During our second stop in Italy, we took a day trip to Portovenere. It's an area that's not accessible by train, so we jumped at the chance to take an easy ferry ride from where we were staying (Monterosso) and arrived in just over an hour. It was a sparkling, sunny day and we had lunch alfresco in the colorful marina, toured the Gothic-style San Pietro church with dazzling ocean views, and walked the village streets. This pink shirtdress from my closet, admittedly, does not get much wear at home (it's old) but for this trip it felt like the perfect balance between whimsy and practicality. It would've been an amazing day in any outfit but wearing a fun dress made it (and the photos we'll have forever) just a tiny bit more special. I shared some similar budget-friendly options below!

Dress: Ann Taylor, $45 (similar below)
Cardigan: H&M, $20 (similar, similar, similar)
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff c/o Stein Mart, $149 (same, same)
Hat: JCPenney c/o, $13
Sunglasses: Foster Grant, $15 (similar, similar, similar)
Shoes: Dolce Vita, old (similar) 
Earrings: Kate Spade outlet, $15 (same)
Approx. dates: Cardigan and shoes are 5 years ago. Dress is 3 years ago. Hat and purse are recent.

Neiman Marcus  /  JCPenney  /  Banana Republic
Amazon  /  Banana Republic  /  Lord & Taylor  /  Macy's
Amazon  /  Macy's  /  JCPenney