WISHFUL SHOPPING: Banana Republic Dresses & Sheaths, Part One.

I have always loved the elegance, class, demeanor, sophistication, ease and beauty Banana Republic has to offer. That brand makes clothes after my heart. However since Fall 2009 until late summer of last year (2011) I have shopped less and less there because there haven't been many things I had to have or really wanted. However once Fall 2011 started and the Mad Men Collection was born, I am officially HOOKED ON again to Banana Republic. Currently I am in love with almost every single dress they feature on their website. Can you say I've got Spring on my mind?!? And you girls know how Muuuuuch I love Dresses so there will be a second part to this blog, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, let me give you 16 reasons to Love Banana Republic again. =))

Coral is a great color this Spring 2012, as is Orange & Camel. I am in love with this soft eyelet, coral sheath. Paired with a soft elbow-length sleeve cardigan or a 3/4-sleeve blazer it would work for work. Paired with a lovely gold shawl or an off-white shrug, it would make a great dress for a wedding. There is a very similar dress to this (I saw before seeing this one) at Koton - an European Brand, here in Tirana where I currently reside. It is almost half the price of this one and the quality is quite nice. I might have to wait for a little sale and add that similar beauty to my closet. =)

 There is such a classic look to this Little Black Dress. It is not just a dress for work or for the office. It truly means business. Love how simple yet so sexy it is. Love the soft V-Neckline and the thin square-buckled belt. Also, this dress works wonders paired with those amazing nude & ivory pumps and that amazing nude clutch. Just add pearl stud earrings and a soft strand of pearls to your neck, and you are ready to conquer the world, in this.

 This one is simple but neat. There was a time when I owned and wore a lot of wrap-style dresses. I don't have many nowadays and this would be a great addition to both my work closet and my fun closet. It can work for my job and for the bar, as well as a date night with my hubby.

Another dress from the amazing Mad Men Collection. Truly beautiful, a masterpiece!! What's not to like for real!? It has a gorgeous shade of hot pink (like a royal fuchsia), a beautiful a-line skirt, and a sophisticated and womanly empire waist. Once again on my top 3 dresses. I would wear this to my cousin's wedding this summer, in a heartbeat. As a matter of fact I would pair it with my nude pumps, a gold or snake-print clutch, some gold jewelry with pops of pink and turquoise stones. ;-)

I love a nice, little white dress. And I like a short LWD even more. This one is short but not too short. It could be great for dressy summer parties, bridal showers and fun cocktail evenings. As a matter of fact we went out last night with my girlfriends, and one of them was wearing a dress very similar to this. It was the same length and neckline, in a soft lace (not see-through since it had a built-in tank dress underneath, except it featured long sleeves). Her mom had sewn it for her and due to the fact that I love this dress, I will taylor one for me, this upcoming Spring/Summer.

 This dress is beautiful, feminine and fun. It is a cute, flirty print once again featuring 4 awesome colors for Spring 2012: Coral, Pink, Orange & Beige/Tan. I like that it is elegant and demure. The print is bright and bold but the length and style make it a great piece for work. And once again it would work for a shower, an engagement party, a rehearsal dinner and such.

This is a nice fun sheath in a slight color-blocking of navy and black. The length features your great legs for a fun night out. I also love the length of the sleeves. A beautiful, bold wide bracelet or cuff looks great with such a dress.

 Another beautiful sheath in the non-color of beige or nude. This has a retro feel to it and it is very much a Mad Man-esque kind of dress. Great for work, but it can also double for an evening out dress, or something to wear to a wedding.

 I am a sucker for Blue, especially Royal Blue or Electric Blue. This dress satisfies a lot of my cravings and styles I prefer in a dress. Great color(s) I Love Blue; a soft, feminine floral print; it is strapless (I love strapless dresses); it has a flirty, A-line skirt; it features a little bit of gathering for extra curve appeal; it is short yet not too short. This can be worn to a wedding for daytime, to a picnic or to a concert, as long as you choose the right accessories to pair it with, dressed up or dressed down.

This is probably my MOST FAVORITE Dress or at least in top 3 that Banana Republic currently has in store for its clients. I love that steel metal, coffee-gray look, the subtle print of paisley, the very simple sheath style of no sleeves and knee-length. From the cut and style it says BUSINESS, but from the material and sparkle it reads PLEASURE. And when both of these worlds collide in the Fashion World, they make beautiful dresses like these. No wonder it is one of the most expensive ones, plus it's a Monogram dress.

 Another Chic Spring/Summer Dress for Mid to Late Spring and into the Summer. I am a sucker for white and I am a sucker for eyelet. This dress satisfies "both of these needs" for me. So cute, simple, casual, sophisticated and a little bohemian. This is what I would call A Breezy, Cool White Dress.

 This one is quite simple. I am more after the print of the dress than anything else. It reminds me of the 50s and the 60s which were both great eras in the fashion world. That big, bold, vintage-y rose print is not what some might call grandma's curtains' from back in the day. I think it is sophisticated and soft.

This dress and the girl wearing it look like a Tall, Refreshing, Crisp, Cool and Delicious Glass of Lemonade to me. This soft, buttery to lemony yellow reminds me of a cool lemonade in a hot summer day. This dress is beautiful and very feminine. The sweetheart strapless neckline is girly yet grown-up enugh for me. One of my top 3 faves in this list, for sure.

 WOW that's all I can say about this amazing Fuchsia Color!! This Neon Hot Pink is all the rage, now! The cowl-neck is one of those necklines I have always liked. While I prefer it better in sweaters, tops and blouses, I welcome it in dresses, too, for a change. Plus this one looks like a soft silk. It would be a great dress for a semi-dressy wedding. It would work for both an outdoors and indoors reception.

 Another great retro look from the amazing designers of the Mad Men Collection. This butter-beige is a beautiful color that would work well with my brunette locks and greenish-hazel eyes. I love the detail from the waist up, but I particularly love the tiny, cute, soft, cap sleeves. =)

Last but not least, a fun, feminine, beautiful, breezy, chiffon dress in a gorgeous shade of light green, like a mixture of mint and seafoam. I barely own anything in this same exact color so the color is reason enough for me to want this dress (it truly is beautiful). Plus the detail on the chest area and the slight A-line, make my heart sing!!! Once again pairing it with nude peep-toes is great. That simple nude-looking necklace featuring some sparkly stones, looks great with it, too.