How to look festive on Memorial Day — without being cheesy
By Brittany Anas
Of course, Memorial Day is first and foremost about paying homage to our troops and saluting them for their service to our country. But the patriotic holiday has also become an unofficial start to summer, a signal that it’s game time for white dresses, pool parties and barbecues.
One quick way to end up on Awkward Family Photos is to coordinate the whole family in matching head-to-toe Americana gear. And do we even need to say that a skimpy flag tube top would make Betsy Ross cringe?
Here are five unique ways to dress for the day that are not just stylish, but also say: “Hey, I love this great land that is America.”
- Put a bow on it! This $7 American Flag hair bow from the SwankyDoll shop on Etsy is a subtle salute to summer. Pair the cutesy bow with a messy bun, white T-shirt and jeans for an effortless All-American girl look. She’s also got adorable patriotic headbands for little girls. The shop’s owner is giving a special deal to ShopAtHome shoppers. Just use the promo code “ShopAtHome10” at check out.
- Picnic dresses: A perfect picnic dress is one that lets you move freely in case a raucous game of croquet or volleyball breaks out, yet still has an elegant and feminine silhouette. The online boutique eShakti lets you customize your clothes from sizes 0 to 36 and has a whole garden of pretty frocks perfect for barbecues or picnics. Our fave is the embroidered floral poplin on sale at eShakti for $71.95.
- Red, white and light blue: By giving just a subtle twist to the classic flag colors, your outfit will look fresh. Swap red for coral or navy blue for a pale blue. This red, white and soft blue lightweight plaid shirt from Old Navy would look darling with white jeans.
- Flag boots: These boots are made for saluting. A pair of All-American boots from Zappos are all the fireworks you need for a patriotic outfit. Wear them with something unexpected — like a gray jersey dress or a soft pink maxi skirt. If you pile on more red, white and blue and torn denim Daisy Dukes you’ll land yourself on the set of a Toby Keith music video. Don’t go there.
- White dress: Yay! Today is the official first day of the year you can wear white. You know what never goes out of style? A simple white dress. Check out our guide on new ways to wear white dresses, inspired by our favorite cities — from the Big Apple to Surf City USA.
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