Styling 1 Citrus Cotton Dress in 3 Ways

I love dresses — they’re so easy to wear! Just throw them on and you’re ready to go.

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But what I love even more are dresses that can be styled differently or be worn for various occasions. One great example is this citrus cotton dress by NYC-based womenswear brand Donna Zhong!

Donna, the founder and chief designer of the brand, is a client of Once Upon and also like a friend to me now. Her style is modern and minimal; I’m especially a fan of the brand’s elegant and versatile designs. When her Spring ‘19 collection became available online, I knew I had to grab this dress — mostly because of the flattering silhouette, as well as the shell buttons on the front, and the tie-design on the back!

I would gladly wear this dress as it is in the summer, but for now, while it is still chilly in New York, I’m adding layers to the piece so that I can incorporate it into my outfits sooner rather than later!

Scroll down to see three different looks I put together with the same dress:

Add a Denim Jacket | Off to Sunday Brunch

The first look is perfect for any weekend activities. Just take out your good o’ denim jacket, grab a beaded bag like this one from Susanna Chow called Rosie, and you’re all set for a Sunday brunch date with your gal pals. I love that this look is comfortable enough for you to feel relaxed, loose enough for you to eat the extra pancake, chic enough to bump into your ex, and colorful enough for you to take fabulous photos!

I love that there are pockets in this dress by Donna Zhong!

My beaded bag is from Susanna Chow. Photos by Ashley Gallerani.

Throw On a Sheer Layer | For a Stroll in the Park

Maybe I’m going for a walk at Central Park with the hubby, maybe I’m going to the beach outside New York, or maybe I’m just going to water my plants in my imaginary backyard.

Either way, I’m going to throw a sheer cover-up over the dress to give it a completely different look!

The brown warms up the hues and give depth to the tones. I paired it with slides for a very comfortable, casual vibe.

And of course, if you’re going to be in the sun, you cannot forget a nice sun hat!

Out of the three looks, I believe this may be my favorite one.

Put Some Pants On | Perfect Travel Outfit

When traveling, I like to pack pieces that are extremely wearable and can easily be worn repeatedly with different items. While you can wear the dress on its own, you can also unbutton the bottom half and turn it into a semi-cardigan, wear it over a pair of leggings, or in this case, jeans!

I’m 100% certain I can easily wear the pair of jeans with all the tops I’d pack on a trip — you just can’t go wrong with that! The best part about this outfit is that I won’t have to be too lady-like the whole time when I’m out and about. Which to be honest, is sometimes quite nice, if you know what I mean.