Sean and I woke up early to play tourist on the Las Vegas Strip. It's honestly one of my favorite things to do on a lazy day and the earlier you get out there, the better your chances of getting epic shots without a bunch of people standing in your way. We made it out to this beautiful spot overlooking the New York, New York casino. The lighting was just perfect and it was completely dead out there!

I really wanted the opportunity to show off this gorgeous Free People dress (the Collette Mini) that I picked up at Nordstrom Rack (my second home). I have this thing with not spending full price on items - I absolutely hate it. I would seriously much rather wait until it drops down on sale or ends up in Rack, where it's so heavily discounted that you can't not buy it. Or even just buy a great dupe from a more affordable store.

I try to be realistic about all of my purchases, because I know the reality of not wearing something enough times for it to be worth what I've spent. With how fashion is now, it seems like trends change so often that you can't justify what you just purchased because in a few months, you probably won't even reach for it anymore. I try my best to buy things that are classic and that I know I will love for many months or years to come.

When I saw this beauty, I knew I had to have it. The length was perfect, and the top worked out great for my fuller bust (which is a serious struggle). I finally felt super comfortable in an open-back piece that didn't require me to wear a bra! I absolutely love the muted eggplant color and the ruffles on the sleeves. I can picture this dress working out great as a transitional piece, paired with a nice jacket or cardigan and some booties. It does run large, I actually grabbed it in a size small (typically a Medium in most dresses).

For this shoot, I decided to pair it with a pair of white, pointed-toe flat mules and my straw fedora. It seemed really fitting for the middle of summer.

This dress is sold out in this color on Nordstrom Rack's website now, but I tried to do some digging around online for you guys to find it at relatively the same price. Some options are below, along with similar Free People options that you may like! (Plus, they're all under $100!)