Weekend Dress

Last weekend, Justin and I took a trip, as usual, to a couple of small towns northeast of where we live. The pier on which I stand in this photo very well could be the longest wooden pier in the whole state, and the houses behind me are the cutest little community called Indianola, which started as a community of summer homes and is now a census-designated place with its own post office (again, probably one of tiniest in the state, if not the whole country) and a club house.

Typically, I wear some kind of comfortable pants for our road trips. But this time, for some reason, I decided to pack a couple of my maxi dresses, a couple of my jackets and a couple of comfy and stylish flats. I was at ease during the whole trip. My outfits felt super comfortable, surprisingly even more comfortable than pants, and stylish, feminine and sensual at the same time. For breezy mornings, I just wore my green ASOS utility jacket which goes beautifully with pretty much anything and makes any outfit modern in an instant.

Even though I love vibrant colors, I also love quiet hues - like this heather grey dress. I do not wear such hues very often, but I definitely understand their calming appeal. I think I look like an organic part of this part of the world on a cloudy day like last Saturday. In my outfit, there is something from the forest, and something from the grey sky, and something from the sun trying get through the clouds. But I couldn't resist adding brights to it, and brought my Spring-like green flowery purse and a hand painted scarf with me.

You can find plenty of waterfront communities similar to Indianola all around Puget Sound. When we first arrived in Washington, we lived in a small community in a very similar setting. It is by far my most favorite kind of living to date. We rented a tiny cabin right on the shore, where we spent three challenging, yet very happy years of our life. A winding woodsy trail would take us down a very steep hill right to our cabin. It is where 4 year old Anya once said when I took off without waiting for Justin and her, "Mama, wait! There might be wild animals there! And you are just a little human girl!" It's amazing what's going on in the minds of children. We tend to think of them as little and somehow less knowledgeable compared to us, and in a practical sense, they are. But there are too many times when my little daughter would make me feel like she is my mother; not in a funny overprotecting kind of sense, but in the deeply touching way one soul can love and understand another soul.

The shoes are new, discounted at Nordstrom Rack (my favorite place for shoe shopping in the last few months). Very comfortable, lightweight, and I adore the print! Oh, they also are a bit shimmery which is always a good thing! :)

What makes a soft, free flowing and cozy cotton maxi dress a really good choice for travel is the fact that you can add (and remove) as many layers underneath as you want to for warmth and comfort. Think a camisole, T-shirt, leggings or tights, even an underskirt (I will admit that I have never thought about it as a layer for warmth, but after one discussion online I realized that it sure can add some extra coziness to a damp day). 

We are surrounded by two gorgeous mountain chains here, in the Puget Sound area (which help our mild climate). Here you can see the Olympic mountains in all their glory.

We came back to a lovely village which I have already shown in my blog a few times - remember my Washington Secrets not so long ago? It is one little area of Bainbridge Island called Lynnwood Center. I don't think many people know about it. I don't even want to advertise it much - I just love to have it to ourselves, yes, I am that selfish. :) But you are friends, so here you are. Now it's yours too! Isn't it adorable? Have you ever seen anything quite like it? I admire the attention to every little detail the architects of this place put into their project. It's not even a project when it is so obviously inspired - it is a labor of love.

We also went to movies again. This time, you wouldn't believe it, we watched... a cartoon! When did you guys watch a cartoon last time? I mean, a grown up cartoon? I don't think I ever did! There are cartoons which are made so brilliantly for all ages that we watch as a family, indeed. I also watched quite a few short cartoons for adults. But it was probably the very first two hour long adult cartoon I have ever seen. In case you will want to give it a try, I will not tell you what it was about. But I will tell you that it was an absolutely surprising subject, beautifully done. And also that I was happy that it was a subject which I knew Justin would appreciate, and he was worried that I would be bored to watch a cartoon about this subject. :) And now, when I got you totally confused and hopefully a little intrigued, I will leave you with a poster. Don't read reviews! Just get yourself and your spouse or a friend tickets and go to the movies! :)

Maxi dress - Old Navy (also worn here and here). Golden jacket - Chico's. Green jacket - ASOS. Shoes - Born. Purse - Nicole Lee. Batik scarf from Russia. Jewelry - gifts, boutique finds.

Locations: Indianola and Bainbridge Island.