Preloved Zimmerman

These are a few of my favorite preloved finds recently from TheRealReal. They offer a great selection of Zimmerman, which is one of my favorite designers. The pieces are just so feminine and elegant. The great thing about TheRealReal, is that even if a pre-loved item has been sold, you can add it to your wish list and receive notifications when the same item is available again. I always recommend purchasing items you love for years to come, regardless of how many seasons ago they have been released. The plus to pre-loved past season pieces, is that you won’t likely see someone else wearing your outfit!

Zimmerman Sale

While I love a good basic, I have fallen hard lately for statement florals that amp up the femininity and can be styled in a more edgy way. I gravitate to Zimmerman when it comes to dresses.

Zimmerman creates day-to-night girly dresses, that transcend the seasons and look stunning paired with modern accessories.

I only recommend dresses that I see myself wearing and loving for years to come. Each of these is definitely an investment.

I do prefer to get high-end dresses, statement pieces and eye-catching prints when I can get them on sale. I do re-wear my prints, but still can’t re-wear them the same way I could a plain black dress, so getting a discount is smart shopping.

I do believe that separates are more practical, but a well-made dress is a one-piece outfit that makes getting dressed, effortless. These are my top 6 investment dresses. Yes, they pack a punch, but they also have an aura of classic femininity about them.

Clicking the image above will take you to the stunning selection of Zimmerman dresses offered on Net-A-Porter. I have also included links below for each dress shown above. Happy Shopping!

Styling Zimmerman Pieces

Today I am stepping way from my comfort zone and styling the boldest print in my entire closet. I wore it recently when I attended a Cirque De Soleil show, which was an incredible experience. I figured if there was any occasion to experiment with my style, it was this evening. I realize that it isn’t the ideal season to feature floral mini skirts and mini dresses, but I do believe that you should buy what you love and when you find your perfect dress, skirt, or whatever, you should buy it, as long as you’ll wear it next summer or spring.

It is so much better to buy your dream summer dress, even when its snowing outside, than to buy a handful of random sweaters that don’t resonate with your signature style. Buy what you love, regardless of the season, as long as the piece is one you see yourself wearing time and time again. With that said, Zimmerman is my go-to for summer and spring dresses and stunning floral prints.

Photo from The Outnet

I already had this Zimmerman pleated skirt in my closet, and immediately knew I would wear it to the show. I just had to find the right top to go with it. I have very few white blouses, so finding the perfect one for this skirt was quite challenging. This was a reminder to me that I need to invest in basics before splurging on eye-catching pieces. The Outnet styled the skirt with an emerald camisole. I searched high and low for this exact one, but every green cami I found was slightly the wrong shade. The skirt is already such a punch of color that I prefer a more subdued top or blouse. The skirt has pure white in it, so any cream or ivory blouses I found also looked a bit off. I even tried to pull out the peach in the skirt, but I do think that the bolder the skirt, the simpler the top should be.

Top from Vivienne Hue

Styling tip: Before you buy a statement piece, think what basics you already own that you can pair with it. High quality basics make your wardrobe work, and a few statement pieces sprinkled in keep your closet fresh.

I also own the dress in this same print from Zimmerman. I just loved the floral so much. With a floral this bold, I actually think the dress version is easier to style. Because the colors in the skirt are so bold and vivid, it was such a challenge to match. I actually don’t go for yellow, but because the dress is a more casual style in a fun print and gorgeous fabric, it is a killer dress.

Usually, though, a skirt option is more versatile than a dress. The advantage to a flirty skirt like this is that you can make it casual with white sleek sneakers, or super dressy and leg-lengthening with nude heels.

The Outnet has an amazing selection of Zimmerman, and several pieces with this same print, even a blouse. That may be the most wearable version; you can style it with white denim or trousers.

Eventually, I found a gorgeous lace blouse from the brand Bardot from Nordstrom. I would definitely suggest their blouses for a romantic, but feminine silhouette. They offer everything from date night dresses, to eyelet tops, to fully sheer, sexy lace tops. It’s tricky to style mini skirts as it gets colder, but cotton, long-sleeved tops make it more weather-appropriate, especially since the Cirque de Soleil show was on ice!

Styling Pastel Florals

I believe there is art to styling florals in a sophisticated and modern way. Though I love classic pieces, I also absolutely adore uber feminine florals, from designers such as Zimmerman. I encourage you to still select quality fabrics, and look beyond just the floral. When you discover a stunning floral in your color palette, in 100% silk or cotton, the look is truly stunning. Whether you pick a cotton candy hue, as I will show below, or a dark floral for fall, determine which colors will be most suitable and versatile for your own wardrobe. I would even suggest a bit of both, so that you can mix up your classic pieces throughout the year, whether it is in the middle of summer, or later in the fall.

The lovely floral skirt I’m wearing is from Zara. You may recognize it, as everyone was going crazy for the blouse, trousers, and skirt when it was released. It was considered a Zinmerman dupe. And now that I also own Zimmerman, I can tell you the fabric is nowhere near as luxurious and lightweight as Zimmerman. The print is nice, though, and I have the matching blouse as well. I have both the top and bottom in a medium, and I will have to have the blouse tailored, because I am absolutely swimming in it. However, the mini skirt is perfect for a hot summer day, and I prefer it styled with a blush (or white) blouse.

This blouse is by Veronica M. Her brand is hard to find online, and this was purchased from a boutique in Birmingham. I find her price point steep for what you’re getting, so I would suggest choosing your own blush or cream blouse with a flowy silhouette.

The bag is from Rebecca Minkoff, which I found on TheRealReal.com. It is the Small Love Crossbody Bag, in a stunning iridescent colorway. I haven’t seen this iridescent version for purchase since, but you can get this same bag in black, beige, taupe, and a dark red shade on Nordstrom. I use this bag often when styling outfits, as it is very affordable, but offers one of the most similar bag shapes as the Chanel flap, without trying to be a dupe. I think most people would prefer a neutral shade, but as my style is a bit quirky, I adore iridescent and multi-dimensional colors. This actually makes this bag match almost every outfit I wear.

The shoes are from & Other Stories. I wear them to work and in the evening. Because they are nude, they are very leg-elongating. The block heel makes them more comfortable and keeps the outfit from looking overly girly.

If you do love a good floral like me, I think it is key to have white, cream, tan, and blush basics in your closet. This helps you put your outfit together, especially when the floral is a separate, rather than a dress. If you know you love pink florals, or a specific color, then I would recommend having matching separates (tanks, blouses, etc.) in that color, or at least in that color family. I hope this helps give you some floral inspiration and have fun with floral prints, while still staying true to your signature style.