leopard print maxi dress, floral ruana, boho summer style, Painted Panama hat, Shelbee on the Edge

Leopard Print and Floral & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #713

I am sharing a simple outfit post today because I have been so stinking busy these past few weeks. I started a makeover on our mudroom/pantry as my summer project and it has been one heck of an undertaking. Once I had painted everything including the ceiling, I realized how terrible the carpet was and decided I wanted to paint the floor as well. So we tore out the disgusting old carpeting last weekend. What we discovered beneath was less than ideal but not unworkable with some patience, grit, prayer, and a vision. So I have spent the last few weeks testing my patience, grit, prayer, and vision as well as my shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and quads. It all hurts but it’s going to be pretty freaking awesome when it’s done.

But I am not ready to share any progress until it is complete. So you must wait for the big reveal…September 1 is my self-imposed deadline.

Because I have been doing some fairly filthy work in the mudroom, I have only been wearing my dirty paint stained work clothes for the past few weeks. So I am flashing back to last July when we spent a family weekend in the woods in Potter County, Pennsylvania.

We stayed in the cute little A-frame cabin pictured above and this is one of the outfits I wore that weekend for relaxing in nature. The leopard maxi dress is one of my favorites because I can style it in any season with creative layering tricks. I really liked the way the leopard print paired with the florals on my ruana. Keeping my trademark bohemian aesthetic, I accessorized with my painted Panama hat, my Furkenstocks, Grateful Dead earrings, and layers of necklaces.

This is an outfit that I wear often during the warmer months. It is super comfortable, very much like pajamas. It is quick and easy to throw on and appear as if I put actual effort into getting dressed, when in fact, there was minimal effort required. It is also a wonderful outfit for travel because both the knit dress and the ruana stay mostly wrinkle free. And leopard print is a also great camouflage for many of the drips, dribbles, dots, or dollops that might be attracted to your clothing.

Although these photos are a year old already, I have worn some iteration of this outfit at least twice during this warm weather season. I usually switch out my accessories each time I wear this dress/ruana combination so it is never exactly the same outfit twice.

This weekend we are sanding the floors and I admit I am a bit intimidated by the task. But I was also intimidated by painting the ceiling and I successfully completed that task. So I am off to get dirty again. There will be time for pretty clothes when my work is done!

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Shelbee

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I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

28 Comments

  • Anne M Bray

    That dress looks super comfortable!

    Wow, thanks Readers for your upvote on my quilting adventure! It’s become a daily battle with the cat. It’s HIS quilt, in case I didn’t know. And he gravitates to the area I want to patch/ sew and sleeps on the pins! What a goofball.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      It is definitely a jammy dress! Cats are funny creatures aren’t they? I had to remove their window seat from the mudroom while I am working in there and they are so unhappy with me. They sit under the window and squawk at me! Yesterday, my black cat Dave wouldn’t stop crying at me until I put a towel down on the ripped up floor so he could lie in the sunlight by the door. And we think we are in charge of them!!!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Di

    Leopard is such a versatile neutral. I love your comfortable outfit, and the ruana is spectacular! It sounds like you have taken on a major challenge with your mudroom. I know it will look fantastic in the end! I know what you mean by uncovering layers of problems that you didn’t know were there when remodelling. We live in a house that was built in the 1950s and it’s full of surprises! Also, thanks so much for the favorite mention. Hope you enjoy a little rest this weekend!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Di! The mudroom looks amazing in my vision! LOL I am hoping it comes to life the same way I am picturing it. Our house was built in 1923 so there was seemingly 100 years of crud crusted onto the wood floors. I have one more landing to clean off before I start sanding. It is definitely a labor of love and I am enjoying becoming this intimate with my house! I am finding all sorts of interesting quirks and details. I hope your weekend is amazing, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Your True Self

    Hi, Shelbee – I have a leopard-print dress just like yours! I got it for a very low price at Dots, a young women’s discount fashion store that has morphed into a different kind altogether. It has been the absolutely best buy; I’ve worn it a million times. I love leopard with florals. I really need a floral kimono or duster. But meanwhile, I’ll try the dress with a duster because I haven’t worn it that way yet. Thanks for the inspiration – Angie, http://www.yourtrueselfblog.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Angie! Maxi dresses and long robes/dusters is my go-to summer outfit formula. It really is like wearing jammies but looking fabulous! I am so glad that I could offer some outfit inspiration for your leopard dress!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Joanne

    Best of luck on your new floors! Somehow I have no doubt that you will come up with some sort of fabulous and creative solution.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aww, thanks so much, Joanne! Oh, I have a very creative idea indeed for these floors! Today the sanding begins and hopefully I can start sealing and painting the floors next week. Have a lovely weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thank you, Mireille! The back of the ruana is my favorite part, too! I have found myself wavering when it comes to leopard print. Sometimes I think maybe it doesn’t suit my current boho aesthetic, but then I think it actually is very suitable when I style it with florals! I am glad that I could offer you some inspiration to bring out your leopard skirt again!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Marsha Banks

    Oh, the only thing I don’t like to paint is the ceiling. My neck hurts just thinking about it! I have always wanted ceilings that are a color, though. I can’t wait for your mudroom/pantry reveal! This outfit is quintessential Shelbee! It’s got mixed prints, your favorite kind of hat, lots o’necklaces, and your Furkenstocks! Love it! Thanks for the link up and have fun with those floors!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Marsha! Painting ceilings is the worst thing ever! And the ceiling in the mudroom is very high at certain points. I need to go up the 8 foot ladder which makes me terribly nervous and unsteady. At first, I sent my husband up the ladder to reach the parts I couldn’t, but his painting skills are so disastrous that I couldn’t even watch! Hahaha. So the next day, I decided I had to get over my fear of the ladder. With lots of prayer and focus, I did it! By the end, I wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable at the top of the ladder as I used to be! So now I have a painted mudroom ceiling in a refreshing sunshiney yellow! Actually, I think the exact color was called “Peach Tickle” but it looks like sunshine to me. Let the floor sanding begin! Ugh.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Melynda Brown

    Shelby, thanks so much for hosting! Having weathered tropical storm Beryl, we are once again hooked up to electricity after 5 days without. A good test of our creative abilities! Have a great week ahead.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Melynda! I am glad to hear that you have weathered that terrible storm. We lost power for a week after Hurricane Sandy backing 2012. After a few days of getting creative, I ended up going to my sister’s house that had power. But that’s only because I had a baby at the time and I was running out of creative energy!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Michelle

    First, I love the leopard / ruana pairing. Beautiful!

    Like you, I have been crazy busy (well at least for me) gardening, then recovering, rinse and repeat. I can’t wait to see your renovated mud room. 😄

    xoxo
    Michelle

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