
Practical Reasoning: Why You Might Wear a Vest in Summer
If you don’t think about wearing a vest in the summer, then you might be missing out. For the colder months, we incorporate the third piece most days, yet for the summer it seems too hot.
It’s one of the reasons we talk about kimonos quite a bit on this site. However, Janet asked about summer vests, so here’s a nod to that idea.
Quote of the day: “We have to be careful in how we use this light shined on us.” Melinda Gates
When Janet asked about wearing a thin vest in the summer to hide the belly, I knew I didn’t want to make it sound like we should hide our waist. Yet, wearing a vest in the summer can be a nice addition for many reasons.
In fact, you can see how Lesley interpreted the summer vest as a sweater and Charlotte’s vest is a tad longer than mine

There are 2 funny stories about our photos. One is we had this date set to take photos under the umbrellas at this nearby outdoor mall. Needless to say, it was really raining this day, so we had to bring our own umbrellas too. This means we didn’t get as many photos as I would have preferred because of course, we were melting, haha!
The other “funny” story is around my vest. Keep reading to hear the details.

Dress: Banana Republic ~~Vest: J.O.A. ~~ Shoes: thrifted ~~ Necklace: Birdsong Boutique c/o ~~ Earrings: ~~ Purse: thrifted~~Hat: H&M
Comparison of a Vest in Summer
I know you would all berate me if I said something to the effect that my tummy needs to be hidden. Yet even when there is a little pooch, the comfort level is better with something to distract the eye. That’s why I had Rob snap a photo to compare the dress with and without the vest.
Insider tip: That’s actually a great reason to embrace print clothing items too. You don’t notice the lumps and bumps as much as you do with solid-colored items.
Other reasons to embrace a vest in summer
1-It can cover bra straps
2-Add a better color near your face
3-And as we’ve discussed, it can camouflage a belly. Even if your vest is short, it gives the eye something else to focus on, so don’t automatically exclude the shorter vests.

Hats
I’ve never worn hats so much as in these past 5 years. Which is why I wrote a post on the Beginning Guide to Style a Hat AND 5 ways they can change the style of your look. This hat?? It’s one of Rob’s that I “borrow” occasionally. It worked fabulously to cover my messy hair and adds a little masculine vibe to the outfit.
The Accessories
With a longer dress, I like a longer necklace, so I grabbed this heart locket. I originally got this when we worked with Bird Song Designs who have changed their focus from jewelry to all kinds of boutique items.
The earrings used to be my aunt’s clip-on earrings. When she passed away, I took them to remember her by and changed them to post earrings. They may seem too “dressy” for the outfit, but every look deserves to have some sparkle.
This straw purse was a fabulous find at Goodwill here in Arizona. Not that I needed another straw purse, but I felt I needed to rescue this one since it was so cute!
Take a gander at that fabulous large, blue ring in the upper photo. I found it recently at Francescas-another young girl’s store maybe you’ve never been inside?? Many of my trendy accessories have come from that store, so jump in the next time you walk by.


Change up your Maxi
A maxi dress or skirt is such a great option, yet it can feel overwhelming since it covers all the skin. I recently showcased 5 ways to change up the length and look of a maxi. And one of these ways is to knot the ends. Even though this dress has a slit already, I knotted the front end to open it up even more.

The Vest Story
I found this “vest” at a thrift store in our area. It was in a bin, not hanging on a hanger. And it was new with the tags still on it. I picked it up and thought it would be a cute, short vest because I didn’t have one like it. Then I promptly hung it up with my other vests and forgot about it. Until this idea of wearing a vest in the summer came about.
So I pulled out this vest and looked it over again (after removing the tags). As I’m removing the tags, I realize that the label is on the right side near the zipper opening.
Upon further examination, I realized that this is actually a top and not a vest. Seriously? Who in their right mind would put a separating zipper in the BACK of a top? Anyways, I put it on the way it’s supposed to be worn (as a crop top, I guess) with the helpful hands of my mother to zip it up the back.
I may try to wear it this way one of these days, but it’s a great reminder that many of our pieces can be worn backward. BTW, it’s also a good reminder to check out other sizes too. This vest is a large and I like it this size.

My Goal
Thank you for visiting my space on the internet. I like to showcase how it’s never too late to look great for women of any age, size, or working with any budget.
I feel I’m here to help move beyond the fashion rules of yesterday and evolve. Style and clothes are made to give you joy. Not cause us stress because we are worried about what others think.
I hope that you get ideas and inspiration from Charlotte, Lesley, and myself. It’s not about copying what we wear, but about using what you already have and updating items along the way.
Most of all it’s getting us to think differently and dare I say, have fun?
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the text that shows up in a different color is usually a link to either another post, another site, or a product? Some of these links are affiliate links. Meaning, if you click a link and make a purchase, Jodie’s Touch of Style gets a small commission at no extra cost to you. I do appreciate you supporting the brands that make this blog possible!
And feel free to share wherever you can!! You can do this by saving an image to your Pinterest board or sharing this post on Facebook. Or send this post to your friend, and make sure they sign up for the emails.
Why should you sign up for the emails below? I include some personal tidbits in these emails along with other happenings, sales, information, and links. So I hope you join me on this journey.