We’ve had some hot and sultry days here in Atlanta this summer, so I’ve been on a mission to find some dresses to add to my summer wardrobe. Â I headed to one of my favorite shopping spots, TJ Maxx and Marshalls to see what they had. Â I scored at Marshalls this time and found 3 summer dresses that I’ll enjoy wearing this year. I found 2 knee length and one maxi dress. Â These will be perfect for so many occasions and they are in between sort of dresses and can be dressed up or down. I like versatility in clothing!
The best part, all of these were $30 each, definitely a good deal. And you know how I love a good deal.
I’m so attracted to the color turquoise, so all of these have a variation of this blue in them. Â That works for me since I have so many pieces of turquoise jewelry to mix it up.
This dress is by Studio Max. Â I love the colors and the pattern.
It’s a lightweight jersey knit type fabric and should wash and wear very well. Â I wore my neutral tan leather sandals with it. Â I could also wear flat white sandals as well for another casual look.
The back is cut in, so I’m wearing a strapless bra with all of these dresses. Â You just have to find what works for you. Â I also have a racer back bra that I wear with many things during the summer months, but if you find a good strapless, it’s easy and you don’t have to worry about straps at all.
Here’s a Warner’s strapless bra  (affiliate link) I found last year that I’ve really enjoyed. It doesn’t move around like some of the others I’ve worn.
So that is one cool and casual summer dress I found. Â I added turquoise jewelry and stacking bracelets, which I’ll show you down below.
The next dress is a colorful and summery cotton dress, all lined and by Nine West. Â I couldn’t resist this one, it’s so feminine and will be fun for some special occasions. Â It has pockets on it and is very comfortable. Â This dress has bra strap snaps on the straps so I could wear a regular bra with this one.
I love the colors and pattern. Â I already had these Michael Kors wedge lime green shoes.
More colorful jewelry adds a summer touch and I’m ready to go.
One more look at a casual cotton summer sundress by Nine West.
I found this dress online too, so take a look if you love it. Nine West floral sundress (affiliate link)
The last dress I found is a maxi and I love it. Â So comfortable and drapes well, not showing too much, but accenting.
It hits me below the ankles and I think this might be my favorite. Â I wore it with a couple pairs of shoes, the first my fabric wedges from White Mountain Lakefront.
And, yay I found this exact dress online so you can order it too if you like it. Emma and Michele maxi dress (affiliate link). This is an even better deal than I got at Marshalls. Just for reference, mine is a size Small and I normally wear a 6. Looks like they’ve only got M and L left in this dress.
The back is scooped, but not too bare with wide shoulder straps.
This dress feels great on and I loved wearing it out. Â More turquoise jewelry for an accent.
And I wore these Ellen Tracy strappy black sandals with it too. Â I got these from TJ Maxx a couple years ago.
Such a fun summer look and dresses are definitely cooler than pants during the summer. Â I love that feminine dresses are making a comeback and it’s been fun to add them to my wardrobe this year.
In fact, I stopped in Goodwill last week and found 2 more summer dresses that I brought home for a real bargain. Â Wait til you see the Ann Taylor halter dress I found, new with tags on! Â I’ll share those soon.
Here are all the jewelry pieces I had on, minus the watch. Â I love mixing up jewelry and stacking bracelets. Â Just have fun with your jewelry, it really makes a different adding jewelry to your outfits.
There is a huge Nordstrom sale that offers early access (July 9-16) for Nordstrom Reward members, but you can still shop the sale starting on the 17th. I hear it’s a great one!
If you’re in the market for summer dresses too, here are a few more dresses (and a couple tops) by Studio Max and Nine West that I thought you might enjoy! With the affiliate links in my post, I do earn a small commission on purchases.
I love them all!
I just love summer dresses!! They are cool to wear and oh so feminine. I don’t know which dress I like the best — the maxi would be perfect for a summer evening.
I didn’t like the first dress on you. The dress is definitely not for someone over 50. The waist was too high and didn’t lay properly and the skirt was too short.
Just an FYI, the waist on that first dress is Empire and is supposed to be high.
All the dresses looked great on you. Thanks for sharing!
I love this dress on you, Rhoda! I’m 56 and the length is definitely not too short. The empire waist is flattering on all body types, and on any age, as it elongates your body.
Rhoda, you are in great shape and beautifully toned! With that being said, you can wear just about anything in good taste!!
I liked all three dresses but I think #1 is the best. It is flattering and is very cute and sassy. It is not too short–my goodness it’s just at your knees. I really enjoy your blog and like how you bring in different figure types and ages.
Rhoda~ You look amazing as always. I live in dresses all summer, they are simple and cooler, for sure. I love all the dresses and love the bargain’s you found.
I like all the dresses, but particularly like #2 – the ‘garden’ dress. It looks rather like an English tea dress, fresh and pretty colours, just sings of summer. Fabulous!
Love all of them. Can you tell me where you got the jewelry you wore with dress #2 please.
HI, DJ, my sis passed that set on to me and I’m sure it’s a few years old. Have no idea where she got it.
Rhoda,
You look beautiful as always, but I must say that you wear dress #2 best! It just looks like it fits ‘you’ so perfectly:) and the jewelry was perfectly complimentary! That one looks classic, and stunning on you! 🙂 really enjoy your blog btw.
Rhoda, I totally agree with Rebecca. Great fashion suggestions. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I also think the 2nd dress looks best on you, Rhoda. The colors are perfect for you. I think your turquoise toenails are a nice finishing touch to your outfits, as well.
The second dress is my favorite, no doubt about it.
I love them all. The first one is my favourite. You really suit the empire line. I am also a fan of halter styles and cut away shoulders, which look so stylish when they are a good fit (like yours)with good underwear.
I’m from the UK, and on a visit to Tennessee last month, during very hot weather, I was often the only person wearing a dress on guided tours and out and about during the day. Most people wore shorts. Older ladies wore three quarter length pants. Apart from feeling a little conspicuous in my frock, I was very comfortable in the heat with no restrictive waistbands etc and they take up so little space in a suitcase.
In general, is it rare to see dresses being worn daytime in the heat of the South?
On another note, you just can’t go wrong with sandals in both neutral and black.
Hi, Karen, that is an interesting observation from someone from the UK. I do think a lot of women wear shorts and cropped pants and don’t think about wearing dresses this time of year (old habits, maybe?). I do have friends who wear dresses a lot, but I guess it’s not always the norm. And I haven’t always worn a lot of dresses in summer. But you are right, dresses are very cool and less binding when you are out and about in the heat. I’ll be wearing more of them this year.
Love the dresses especially the second one with lime green shoes and jewelry…..sou cute! I actually have that dress in red. Bought when on sale & took to the alterations lady and she took the straps up for a fish fry at the Highland Club. You have great taste and flattering dresses on you , all three! Love your fashion posts!!
Hi Ronda,
Love all the dresses and they all look good. But I have a question I keep forgetting to ask you, what color is your house? I love it. Is it vinyl or wood siding?
Thanks,
Donna
HI, Donna, my house color is Sherwin Williams Dovetail and it is concrete siding (like Hardie plank). I had it painted last year.
Thank you for the information, I can’t wait until Wednesday to see what you have posted. I just love your blog, you are so inspiring.
Donna
We all need to be careful in what we think looks good on us. The first dress, I have to admit was not a winner. The long dress looked very nice on you and was my favorite for 50 and over. The reason why, is because I think older women would feel more comfortable in a longer style dress for summer. Our legs don’t look like they once did no matter how thin we are. 🙂
You look great in all these dresses but the second one is my favorite. It’s such a beautiful dress and I love the cut and colors on you. I love how you put yourself out there for your readers, although it leaves you open for unneeded criticisms. Thank you! You have also been inspiring me to use more greens and blues in my decorating. I’m really benefiting from it! Enjoy the sun!!
I agree totally with your comments. All the dresses are lovely but I really love the second one. I love the style and the color. I do think Miss Rhoda, for some reason, gets more unneeded criticisms than most bloggers I read. Could the green eyed devil be lurking around???? There is a way to express yourself that doesn’t sound ugly, perhaps some people just hit send before they think it through.
I just bought this dress in orange for $22.50 on Amazon! I hope Rhoda doesn’t mind my posting it. Even though it said Juniors, it is quite roomy in the hips. My husband, the fashion police for older women, likes it!
Roxy Juniors Cover Up Ikat Dream Cover-Up Dress
Hey, Nancy, that is fine to post a link. Share away! Thank you for chiming in. 🙂
That’s not really a link. The way it ties you can adjust it to have a quite modest neckline, or quite risque is that’s what you want.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Roxy+Juniors+Cover+Up+orange+Ikat+Dream+Cover-Up+Dress
I think all the outfits look great. But..the photobombing dog cracked me up!
Rhoda, I like all the dresses. Not that my opinion matters, but I think if you are in shape and feel good about yourself, anything goes. You look marvelous in the first dress, as well as the others. I’m 52 and have a small frame like you, but definitely not tone like you. You rock those dresses and don’t listen to the haters!
Thank you all for stopping by today! You know, I do put myself out there in blogging every day and fashion is no different, so sometimes criticism comes with the territory. I think I look at myself pretty objectively when I’m trying on clothes and looking in the mirror. If it’s too tight, too short, too revealing, too whatever and I don’t feel pretty in it, then I won’t buy it. As we get older, we do have to look at clothing with a good eye on what is flattering and what is not. I feel good in all of these dresses and will wear them proudly! I don’t expect everyone to like everything I wear either and that is where we all have different tastes and styles.
Rhoda:
I loved all three dresses, including number 1, and thing all look great on you and age appropriate.
In my opinion dress number 1 is stylish and not too young at all. I applaud your attitude and think wearing what feels good is the best style guide. Nobody, even 20 year old girls, is perfect. If we are too worried about covering up arms and legs and necks and every wrinkle and sag we’ll be wearing bags. I think aging gracefully is a good example for our children. Love your blog!
Well said. None of us is going to look like we did when we were 21 at 53 lol. Some of these comments are so rude. I’m not going to walk around wearing baggy pants or shawls though. I work hard looking for clothing to look my age but are good looking at the same time.
I got a Max sundress recently at Nordstrom Rack. I’m a size 6 like you but only 5’1″ and busty. The empire styles look horrible on me. Mine is a above knee length shift with a modest cut out in the back. Like yours it’s a fun print in beautiful colors. Only $29 !
All the dresses are beautiful and you look great in all of them!
They all look nice, but I really like the middle one. It’s so summery and happy looking. I also enjoyed seeing Cody in the doorway watching the fashion show. 🙂
I liked all the dresses. Regarding the comment about older legs, mine may not look like they once did but they still take me where I need to go. I like to wear shorts, skirts, dresses and ankle pants. I love the freedom of wearing fashionable clothes . I am 60 and don’t want to look matronly or like a teenager. I think you give suggestions of appropriate clothes. I love your jewelry too.
Don’t you just love TJ’s and Marshall’s? The TJ’s close to me is just wonderful. I loved seeing you model and dresses to seem to be very popular. I have the Today Show on this morning and I was admiring the hosts in their beautiful summer, floral dresses.
I have to say my favorite dress and my favorite for how it looks on you is the second dress. Lookin good, kiddo!