Comfy Braided Sandals + Striped Dress

dolce vita paily slide sandals review

Dolce Vita sandals 5.5, Billabong smocked dress xs (can wear on & off the shoulder)

My mind’s been on blazers & layering lately, but Boston weather can never make up its mind. We’re in *maybe* the last 95 degree heat wave of summer right now, but I know many of you still have plenty of hot weather ahead. For staying cool, this darling striped dress is in a breathable cotton-linen blend and happens to also be nursing and bump friendly! I wore it here with a pair of sandals I’d been eying all summer and would typically pair this more casually with my flat slide sandals.

DV Braided Sandals

Sizes 5 – 12 in 7 colors

These have been on my radar since spring but have been sold out in smaller sizes until now! I had read the reviews of people raving that these were comfortable enough to wear all day (one reviewer said she could walk a mile in ’em….) and was pretty skeptical, but they actually are so comfortable and don’t feel like 3″ heels. For me, the comfort has to do with the pitch of the shoe which fits just right and supports my arches well. The block heel is also nice and sturdy.

For comfort across the top of the feet, the braided leather is padded and cushy so the straps fit my feet securely but aren’t constricting. If in between sizes like I am (usually a 5 or 5.5), I found these to fit TTS and ended up going with the 5.5 for enough length in the foot of the shoe. The neutral cafe color is a beautiful, versatile shade that’s elongating and pairs with pretty much everything!

Brixton Joanna straw sun hat

Cotton-linen Striped Dress

Sizes XL – L

Such a fun dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. The fabric is 85% cotton, 15% linen for a lightweight and breathable feel. It’s a little hard to tell in photos so I wanted to note that, in person, the pattern is a beige and white stripe. Because of the smocking the fit is pretty forgiving, and I love that the shoulders can be worn up or down for a flirty look. If you have more narrow shoulders and tend to find that sleeves like this usually slip down, that has not been an issue for me with this dress! I usually have to alter my other dresses and tops like this, but found the elastic here to stay put comfortably on my shoulders.

Brixton Straw Hat

Sizes XL – XL

This versatile hat has been a functional sunny day staple and is worth mentioning again! It comes in a wide range of sizes, which is rare to see in a hat without a designer price tag. I switch it up between wearing it forward facing or backwards (as shown in the above pic) if I want a more rounded front view. See it worn with more outfits here and here.

Thank you to Nordstrom for partnering on this post.

billabong smocked summer dress

puff sleeve summer dress

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12 Comments

  1. Jen wrote:

    The best part about these sandals is that they are vegan! Hooray!

    Posted 8.26.21 Reply
    • Jean | Extra Petite wrote:

      🙂

      Posted 8.27.21 Reply
  2. Sophia wrote:

    As someone who is looking to keep my closet versatile through pregnancy and beyond (I can’t spend all my money on clothes as much as I want to!), I love these posts on clothes that’s flattering for your bump and good for breastfeeding.

    Posted 8.26.21 Reply
    • Jean | Extra Petite wrote:

      Congratulations!! I’m so glad to hear that these types of outfit posts are helpful for you, Best of luck with your pregnancy!

      Posted 8.27.21 Reply
  3. Rose wrote:

    Hey Jean! Love this outfit–it’s so beautiful! I know every now and then you mention one of your pairs of sunglasses, and I was wondering, could you do a post on affordable sunglasses for small faces? I have a really small face, and I’ve been thinking it would be nice to get a pair of sunglasses that doesn’t look oversized. Thanks for your consideration!

    Posted 8.26.21 Reply
    • Barbara A Mallow wrote:

      I agree with the sunglasses suggestion!

      Also, where did you get the purse?

      Posted 8.26.21 Reply
      • Jean | Extra Petite wrote:

        It’s from a small shop I first found on Etsy! My exact bag isn’t in her Etsy shop anymore but it is available here on their website.

        Posted 8.27.21 Reply
    • Jean | Extra Petite wrote:

      I tend to go for oversized sunglasses or larger cat eyes, so won’t be of much help there but have you tried Warby Parker? If you don’t have a store near you they offer an at home try on service that’s pretty helpful to try on a range of frames! I’ve tried it before and they had options that suit smaller faces

      Posted 8.27.21 Reply
      • Anna wrote:

        I love these sunglasses on you! Could you please share where they are from? Thank you so much Jean 😎

        Posted 8.29.21 Reply
        • Jean | Extra Petite wrote:

          Thank you Anna! These are BP from Nordstrom and are a couple of years old but I’m on the lookout for a similar pair

          Posted 8.30.21 Reply
  4. Linna wrote:

    Very cute outfit! I also am surprised to hear how comfortable such a tall sandal is!

    Posted 8.26.21 Reply
    • Jean | Extra Petite wrote:

      I was so pleasantly surprised!

      Posted 8.27.21 Reply

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