A Nice Little Saturday

So I woke up at 6:53 a.m. on Saturday morning and could not return to sleep.  When I got up to start my day seven minutes of tossing and turning later, I realized that I have officially left “young adulthood” / “early 20s” and moved into “older person” territory.  Not necessarily a bad thing — just a new development.  The early rise meant that I had precious extra hours to soak up the early summer day.  Perfect for hitting up the local farmer’s market and delighting in the freshness of the produce with my fiance.

(image courtesy of A Creative Mint’s stimulating, excellently styled blog)

Inspired by Madewell’s recent eShop launch and the casual-cool vibe their current collection projects, I dreamt up a laidback Farmers-Market-early-Saturday-morning-stroll outfit.  (You’ll notice that everything in this post is under $200 — and most well under $100.  I’ve received a number of urgent requests for more affordable fare, so I’ll be trying to stay budget-friendly for at least a couple of posts a month…but a girl’s got to dream!)  For the Saturday morning market, I was thinking an easy breezy little eyelet dress ($148, Madewell) and some strappy flat sandals ($98, Madewell):

I like the idea of accessorizing with some chunky wood jewelry (fits the whole organic food / close-to-the-earth Farmer’s Market deal).  Maybe this Jones New York necklace ($55, Jones New York)?

For more of a Parisian-chic “marche en plein air” look, check out this precious navy-and-white combo dress ($98, Anthropologie):

Pair with some open-weave white flats — these “knotted” Belle by Sigerson Morrisons are chic given the nautical trend this season (on sale for $154, Bloomingdale’s):

Alternately, check out these Parisian-chic peep-toe flats by Steve Madden  ($89, Steve Madden):

And, if you’re really unbuttoned-cool, I’m kind of loving the idea of these easy-on canvas Tory Burch flats ($95, Bergdorf Goodman):

Pair with a navy eyelet top by the one-and-only Shoshanna (on sale for $56, Bluefly):

and some crisp white shorts (below, by Milly, but you can find a range of styles from J. Crew at a better price point):

You might also consider these precious Milly chain-link shorts ($185, Net-A-Porter):

Don’t forget a roomy straw shopper for your purchases.

They’re all over the place this season, but I love the rustic style and oversized rope handles on this little Magid version ($78, Nordstrom):

While on the subject of roping, how about this awesome one-of-a-kind necklace ($129, Habitat Shoes):

Don’t you die over it!?  I imagine pairing it with a simple strapless navy dress or this little slub jersey tank dress in sailor-chic navy stripes ($39.50, Gap):

I’m also kind of head over heels for this dressed-up t-shirt dress by Madewell (their stuff is just what I want to wear on a lazy Saturday — $88, Madewell):

Pair with strappy gold or brown gladiators (below, Seychelles, on sale for $36 at 6pm):

You know I’m daydreaming about pairing the look with the Chloe It Bag of my dreams (“The Marcie”):

But you might opt for a straw shopper like the Magid above or this Free People straw-and-rope tote ($48, Free People):

If you like a look with a bit more structure and polish, you’d beat the heat in this crisp white poplin number (on sale for $119, ShopAdam):

Pair with some enorma-shades (below — Marc by Marc Jacobs, $85, Nordstrom) and a structured straw tote (the one below — Serpui Marie, $110, Endless):

Add on some splashy espadrilles — I’m in love with this punchy Oscar de la Rentas on sale for an OMG-worthy $158 at FootCandyShoes:

Alternately, if you’d prefer to stick with the nautical trend I’ve been featuring above, slip into these kicky Bettye Mullers (on sale for $144, Neiman Marcus):

The perfect companion piece that will take you from farmer’s marketing to your next door neighbor’s BBQ!

Addendum

Sorry to have posted this two days into the week — just when you feel furthest from your lazy Saturday.  (Sort of cruel.)  I’ve been overbooking myself — I’m two months out (almost to the day) from the wedding and I’m currently consumed by searching for an apartment for my fiance and I!  Busy times.  Bear with me!