Fashion Details:
The dog days of summer are upon us! As a result, these days require a more relaxed wardrobe.
You all know I love to dress up for work. It’s one of my favorite things to do and sometimes I feel that it’s a lost art. Furthermore, while I work in a very formal environment, during the summer things are taken down a notch and my wardrobe relaxes a bit. However, being a bit more casual in the summer does not mean being sloppy. It means incorporating relaxed looks that are still polished.
MM Casual Collection In Action
Therefore, I am beyond excited to team up with my favorite brand, M.M.LaFleur, to introduce you to their new M.M. Casual line. In addition, I also have a special surprise for you today. My friends at M.M.LaFleur are giving you 20% off towards purchase of any M.M. piece with code LATEREVERAFTER20. Certainly, that’s a pretty amazing gift!
As you probably know, M.M.LaFleur is my favorite brand for work clothes. I have several dedicated posts on the brand such as my 5 Pieces for 5 Outfits post (this one will blow your mind) and the Non-Maternity Maternity Office Wear post (again, mind blown that a lot of their pieces work for the growing belly). Likewise, just wait until you see the casual line!
I turn to M.M.LaFleur for my work wear because the clothes are impeccably made in styles that are classic and eye catching. In addition, I also feel like a million bucks when wearing these pieces. And when you feel good about your clothes it radiates into everything you touch. The same holds true for M.M. Casual. It is filled with soft knits, breezy fabrics and thoughtful tailoring. Moreover, these M.M. Casual pieces pull double duty and are ideal for more casual summer days in the office as well as on the weekends.
M.M. Working Clothes
Being a working mom now, I need to be able to switch from “work Amy” to “mom Amy” in seconds. For example, one of my favorite things right now is when Mike and Lizzie walk me home from work. I love literally running out of work to see her little face in the stroller looking back at me. She rarely smiles and gives me a full stare down for several minutes, but it’s still the cutest thing in the world.
Being in clothes that are easy for me to move in is key for my new lifestyle. I need to look polished during the day, but able to scoop Lizzie up from the stroller to give her a huge hug within minutes of leaving work. Therefore, having clothes that I can do both in is very important. In short, my day-to-night outfits have a whole new meaning now and I love it!
The Noel Dress
This might be my new favorite M.M.LaFleur dress. Well, next to the Masha dress that is, because the Masha is sensational! However, The Noel Dress if adorable! It’s a faux wrap dress and gives the appearance of a top tucked into a skirt. In addition, the top of the dress is drapey and more relaxed while the bottom of the skirt is fitted and more buttoned up.
The best part about the dress is that it is machine washable. I tend to wash all my pieces (even the hand wash only pieces) on a delicate cycle and hang to dry. It’s easier and quicker for me to do that. When I bring clothes to the dry cleaner they tend to sit there for weeks before I pick them up.
The dress is in a lightweight, 100% viscose fabric that is ideal for hot summer days. While the dress is tailored perfectly, I don’t feel like a stuffed sausage on a hot summer day. In other words, it is easy and breezy and comfortable!
There are a couple other features I love about this dress. For example, the wide open arm holes. There is nothing I hate more than dresses that touch my under arms. It creates more sweat for me and makes me feel gross. With these arm openings, it’s very cool and no part of the dress accidentally touches my sweat.
The dress also has pockets! Who doesn’t love pockets in a dress? Pockets are great in the office for phones and business cards. Similarly, out of the office they are great for baby socks and bows. I swear, I always have baby socks in my pockets. It’s a fun surprise to find them in my dress during the day.
The Joan Top 
Soft colors like blush, cream and light blue are my favorite to wear in the summer. Nothing is more sophisticated then a soft color and polished jewelry. The Joan Top comes in a few of those soft colors like; hydrangea, alabaster, ballet (which I’m wearing) and spruce.
In the office, I pair this top with a skinny pant (the ones I’m wearing are old M.M.LaFleur but a similar in-stock pair is the mejia pant), high heels and blazer like my Merritt Jacket, to create a take-on-the-world ready look.
When I leave work I simply take off the jacket and slip on a casual slide and I’m ready to mom so hard! I can be found speed walking home, carrying the car seat down stairs and even stopping on a bench to feed her. To sum it up, there is nothing I can’t do in my Joan Top!
Part of the reason I can do it all in this top is the fabric. This top features a textured Japanese fabric that is machine washable and is treated with polygiene. What is polygiene you ask? It’s the answer to my prayers! In all seriousness, it’s an anti-odor finish that the fabric is treated with so it won’t hold smells. It’s actually used in a lot of active-wear brands and makes complete sense being incorporated into these pieces.
After all we are working woman, in the office and at home so all of our clothes are activewear! Other M.M.LaFleur pieces that use polygiene include the Emily Dress, The Annie Dress, The Bourgeois Blouse and The Antonia Top (all of which I own and love).
M.M. Casual doesn’t stop there, they have a ton of pieces that can be mixed and matched to create relaxed and refined summer looks in softer fabrics.
Here is a peak into my closet of the M.M. Casual pieces I currently own
The Didion Top
I actually own two of this top because it’s that good. I have a solid green color (which is sold out, sorry) and a white and black print color. It’s one of my feature items in my 5 Pieces For 5 Outfits Guide. You can wear this top casually or dressed up for work. Furthermore, it’s machine washable and lays perfectly.
The Graham Kimono Textured Knit
Something I normally wouldn’t buy, but I’m so glad I did. I picked this up while I was pregnant. I was craving a quality cardigan that I would make me feel like my non-pregnant self. Turns out I wore it once while pregnant and can’t take it off now. It’s lightweight and idea to throw on in the office when it’s 100 outside and -30 inside.
The Bourgeois Top
The french cousin to the classic t-shirt. This top feels like a t-shirt and looks like it’s off the runway. The asymmetrical hem hangs perfectly off the body and looks super chic when paired with black skinny pants. I wear this outfit several times a month to work and always get compliments on that top. The best part, it’s machine washable!
The Merritt Jacket
I’m featuring this jacket in this post. I picked this jacket up on a whim right after I had Elizabeth. I did regret the purchase immediately, because I thought where was I going in this jacket? Flash forward 6 months and it’s one of the top pieces in my wardrobe. Outfit suggestions are; black pants, black top and this jacket tied up for the office or pair it with jeans and high heels for a dinner and drinks on the weekend. My buyers remorse turned into my favorite go-to jacket.
The Wolf Jardigan
If you don’t own a jardigan yet do yourself a favorite and buy one with the gift code .M. is giving you in this post. Hands down the best piece you can add to your closet this year. It’s updated version of a work blazer. I have it in black and taupe and will be picking up a grey one if they bring it back (fingers crossed.
And here are the M.M. Casual pieces I’m currently debating adding to my wardrobe
The Ren Top
This is a great summer top for work or weekend. I love that it’s longer so I can wear a skinny pant to the office with it. Given it feels like it’s below zero in my office in the summer I’d pair it with my jardigan. In addition, on the weekends I can wear it with denim for a relaxed look.
The Coleman Top
An elevated boxy tee, it’s great for more relaxed days. I’d pair it with distressed denim (like this raw edge hem pair) and a cork heel or loafer for summer. It can easily be work in the fall as well with these snake skin flats, they are my favorite!
The Shaw Pant
Have you guys worn scuba pants before, if you haven’t you are missing out. They are a compression knit that sucks you in and lets you be comfortable all day long. In addition, they are the perfect day to night pant as the clean curve hugging silhouette is ideal for both day and night.
The Gwen Dress
So many things to love about this dress. From the hemline to the square neckline, this dress is so dreamy. This dress is ideal for summer date nights and summer weddings. This LBD is HOT!
The Nicole Top
A classic t-shirt never looked so good. This is why I love M.M. Casual, they take a classic t-shirt and make it look like a million bucks. You could literally live in this shirt everyday and look super chic.
Thank you for the MMLF code. I picked up the Didion blouse in that marbled blue. I have several MMLF dresses (they are also my favorite go-to for work clothes), but this is my first Didion blouse. Can’t wait for it to arrive. You look lovely in the Noel dress, too!
Best,
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne! I’m so glad you put the code to good use. You will LOVE the Didion Blouse. I wear it with pants or wear it over a form fitted dress too.