dana of days of dane

We were thrilled when Dana started Days of Dane just a month ago, having developed a little style crush on the way she mixes classic pieces to perfection via other corners of the internet. She knows a thing or two about when to invest in your wardrobe and when to buy for the short-term, and she was nice enough to give out some pointers!

Hey! I'm Dana. I'm 23 and live in Brooklyn. Living in a big city like this means walking. A lot. Which also means a lot of exposure to the elements, whatever they may be for the season. I get overheated really easily, so I tend to be a bit lazier and just go for whatever is most comfortable. At some point, though, I realized that it shouldn't actually be that hard to be comfortable and cute at the same time. It's okay to have fashion and function in the same outfit!

As such, let me introduce you to some of my favorite pieces for the summer:

(J.Crew City Fit Chino Shorts)

The J.Crew City Fit Chino Short. I have these in two colors and anticipate getting maybe one or two more. I have khaki and navy, which are basically the two best colors to go with anything summery. These are nearly indestructible, and the khaki ones have been through 3 summers of bike riding and beaches and bars and are still in great shape.

(H&M Floral Sundress) 

A cheap, well-fitting sundress. Never underestimate the possibilities of a sundress. They're so easy to just throw on and look good, especially if they're of a jersey material. Airy, adorable, and great with sandals. You're probably going to wear it out by the end of the season, so there's really no reason to spend too much on it. Just make sure it fits you well!

(American Apparel Denim Shirt) 

A denim shirt. I got mine oversized because I can wear it tucked in or as a tunic or unbuttoned as an overskirt. It's perfect with the sleeves cuffed up.

For footwear!

(Swedish Hasbeens for H&M) 

Strappy sandals and a good pedicure. That's pretty much it. Keep your toes aired out when it's 80º+, okay?

My fashion inspiration comes primarily from comfort. If it's cute, basic, and comfortable, I'll buy it. I don't like things with ridiculous prints or too bright colors; I go for classic for the most part.

Here are some of my favorite designers:

Karen Walker, like, a lot. I took notice around her AW ’09 line and fell madly in love with the SS ’10 line. It’s preppy, it’s well cut and it’s got a little bit of quirk that is just so Karen. I think it gets better each season…

 

(AW ’09 &  SS ’10 from style.com)

 

(AW ’10 & SS ’11 from style.com)

(from karenwalker.com)

A designer with a similar aesthetic but way less accessible financially is Stella McCartney, whom I also swoon for. Her Resort 2011 line was just Too Much:

(Resort '11 from style.com)

I can’t NOT want to wear that, you know?

I also recently found out about Colenimo, who just so happens to make my dream wardrobe:

(from colenimo.com)

Basically, when it comes to hot weather, just be comfortable. I'm really of the opinion that if you love what you're wearing, it could be a sack and you would still rock it (though I'm sure some argue with that!) Oh, and sunscreen and lots of water! Sunstroke is nagl.

Thanks, Dana!