Yes to 3, 5, 6 & 7!

What I like are #2, 5, 6 and 7. I love the linen blazer but as I don't own an iron I do tend to embrace the wrinkles.

Ah, well with the information that the dresses tie at the waist, I like both of them better. But, like you, Funkyart, I can't unsee the nurse aspect of the white one! But, I'll stick with my original opinion as I think those two cardigans would be so versatile.

The striped top is cute - love the pink accents at the wrists.

And, I agree with Ida Claire, a 60 year old woman can wear any darn thing she wants! That's a cute summer dress and you could always put a cute jacket, or cardigan or wrap over it if you don't want to go strapless.

LOL Dawn! I know, right?!

There were only a few items I was smitten with-- and they turned out to be favorites with the exception of the nurse outfit! LOL

I actually bought a number of dresses last summer so I think I am going to hold on dresses for this year -- unless I lose 50lb -- in which case I will actually need dresses.

1. Will not purchase -- was tempted to try it but cannot unsee "nurse"

2. I wasn't in love with the dress but it is relatively inexpensive. I may give it a try if I am ordering something else from nordstrom.

3. I love the sequin and linen cardigan-- my only concern is the shape/fit. I decided to just order a size down but the store that had it on sale was a hot mess .. discount showed but then went away when I tried to order. Called CS and the hold music was awful. I decided it was a sign that I can wait on this -- but I think it is a safe bet that I will purchase it when next on sale (it is very pricey for a casual sweater)

4. like it but passed on it .. it may be too bold for me.

5. Purchased! I was smitten with this top -- just my colors.

6. I love the color but did not purchase because Feathers is right-- it wont be as adaptable with weight loss .. and Sue is also right, I need something more fun and funky now that I don't need to go into the office!

7. Purchased! In fact, I would like to get the black too!

I haven't seen much else that gave me joy -- it's fine. I have what I need for now. I still have room in my budget .. but it will hold.

Thanks again-- appreciate the input!

I see I’m a little late to vote @Funkyart but my picks were #5 & #7

Too late maybe but I'd go for #1 in another useful color.

Fori-- oh I wish! As of now, it's only available in white.

I’m late for voting, but i pretty much agree with what you ordered. I like the RL cardigan but the sequins threw me in the No column. Something else similar would be better imo. Same with #7, but it is really cute. I would have to get a brighter color. I do like #2 dress and the strapless dress for fun. I also like top #5.

I am struggling with shopping this spring. Nothing really appeals to me in the way of tops/blouses. I did order a top from Anthro the other day to go with a pair of linen pants I bought on sale last year. We will see. Maybe i need to wait until April or May to order.

I like what you ordered, especially the blazer. I've never noticed dresses tied at the waste until a certain new duchess started wearing them constantly. I don't know who dressed her but they're so unflattering unless someone has a long waist....like the other duchess, whose clothes I covet.

Because I only wear uniforms to work, and I work from home, this is whatg I bought the other day.

Funky, I’m considering this and figured I’d share. It has a bit of shimmer but less sequiny than the blue cardigan. The ”one size” thing doesn’t always work for me but it’s available in Petite so I might give it a try.

Late to the sorority party but I liked 3,5,6, and 7. The doo hickies on the last one gave me pause. I guess it all comes down to where they sit on your bod.

Sorry I am late to respond -- i had a nasty touch of food poisoning and am just now getting up and about.

I did receive the strapless dress above-- I really like it but it is definitely not a look I'd wear in public. It is perfect for home and poolside though.

@Oakley - I didn't buy the blazer. I love the color but it's not likely to work for me long-term if I continue to lose weight. Your tee is cute .. love the berries.

@Sueb20 that's cute and very adaptable! I am sometimes dipping into regular sizes but not sure a one size fits all will work. I may give it a try also.

@jojoco LOL.. i suppose the doohickies could bring to mind pasties--not quite the look I'd be going for. I will be sure to wear supportive undergarments! Here's the same sweater in black. I think it is even more striking in black. I may end up with two.

So sorry you are not feeling well! Hope you're over it soon. I love the peasant blouse. I like the blazer too, but I think you are right about how it would fit as you continue to lose. Your spring must be much cooler than ours. I would probably get about two weeks wear out of the blazer and the sweater cardigan would be fall/winter for me. The stripe tee is cute, but even a slim person who is curvy - the horizontal stripes are not your friend. The strapless dress is cute, but again, I don't think it is flattering to many body types (even the model in the pic!). But, I can see where it would be nice around the pool, it would be easy on, easy off.

I need very few pieces for spring/summer. I've bought a few tops, a pair of pants - I think that's it so far. TBH, I haven't seen much that grabs me.

I have an aversion to anything sparkly or sequin-y unless it's evening wear. That being said, there are lots of "casual" clothes out there with sequins, they're just not for me. While I find that a dress with empire waist ties can be flattering, I prefer that they tie in the back, not the front. I love the linen blazer. You seem to have a great sense of your own style and the most important thing is that you listen to you!

@Tina Marie I do well with thin horizontal stripes but not thick ones. I don't have all that large of a bust so guessing that's why ... or I am just blind to how bad it looks.

The floral peasant blouse arrived today -- I love it! I wasn't up to trying it on but I am pretty sure it will fit well.

I haven't seen much that grabs me either, Tina. I think my selections above reflect that lol. As noted, I did replace some long sleeve tees and cotton sweaters ... so I am good until I am actually smitten by something.

Funky, I like the things you’ve selected; they all have the fresh look of classics reinterpreted.

Over the past three months I have gone through my closets and have donated twelve trash bags of clothing to Goodwill, in condition ranging from good to new with tags or never worn. I am embarrassed that I have had all those things choking my closet when they could have benefitted someone else.

I have for some reason become obsessed with slim fit ankle length slacks in white and off white and (after I realized how many I had) am wearing them practically every day with a linen shirt or blouse. I have those shirts in every color of the rainbow, still retaining about 20 after giving away many more. I bought several new cotton skirts, one with a smocked yoke, one with embroidery at the hem and one with a cute drawstring with tassels, all purchased before I had my come-to-Jesus moment with my closet. I do not plan to buy anything else this season and hope I can stick to that. My closet was not sparking joy, it was sparking anxiety 🙁

12 bags! That would have been Allll My Clothes.

With all the wedding hoopla, I forgot that I also need something to wear to two graduation ceremonies for DD next month. Agggh. Going shopping today! My wardrobe is mainly jeans/tops and then wedding-guest-type dresses. Not much in between. Hoping to find a couple of spring dresses that are somewhere in the middle.

Yay-- a Sue shopping thread is always fun!

KSWL I also cleared out my closets early last fall .. not nearly 12 bags lol but a lot. I not only lost 55lb but I also transitioned from working in an office to working from home. Where I see a gap now is for social events... I have a number of brunches coming up, outdoor parties and some travel. I haven't lost enough to invest in a whole new wardrobe, but I need a few pieces to spark up my routine outfits.

I also love slim fit ankle pants -- I tend not to like myself in a collared button down top but I love the look-- so easy, breezy yet pulled together. I may just need to find a brand that has the right fit. I have broad shoulders and a broad rib cage so I tend to feel too masculine in a traditional button down. I did get two EF tunic tops with a mandarin collar but they are very oversized...so the lines aren't especially feminine either.

Funky, when I was looking for glassware on Ebay last month I ”happened” to find a super cute linen top, gray and white checked (bigger checks but not buffalo plaid), sleeveless, that buttons in the back. It’s the tiniest bit big so I will probably have it taken in, but is perfect with white slacks and shorts. I would say it is early 1990s vintage. Do you think EF clothing is sizing up? I have pieces from many years ago that are much smaller than the stated size by today’s standards. Or perhaps it is just the trend to oversize everything—- with slouchy, dropped shoulders, dolman sleeves, anything to make the garment fit a wider veriety of body types, especially since so much shopping is done online.

I did buy a pair of jeans during the pandemic, Sue, and they (like my sweat pants) are long gone and I hope someone is enjoying them. Jeans are hot and make me look a bit like a praying mantis. I have always preferred slacks as more comfortable and more polished looking. (Why I feel the need to look polished on a daily basis in a 55+ community would be a whole ’nother thread….IDK, even my mother has and wears jeans!)

Where does one even find cotton (and linen) items of good quality?

Madewell usually has good linen sometime during the spring and early summer, also RL, Eileen Fisher, Garnet Hill the house brands st Nordstrom’s, Banana

Republic, all the usual suspects — and I even found a kelly green linen shirt at Target when I was picking up a prescription for my DD. More than half of my long sleeved, collared linen shirts are what would be considered vintage now, from J Jill in the mid 2000s. I had three pair of really nice linen shorts that I finally tossed away bc they were literally coming apart. All my linen is hung to dry and then ironed. The dryer is what makes seams look lighter and the garment look old, so I never put anything in except pjs. The newer linen at JJ is not the same quality, and all they all have those ubiquitous and annoying tabs and buttons meant for rolled up sleeves snd seemingly everything there is now a tunic length. 🙁

KSWL I have only been wearing EF for about 10 yr-- and I've always thought their sizing was generous. Some styles more than others but definitely generous. The shirts I bought were meant to be oversized ... I probably should have gone down a size.

I LOVED JJill's linen from the early 2000s -- and actually a wide range of their clothes. It is not the same store today on any level. The quality has gone done (why so much acrylic?? ick), the styles are boring and often dowdy and I find many of their patterns to be hideous. I still purchase from them (I have a package waiting to be opened) but only basics and not nearly as much. It makes me sad.

I LOATHE tab button sleeves.

I agree that Nordstrom house brands generally have nice linen .. Caslon and Treasure & Bond are two that come to mind. I don't love all the styles but I do like the quality of the linen. EF is my favorite for linen.

OMG congrats on your weight loss! woo hoo!

Personally, I don't like anything sparkly, even for evening. It is hard for it not to look cheap - my 2 cents.

I do like that black sweater!

I have a question about your choices. Are you just buying smaller sizes, or are you also trying new styles? You should do both. Try some more tailored things, maybe.

Yes, I am trying some new styles -- the first dress was the biggest departure from my normal style. I was even a little proud of the fact that I considered it lol.. plus the ratings were all 5s across numerous stores. I am still slightly tempted to try it ... but now I can't imagine it without a name tag and white shoes.

Tailored isn't usually my style for anything other than office wear. I do love a shirt dress but the fit is so key there. I don't like them to be too shapeless or baggy... so best to wait until I lose more weight. (in truth, I have been stalled for months.. so this is aspirational).

I like a little sparkle here and there-- I am assuming the quality is good as it is one of RL's pricier sweaters but I have opted to pass on it for now. I would downplay the sequins by wearing with it white cotton tank and jeans. Still, you wouldn't be the only one rolling your eyes at my sequins lol.. my youngest sister would be right there with you.

An aside on sparkle .. when I had one of my oral surgeries last year, one of the recovery room nurses was wearing silver sparkle crocs. As I was coming out of the anesthesia, I saw them and started giggling. When they brought my sister in, I was still giggling -- she was so amused that she jumped on amazon and ordered me a pair-- I've never worn them but they bring back a fun memory.

LOL re the crocs.

I have been stalled for months. No, you have successfully maintained for months! excellent

PS .. I am open to trying new styles if you have suggestions. I still have a lot of weight to lose but I am finding I am doing much better with styles that are not oversized-- or intentionally purchased in a larger size. Old habits.

Funky, if you buy the white dress, don’t forget the hat too.

LOL.. I'll need a new name. Nurse Funky doesn't really work.

Congratulations, Funky! You’ve really worked hard over this past year!

FYI+ Garnet Hill has a nice sleeveless linen button front shirtdress that is IMO the perfect dress. I think they still carry it. It is sized so you can wear it straight for more room or with a belt for a more tailored look. It hits just above the knee. I have two, in oatmeal and salmon, and usually wear them belted with a cotton sweater bc down here everything is airconditioned and freezing inside. They are nice enough to wear to church or out for a casual dinner or gtg. I have had mine since 2016 or so and they look brand new. I think you might really like that style.

Funky, I'd ask your niece for advice about new styles you may want to consider trying. : )

So funny, kswl, I had that dress too! It really didn’t work well on my pear shaped bod, so I eventually had to pass it along to goodwill.

I just ordered this from Boden, after having an unsuccessful shopping trip today. 🤞🏻

Sue, you always look great in that style. And the print is fun.

Kswl, I don't think I am quite ready for regular sizes at GH .. and even more unlikely as I am pear shaped like Sue. I can get by with some regular sizes at Banana Republic, Boden and Free People but I choose them carefully.

Fun dress, Sue ... I agree that it's a great style for you!

Mtn, Niece #4 is a great shopping/fashion resource -- I will be with her later this week so I'll get some guidance. I am not sure she'll the best critical eye though ... through her lens, Aunt Funky is young, cool and beautiful.

Awww, I’m sure N#4 is right!

You don't need a critical eye -- we can usually do that ourselves.

But a fresh eye is always good. I hope you find something you like!

Aww Sue ❤️

Yes, Mtn .. good point. I just need a nudge in some fresh directions. The good thing is nothing is urgent... or even needed if I am honest.

In other news, This morning I opened some of the packages that arrived while I was sick-- all of the "basics" I ordered from Jjill are going back. Mostly my fault for not looking at the fabric content. No worries. Basics are easy to replace.

@Kswl Is this the dress? Might work great for my trip this summer! How would it look washed but unironed?

https://www.garnethill.com/linen-shirtdress/392209?listIndex=1&uniqueId=392209&isNewProduct=false&newItemBadge=true

@Funkyart check PM

That’s it, BBstx!. I like it in that color! I don’t know what it would look like un-ironed. If you shook it really well and hung it to dry it might look fine. Under no circumstances would I put mine in the dryer, as that inevitably results in a soft, pajama like hand that is never crisp again even when ironed.

I looked up the GH dress also earlier this morning-- love it but i think I need another summer before I can wear that style/size range. I had a pair of JJill linen pants in that overdyed blue and loved them-- but one morning I accidentally sprayed a cleaner on them instead of spray starch. Ugh. Worse.. I didn't even realize it until I arrived at work and saw the color disappearing from my pants in a not attractive way.

I did order a top from GH just to recheck sizing. I have worn GH in the past (thinner days) so it is possible!

bbstx, I saw your message -- i am going into a series of interviews (hiring.. not looking). I will get back to you this afternoon. Thanks so much-- you are a sweetie!

Kswl, very few things go in the dryer at my house, mostly sheets and towels. Although I do throw things in for about 4 minutes on the lowest heat to get out the worst of the spin-cycle wrinkles. Don’t know how that would affect the hand.

The problem with taking a dress like that on vacay is that it’s really too big to wash out in a ship’s sink, you’d have to do it in the bath tub if there was one. If you could request washing and hanging dry as a service that would be great— although in that case I’d worry that the person actually doing the wash would not know about or read those instructions and would throw it in the dryer.

If I take either or both of my dresses in August on our river cruise I will consider them single use garments and be pleasantly surprised if I get a second wear.

I asked on cruise critic about the laundry services on Regent. Someone replied that they had sent out clothes with notes attached about how they were to be handled. She said all of her requests were complied with, even so far as hanging up to dry.

Whoa, that’s fantastic BBstx! I would certainly order one to try on. They are very flattering IMO, or at least for my body type. A belted shirtdress is just sbout the perfect dress.

I’ve spent some time shopping both IRL and online over the last few days and seeing sooo much ruffly details, esp sleeves, and pale pastels, esp lilacs and pinks…none of which work for me. Blah! I’m trying to get away from so much black but I am not loving the other colors out there. Gimme some brighter darker pinks, some teals and greens, maybe even some orange.

I did buy a navy and white striped linen blouse over the weekend, which wasn’t at all what I was looking for but it was cute!

I did a little in-store shopping over the weekend and ended up in Chico's for the first time in forever. Came home with this "no iron linen" button-down (wardrobe essential for me). Have yet to put it to the test but it might be an option if you love linen but not the lived in look.

Chico's

And I hear you on all the puffy sleeves - they are absolutely everywhere. Actual photo of me in puffy sleeves:

Actual photo of me:

But I did head over to Poshmark, where I found colors in some fave/reliable brands (Habitat, E Fisher).

Ordered the shirt in chambray & v-neck in navy

(Garnet Hill)

Sueb, RubyClaire, love the portraits! Unfortunately, that is how most folks look in those dresses!

Kswl, I’m waiting on the sale. GH will have one soon.

I wish there were a better selection of colors for the GH sleeveless shirtdress. Like Sueb, I want something more vibrant. These are the color choices for that dress. I don’t wear prints; the black, burgundy, and green are too dark for me. I’m already struggling with a beige dress to keep it from looking like The Cloak of Invisibility on me. That only leaves the cross-dyed indigo.

If I could find a good seamstress, I’d have something made out of this linen. I’m enamoured with the color!