and relevant and I find that I can learn enough to form my own opinions on what living green means for me and my family.

A lot of my research deals with the farming industry since that is where the fashion industry has it's roots.  So while this doesn't directly deal with fashion, it is important to me since it has a lot to do with the wonderful farmers who grow our food and our clothes.  So onto the topic of the day...

MILK.  My husband and I have a one and half year old who drinks a lot of it.  I was lucky enough to be able to breastfeed her for 14 months.  When I was weaning her, we got to decide if we were going to switch her to regular cow's milk, organic cow's milk, goat milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, etc.  Really the possibilities were endless.  In the end we decided to go with organic cow's milk.  If you want start learning a bit I think a good place to start is here and here.  I must admit, if our circumstances were different, I'd kinda want to live on a farm and drink raw milk from my very own cow.  Just sayin'.

(photo courtesy)

I'd love to know: What (if any) types of milk do you drink in your home?

I read this article at Care2.com and wanted to pass along the information to you.  It covers everything from packing peanuts to carpet to bras!  Who knew?  It should make you think twice before tossing those old Christmas lights, that's for sure!