Although I don’t claim to be a fashionista, I love clothes.  As y’all know, I also love to travel.  So… I’d rather have money to travel (and for retirement!) instead of spending it to be dressed head to toe in stuff from Anthropologie or Nordstrom or whatever.  If you follow me on Twitter, you might already have heard me rave about one particular place I love to shop - ModCloth.

I’m not quite an every day dress wearer like Allison, but I am Southern.  I learned at a recent seminar about dressing professionally from the boardroom to the ballroom that one reason it’s so tough to find work-appropriate dresses is because Southerners are the primary market for such things, and that’s a relatively small market.  I fall right into this stereotype, and, fortunately, ModCloth has some great stuff.

Assuming you’re not particularly well-endowed, pair this adorable polka-dot number with the right white jacket, and you’re golden for work or an alumnae tea.  At just under $100, it’s cheaper than a similar dress would be from Anthropologie and still high quality.  The Sidecar Tour dress is an even better bargain at less than $45.  I have this one and love it.

The blue Seven Year Itch dress is perfect for dinner on a cruise ship or a date with your sweetie.  I’d love to wear the Cran-Orange dress to a bridal shower or for dinner and a stroll downtown on a warm summer night.

ModCloth’s goodness isn’t limited to dresses.  I get compliments all the time on my Wuthering Heights jacket, I love their accessories, and the one of a kind vintage finds are always interesting.  Follow them on Twitter to have a chance at winning something from their website on I Spy Thursday (at 4pm EST every Thursday, they post a Twitpic of an item, and the 5th person to identify it wins one).  They also have a special Twitter account you can follow so you’ll know when they have new items available.

I speak from firsthand experience to let you know that returns are quick and easy, and their customer service is very good.

Two posts ago I wrote my ode to dresses; the most versitle piece in your wardrobe hands down.  Now, I’ve decided to count all the reasons I  love them s0.

Take this one little baby doll dress….

Forever21, H81 Chiffon Baby Doll Dress, $26.90

1.  Add some cute espedrilles, a host of gold bangles , wtih maybe some feather earrings and go bohemian.

2.  Add a cropped denim jacket and some Haviana flip flop’s and enjoy dinner beachside.

3.  Add a white 3/4 length sleeved cardigan and some nude strappy heels and head to that bridal tea.

As the weather gets colder….

4.  Belt with a thin camel colored leather belt and layer over a long, navy cardigan.  Finish off your day of shopping outfit with some gladiator sandals.

5.  Bring back the denim jacket, the feather earrings, and throw in some slouchy leather boots and say “yee-haw”… in a fashion forward way.

6.  Pull on some navy tights, some leather ankle boots, and a black cardigan for dinner with the girls.

7.  Skinny jeans, the slouchy leather boots, and whatever else fabulous accessory you can find and you are so money!

See I told you so.  Now go buy a dress.