Striped 1901 Midi Dress + New $100 Giveaway

1901 Stripe Midi Dress (Other 1901 products included in the Anniversary Sale.) / Jack Rogers (Run TTS.) / Longchamp Expandable Tote (I think it’ll be restocked in a couple of days; be on the lookout. In the meantime, here’s the leather version which is part of the sale, the traditional tote, and the backpack.) / Barefoot Dreams Cardigan (Also love this one and this one.) / Similar Sunglasses

I have so many things to tell you, so let’s do this bullet-point style!

  • I finally photographed my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale purchases, and I’m going to be sharing a ton of outfits over the next couple of weeks. (Have you seen my ultimate guide to shopping the sale, my “dressing room stories part I” and my “dressing room stories part II”?) The reason for this is two-fold. 1) I’m hoping that this will be helpful to you when you’re deciding what to purchase, and 2) I need to preload the blog with tons of content because…
  • I’m heading out on a 10-day, multi-state, multi-island excursion on Friday! We’re going to Arkansas for a REALLY fun kids’ project… and then we’re headed to Martha’s Vineyard with Vineyard Vines to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary. And after that, we’re ferrying over to Nantucket to see my family and celebrate my cousin Sammy’s birthday. It’s going to be a whirlwind, but I’m looking forward to every bit of it. And I can’t wait to share it with you! ☺ My thought is that I’m going to share mostly iPhone photos via Instagram and Facebook–are we friends yet?!–and when I get back, I’ll create actual blog posts about our travels. As much as I adore taking photos, culling and editing them takes a while, and I don’t want to spend trips behind a computer screen. I want to be with Mitch and Emma and friends and family. :) Which is why while I’m gone, you’ll likely see some Ocean City, Bermuda and even Washington, D.C. content here on the actual blog. I used to feel guilty about not getting content up as soon as possible after a big event, but over the last year, I’ve realized that it doesn’t matter. Heck, it’s almost more fun to revisit these wonderful events a few weeks (or months 😳) later because I kind of get to relive them that way!
  • I’m hosting a new $100 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale giveaway today! To enter, it’s the same old, same old with a twist. Comment on this blog post with one interesting fact about yourself so I can get to know you better. I know I’m the WORST at responding to comments as I’m apparently completely incapable of juggling #momlife with #familylife with #sociallife and #blog/worklife, but I swear that Mitch and I do read them throughout the day… and they are everything. Like, you guys are just the best. So many good hearts out there, and I’m lucky to be connected to you in this weird internet-y way. ;) Anyway… you’ll be given a second chance by commenting on tomorrow’s blog post, and the winner will be announced on Friday. (I’ll also be hosting a LARGER giveaway on Friday, so be sure to come back then! It’s when Public Access starts, and I’ll be sharing everything that’s been restocked, too.) Just be sure to leave your e-mail address in this non-spammy format so I can get in touch with you: kelly [at] kellyinthecity [dot] com. Congrats to Lauren V. and Maggie P. for winning the last two giveaways!
  • There are three great Nordstrom Anniversary products in today’s outfit post. Details below!

1901 Stripe Midi Dress

It was love at first site when I saw this one. It screams Kelly Larkin. ;) The navy stripes?! The buttons down the back?! The midi cut?! The sleeves?! It was a no-brainer, for sure.

First of all, I couldn’t believe how flattering the dress was. Even Mitch commented on how much taller I looked when I was wearing it, and he’s constantly (lovingly) teasing me for being a shorty. (I’m between 5’4 and 5’5, btw. Pretty average, I’d say! But I guess when I take my heels off, it’s a noticeable difference, haha.)

I also love that I can wear the dress now, but also well into the fall. It’s a classic! And it’s 100-percent coming with me to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket! I found that it’s lightweight enough to stay cool throughout the day, but then substantial enough to provide some coziness for chillier nights.

A note about sizing: I would go up one size in this. I almost always wear an 0/XS in dresses since I have a small frame, but I definitely needed to size up to the small. Granted, I tend to like my clothing a little looser, but friends who have the dress agree that it runs a little small.

For styling, I would recommend scrunching/rolling the sleeves, just because I love that look. ;)

Btw: 1901 (Nordstrom’s preppiest line) has a ton included in the Anniversary Sale right now!

Longchamp Expandable Tote

I know. The expandable version is currently sold out. But I’m pretty sure it’s going to be restocked in a couple of days when Public Access goes live, as that’s what happened last year. So keep an eye out for it!

My thoughts on the tote is that it’s a fabulous travel bag. I don’t know about you guys, but I always leave for trips with a reasonable amount of stuff in my tote and return with it overflowing. 😂 SO NICE that it expands to just about double its zippered size for occasions like this. Basically, it’s the Disorganized Girl’s dream bag.

I’ve received a few questions about what I think about the zipper, and I have to say that I think it’s really cute! You see the traditional tote (also a must-have, and currently in stock) everywhere, but the zippered version is far less common. I like that! And yes: it’s very easy to zipper apart and together. And that’s coming from a girl whose coats eat their zippers on the reg. (Anyone else ever get stuck in their coat at the worst possible moment? Ugh. It happened to me on a first date once. So embarrassing, haha.)

Side note: this leather version of the bag is part of the sale, and it’s a dream if it’s within budget. And this is the backpack I use when I want to be hands-free with Emma. It’s awesome! Holds a lot.

Barefoot Dreams Cardigan

YES. Friends, the Barefoot Dreams collection lives up to the hype. They are BY FAR the coziest, softest sweaters I’ve ever owned (literally zero itch), and I can’t recommend swooping one or two up right now, since they’re marked down.

The one I’m wearing in these photos has more of a wrap feel to it, and I like the fact that it doesn’t have a hood. (Makes it a little dressier.) The hooded version in gray, though, is definitely my favorite. It’s a little thinner but I just think it’s going to go with so much this fall, and will accompany me on nearly every trip to the playground. (So cute over a button-down, right?!) I’ll admit that I also have the more substantial cardigan, which is what I reach for at night. It’s my cozy, hang-on-the-back-of-the-office-door sweater. It’s a little bulkier but all the more cozy because of it.

1901 Stripe Midi Dress | Kelly in the City
1901 Stripe Midi Dress
1901 Stripe Midi Dress and Longchamp Expandable Tote | Kelly in the City
 Longchamp Expandable Tote
 Longchamp Expandable Tote
 Longchamp Expandable Tote
1901 Stripe Midi Dress | Kelly in the City

Shop the post:

1901 Stripe Knit Midi Dress (Other 1901 products included in the Anniversary Sale.) / Jack Rogers (Run TTS.) / Longchamp Expandable Tote (I think it’ll be restocked in a couple of days; be on the lookout. In the meantime, here’s the leather version which is part of the sale, the traditional tote, and the backpack.) / Barefoot Dreams Cardigan (Also love this one and this one.) / Similar Sunglasses

Don’t forget to comment in the below comment section to be entered to win $100 to shop the sale or buy a ton of gummy bears!

Other Nordstrom Anniversary Sale content:

Other Nordstrom Anniversary Sale content

Ultimate Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Guide

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Dressing Room Stories, Part I

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Dressing Room Stories, Part I

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Dressing Room Stories, Part II

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Dressing Room Stories, Part II