Hello, my friends! How are you? How was your weekend? I had a great weekend hanging out with my dear friend, Yolanda, who flew up from Florida to visit us. I’ll tell you more about that later this week. But today, it’s all about clothes and shopping.

So let’s be clear: I don’t do a ton of shopping, and I’m a big clothes repeater. And over the last year or more, I’ve barely ordered/bought anything new outside of workout clothes (and I have a lot of those). But as circumstances open up more for me, and we have more visitors and trips on the horizon, I decided it was time to get some new non-workout clothes to wear, because my wardrobe was looking a little tired. And my goal is to put on non-workout clothes every single weekend throughout the next few months. I know that doesn’t sound like much of a goal, but it’s very easy for me to stay in activewear every single day. I want to get out of that rut. It feels good to wear regular clothes, especially after a year of hibernation.

I did all of my shopping online over the last month or so. And because I’m guessing many of you are in the same boat as me, I thought it may be fun to share what I’ve stocked my closet with for the summer of 2021 (and beyond, because I always wear things more than one season). There are a variety of styles, price points and pieces below. I hope you enjoy … 🙂 

The 10 things I’ve bought to wear during summer 2021

Let’s get to the list …

Dresses and rompers

Animal print smocked midi sundress

I know, I know. I already have a lot of animal print. But I love the look of animal print, and I have no problem overdoing it. This smocked midi cotton dress is super cute, comfy and very affordable too. I’m planning to wear it alone with sandals, or dress it down with a denim jacket and sneakers. I ordered a small. And yes, they have it in solid colors too.

Twist-front color-blocked midi dress

This dress is definitely more of a vacation or going-out-to-dinner type of dress, and it has the most beautiful bright color-blocked tones, with some simple straps. I wasn’t quite sure how it would look on, but I love it. And it’s going to be debuted on a beach vacation, as well as another trip for me this summer. I ordered a small.

Floral shorts romper

I don’t wear a ton of rompers, because I have a longer torso, so they don’t always work for me. But this floral one with fluffy sleeps just happens to be perfect. I’m planning to wear it with sandals during the day. It’s super light and comfy too. I ordered a medium.

Yellow floral maxi dress

Do you read reviews when you buy things? I do, and I usually believe reviews. I saw this dress online and thought it could go one of two ways. The reviews were mostly positive, so I went for it, and the second I put it on, I ran out to show Dave and Brady. It’s a happy dress. You know what I mean? I can’t wait to wear this one over and over again. A straight-up happy dress. I ordered a small.

Solid midi dress with wrap skirt

Can you tell that the midi dress is my favorite dress length? I saw this dress on Nordstrom and noticed there were only a couple left in my size. I marked the item as a favorite, then forgot about it. Apparently it went out of stock, then back in stock in a matter of just a day, because I popped back on and ordered it, then it was out of stock again, but it’s available on the actual brand site. It comes in multiple colors, is form fitting, flattering, has a beautiful skirt and wrap detail and can be dressed up or down. Can’t wait to wear it all the time.

Shoes

Gold gladiator studded sandals

I looked far and wide for some really “extra” gladiator sandals to wear with dresses this summer, and I found these ones, and they are perfect. I never spend much on non-sneaker shoes, so these were splurge for me, but they are amazing. They fit great, they are comfy, and they look so good on, especially with the straps and studs (and they come in multiple colors).

White quilted slide sandals

These white slide sandals have actually already been featured in a current faves post, and I’ve worn them a couple of times. But they deserve a spot on this list, because they are totally summer shoes. They look like house slippers, but they aren’t. Totally comfy, totally different and perfect for shorts or dresses.

Black rope lace-up detailed flat sandals

I know what you’re thinking, who needs not one, but two, pairs of flat sandals with ankle straps or wraps? And the answer is, me. I don’t wear a lot of heels these days and have a few pairs for upcoming weddings, etc. But mostly, I prefer flats. That’s where the ankle detail comes into play. These flat sandals with rope wraps and bobbles are so fun. They aren’t the comfiest shoes in all the land, but they look great. I look forward to wearing them on vacation.

Swimsuits

Flutter-sleeve swimsuit with high-waisted bottoms

I have to be honest and tell you that I ordered 12 bathing suits online in the last month, and I only kept two of them. Bathing suits are a hard thing to shop for, and I’m particularly picky. These pieces are sold separately, they are incredibly affordable, and they have the most flattering fit.

Wrap color-blocked one-piece swimsuit

I couldn’t tell you the last time I purchased or wore a one-piece swimsuit, because they didn’t used to be all that cute. Oh, how times have changed. I heard about this brand via social media and decided to finally give it a try. The two-piece suits from the brand didn’t fit me well, but the wrap one-piece is so darn flattering and even has some compression. It has a low neck-line and a high-cut leg hole, but it’s not at all too much. I ordered a size up and found the 8 to be the best fit for me, because of the whole long-torso thing.

And that concludes my list. I know it seems like a lot — but I placed these orders over the last four weeks or so to space it out, and I returned a lot and narrowed down to pieces that I know I will wear over and over again the next few months. If you’re in the market for anything new, I hope one of these pieces catches your eye. Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day! 🙂 xoxo

P.S. This post is not sponsored, but I am including affiliate links. The price isn’t altered, but if you shop through these links, I will get a small commission. Thank you for supporting A Lady Goes West.

Other posts you may like from A Lady Goes West

• The best gifts for Mother’s Day 2021
• All about workout clothes: My top 10 pieces and where I buy my workout clothes
• The best pieces from Carbon38 and a Carbon38 discount code
• My top 10 recent staple purchases that I wear over and over again
• Splurge vs. save: How I spend money

Questions of the day

Have you bought anything new lately?

What’s your favorite color or pattern to wear?

Do you have any trips planned for the summer?