Welp it’s my husband’s late July birthday which means that Back to School is almost here. We live in Ohio, where public schools return mid August and it can sneak up quick. Chris’ birthday has always been a quiet clue that I need to get my shit together for the kids school needs.
And with baby girl planned to arrive the last week of August, it especially feels like August is barreling towards me at record speed. So I’m doing what every good mom would do… spending loads of time building unnecessary mood boards on Canva!!
Oh wait that’s just my (medicated) ADHD at the wheel. Thankfully I'm a content creator and can justify said mood boards for content.
No. But in all seriousness, I am trying to get my shit together. Truly. It’s quite difficult with three boys at home for summer. And a pregnancy that requires me to be at my OB’s office 2x a week for monitoring (baby girl is great, I’m just over 40 and therefore require closer monitoring). PLUS! I have pregnancy anemia that requires weekly iron infusions (I have had this with all four kids and it’s not enjoyable to deal with).
Phew. Seriously. How I am getting anything done right now is truly mind boggling.
So let’s jump in: Late Summer Vibes
To me, now is not the time to be buying much. We are approaching a seasonal transition and it’s more about styling tricks that can take your current warm weather wardrobe and make it feel a touch of Fall:
A silk scarf that adds a layer without adding warmth.
Loafer mules that feel a little more back to school than simple thong sandals. I saw lot of similar - more affordable - options at Nordstrom this week in the anniversary sale but I cannot stress enough how well made and comfortable Jamie Haller’s shoes are.
Classic white reigns supreme and feels fresh again as denim comes back into the mix.
It’s really a busy time for most of us so it’s nice to keep our outfits simple and try not to overthink it! I did just buy this lightweight plaid button down and these red pants as simple pieces to add a little color transition (think primary) to my existing late summer wardrobe.
Outfits I’m Loving + Repeating:
For myself, with a sizable baby bump now fully in the mix, I’ve been reaching for featherweight fabrics with lots of room for me to move throughout the day. Simple black thongs and artful accessories round out each look.
Plaid dress look: Dress (sold out, top version here), Bandana, Sandals, Sunnies
Green pants look: Top (sold out), Pants (this is the updated green for Fall that I also want), Sandals, Sunnies, Bag
What I’m Still Planning to Wear:
My plan for the next 6 weeks is to just wear as much all white as I can possibly stand. Once baby girl is here, I’ll be managing leaky boobs and post delivery bleeding so white will be completely impractical. But for my current end of summer vibe, it’s so chic, so simple, and perfect for this time of year.
I’m really digging the look with a funky head scarf to add visual interest.
Outfit Formulas I’m Loving Right Now (aka my styling shots):
All black outfit with over the top statement earrings. Alison’s earrings (upper left corner) and mine are Juju Vera. This would be a great vibe for a dinner out, Zoom call or a work commitment.
Printed kimono/caftan dress with statement accessories and a straw bag. Perfect for any summer commitment: dinner out, vacation look, daytime events (showers, parties, etc.) or farmer’s market.
Baby tee, sporty shorts with a long sleeve tee tied around the waist (helps add visual interest and then you can put it on in the A/C). I would add simple black leather flip flops to this vibe to avoid it reading total gym outfit. This would make a great look for a day spent with your kids, running errands or morning walks.
Loose nightgown-esque dress with air dried hair and black leather sandals. This would make a great look for sightseeing, brunch with the girls, shopping day, etc. This look made me feel like a million bucks in 90 degree sightseeing in NYC at 7.5 months pregnant!
A coordinated set but in all white (I’m patiently waiting for my sizes to restock in this Dissh outfit - top + shorts). This would make such a great look for vacation, sightseeing, or a casual family dinner/family outing.
What I’m Buying for Fall:
I’ve fully switched over to only buying items I want for the Fall season ahead. We don’t have much planned since I’ll be having the baby at the end of August but it’s my favorite fashion season of the year and I’ll likely try to help my postpartum mental state by finding a few reasons to get fully dressed.
Non denim pants. I ordered these orange pants in the Jamie Haller summer sale knowing full well I can style them in a multitude of ways for Fall, Winter and Spring 2027. I’m all about non denim pants this year and cannot get enough of bright orange so these were a no brainer for me.
Natalie Martin’s new arrivals. Im love the detailing on this shirt and her new take on the classic Fiore dress silhouette. Will definitely be buying both as they are so easy for postpartum dressing. I also just bought this pareo to style with a button down.
A custom quilted jacket by my friend NY Kamping. Elijah’s already sold the jacket on the mood board but I asked him to keep a lookout for a similar patterned vintage quilt so that I can have one just like it! . If you’re going to buy yourself one special thing this year, I can’t recommend a custom order from NY Kamping more.
A check button down. The one Olivia is wearing in the image is vintage Pendleton and I plan on spending lots of time looking for a similar one on Ebay (no success yet). But until then, I ordered this lightweight seersucker version from the Gap sale so I can wear it now.
Jamie Haller loafers. Jamie Haller just restocked her viral penny loafers and if you’ve had these on your radar, now is a great time to scoop them up (they sell out). I have the leopard pony hair version and I’m debating between black or oxblood in the leather version for my next pair (perfect for year round but especially fun to style in the Fall).
Preparing for Baby Girl:
I learned in my third pregnancy that having a few aesthetic items that were totally unnecessary really helped my mood the first few months postpartum. Those items include: stroller basket, diaper pouch, beautiful blankets, and breast feeding outfits that feel like me.
I’m on the hunt for great sleepwear and eyeing this nightgown. My mom got me these already and I just scooped up this robe in the Nordstrom sale. I also found this Free People set which I think will be great for cluster feeding at the hospital (went with pink of course).
Since I already donated or passed down every single baby item we had (minus our favorite pack n play for my niece/nephews use), we are trying to repurpose our existing kids gear. This is our favorite travel stroller that we still use daily with the kids and it has a newborn attachment that I found on massive sale at Nordstrom! So we ordered that instead of a completely new stroller.
I’ve never been able to shop girls baby clothes beyond a few items here and there for my niece. I’ve ordered this, this, this and this for baby girl.
Fall Family Photos:
I fear it is not too early to start planning for Fall Family photos. You definitely need to have your photographer booked by this point. And coordinating multiple looks for your family takes time. I have an entire post about how I approach styling these annual photos here.
For this year, we’ll be Up North so I’m leaning into a more apple orchard vibe with chore jackets and autumnal colors (most of us are an autumn palette in our color analysis so this works well). Not gonna lie, having a baby girl to style in the mix feels extremely fun and exciting. I’ve already bought her a few pieces that could work but my guess is that she’ll end up in the pink hand knit sweater my aunt has made for her.
Since I'll be just one month postpartum for the photos, I will be keeping to loose and flowy. Maybe even as simple as a white skirt, chore jacket and loafers. Or I might default to my favorite Natalie Martin Fiore dress shape which I feel the most myself in (As someone who is on camera a lot, do not underestimate the importance of comfort for a shoot. The camera will pick up if you’re fidgety or distracted by your clothes. This is true for your family members too.)
And lastly, what I’m reading:
I always try to squeeze in some last minute marathon reading sessions before I go into a foggy newborn mama phase. I recently read Yesteryear. OOF. You guys warned me in my DMs and for good reason. It’s a wild ride, with a twist I couldn’t predict. Everyone is talking about the clear inspiration from Ballerina Farms but to me it was more Black Swan vibes.
Now I’m about 100 pages into Land and enjoying that a lot so far. Especially since one of the main characters is ten and my oldest son just turned ten last week. Hoping to make real progress on Land over the weekend.
Hope you enjoyed this latest installment of the Vibes series. I know I enjoyed making it! You can explore all the links from this post here.
Kate
I can see the Black Swan Vibes for Yesteryear. My book club read this last month and one of the women thought the author took inspiration from Ballerina Farm and Ruby Franke. Nobody in the book club was sure how to what to make of the ending which I felt didn’t really hold together.
Had to chime in and say that If Only If makes hands down the best nightgowns I've ever tried. A beautiful addition to your postpartum experience!