Bermeja Tunic Dress

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You would think a girl whose favorite novel being entitled, “Name of the Wind”, would be more interested in names than I am. Blame it on having the most popular name of my generation. A common name. And you will start to see the reasoning behind my conditioning. A name might be what is given to you, but the words you have earned by which your name is described to others, are your own.

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Lately, I have become more intrigued by the names of things. I think it also has to do with naming blog title posts each and every day. Do I give the post a funny name? A punny name? One that makes me smile? Or do I stick to what the search engines want and keep it boring and simple? I try to do both.

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This dress has the name Bermeja Tunic Dress. I decided to look the word “Bermeja” up. Imagine my surprise in discovering that the name of this dress is controversial. Historical. Quite interesting.

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Bermeja is a tiny island in the Gulf of Mexico. Or was a tiny island in the Gulf of Mexico. Or might or might not have been a tiny island in the Gulf of Mexico. Nobody knows. Because either it disappeared or it simply never existed.

There are many theories about the island. I found my information on Lonely Planet. You can click there if you wish to learn more.

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The reason this is even more interesting to me is because on the day these pictures were taken, I wore my Holy Holey Girdle. Yes, you read that right. I will have to do a post on it sometime.

Well, this dress ended up being shorter than expected and we ended up having to edit Holy Holey Girdle out of two pictures. This led me to feel many mixed emotions. I have never edited a picture before by erasing a flaw in it. I want to be true to myself. But I also don’t want Holy Holey Girdle to get all of the attention.

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It is kind of addicting. This fixing of one’s flaws. I am not going to say this will be the last time I do that. In fact, I will say, that will definitely not be the last time I do that. But in an effort to be real, I will share an unedited picture on tomorrow’s Keepin’ It Real” post, complete with a glimpse of Holy Holey Girdle.

‘Cause if it is about names. The truth in names. Then I want my name to be a real island. Of truth. Even if the truth can get ugly. At least it won’t sink with the weight of lies.

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Paired with the dress, are my new Tarara Gladiator Sandals from Anthropologie (they are almost all sold out, but other stores have them. Bloomingdale’s has them here). Tarara is a small town in Cuba. In New Zealand, Tarara means fast talker (source: Wikipedia).

These sandal boots were made for talkin’…

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Had you ever heard of Bermeja before? What are your thoughts on names?

*The bracelets and necklaces are a mish mash of older pieces (similar bracelet here) and Forever 21’s Globetrotter Beaded Cuffs. The turquoise necklace is from Simply Livly on Etsy and the other necklaces are old layering necklaces from Anthropologie (similar here).

* I shared this on The Pleated Poppy!

40 thoughts on “Bermeja Tunic Dress

  1. Super pictures! You look like a Free People magazine model! I love the whole outfit SO much. I may have to try to find some things to emulate it! ( My legs could never make those sandals or the tunic work!)

    • Awww. Thank you. I am sure your legs would look great. The gladiator sandals are my new favorites. I know someone with three pairs. I highly recommend getting some. They are fun! : ). I have seen them worn with short on Free People, too.

      Have a gorgeous weekend!

      Jenni

    • Thank you Kellie! : ). You should see me right now. I can barely open my eyes! What is this morning thing?

      Have a joyful weekend!

      Jenni

  2. I’m have a girl crush moment. <3
    PS. I don't count it as cheating when things like you mentioned are touched out of a picture for a blog. That's not the same as stretching and skinny-ing and air brushing, etc. I still feel you have kept true to your 'keeping it real' motto.

    • I love it! Thank you! You made my day! : ). I did want to let everyone know I took something out of two pictures. I wouldn’t even know how to do the other stuff. That would be way past my level. Even this was tricky!

      Thank you again! Have a relaxing weekend!

      Jenni

  3. I am in love with this Ancient Greece Jenni look! So pretty and etherial! And it’s got kind of a 60’s flower child-vibe too, which is never a bad thing. Love the sandals, LOVE the piles of jewellery – it’s cool to see you piling it on for a change and taking a little fashion risk or two!

    Also, I seriously think you don’t need to apologise for removing bits of your underwear from a photo! Nor post a picture where we can see it – we all love you for keeping it real, but you’re in no way obliged to your readers, remember that. You write for yourself first, and us second.

    PS: Girlfriend, I owe you 30 bucks, remember? And I cannot find your paypal in ANY of my emails from you. Wanna send it to me so I can pay you back? Good accounting makes for good friendship, as my favourite teacher from school used to say… She’s the one who inherited my AG’s, btw! 😉

    • Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

      I never thought of it as sharing my underwear. Ha! It really is just like long undershorts. So, you only see a glimpse of a short. Nothin’ too scandalous. I would never ever show something compromising. I think fashion blogs are so tricky. I do not read the ones that are boring and perfect. They just don’t interest me. I have always set out to create a blog that I would want to read. And I do feel showing the behind the scenes of the photos once a month keeps the blog more humble and real. And that includes wardrobe snafus. It is more for me than anyone. I never want to take myself too seriously. I just want to be myself. Stay true to myself. In all of that Holy Holey Girdle glory. ; )

      Oh! Yea. Money. I will write you later. I had forgotten. So much going on here.

      Aaaahhhh! I have someone coming over in fifty minutes and my house is a diaster and I am in my pajamas!

      Have a happy day!

      Jenni

    • Thank you Suzanne! I keep forgetting they are gladiator sandals because my husband keeps calling them something else!

      Have an excellent weekend!

      Jenni

  4. Ooooo I grabbed those sandals on a pop back, love them! I also have the dress! My legs don’t look like yours though so don’t think I can be doing this combo but I do love the whole thing!! Looks fab!

    • Oh you should definitely try them together! They were made for each other! Aren’t the sandals so comfortable? I rarely feel things are worth full price, but I do feel these are. They are so good! I have worn them three times this week!

      Thank you for the compliment. That is so sweet of you! : ).

      Have a marvelous weekend!

      Jenni

  5. That’s such a pretty (& perfect for your style, as I’ve seen it to be!) dress on you! I’m afraid it would be way too short for me. Maybe in fall & winter you can wear it w/ leggings or jeans. I’m sure that would look good. I do want to know about your fancy, wonder girdle! 🙂

    So sorry about your son! I hope he’s feeling better. Any health problems are scary, but especially when it’s a child, more so your own child! I’ll be thinking of you all. I really hope you get to go to Maui. I really want to go to Kauai & Maui. I’ve been to O’ahu (Waikiki, Honolulu) twice! My husband & kiddos have never been, so that’s a trip for someday!

    Thanks for your sweet comments, always! I’m just relieved that the face skin cancer is gone. However, I read that once you’ve had it you’re susceptible to getting it in other areas. This has also been the case for my dad. Luckily, his have never been as bad as his first melanoma, & I don’t think they’ve even been myelomas. Also read that 1 in 5 people will develop at least basal cell skin cancer in their lifetime, so make sure your family is extra protected out in the sun!
    (I didn’t mean for that to sound “preachy” or mean, just that you live in a warm weather climate as we do, so I’m sure you’re out in it a lot, as we are). 🙂

    Have a great weekend!
    Rebecca

    • Thank you so much Rebecca! I do plan on wearing this with my pink velveteen leggings in the winter. I think it will look cute like that. Speaking of too short dresses, I purchased a dress for the first time from a company based in China. Well, it was $20 and I forgot about it. It came today. And it barely comes to the top of my thighs! I just had to laugh at my “dress” but it is a really cute top.

      I am so glad that your surgery went well. I am with you. I wear sunscreen always. We all do. I am terrified of all of the hazards the sun can bring. Cancer, wrinkles, burns, scarring. It is scary. I had no idea it is 1 in 5 people. When I was in junior high school, I will never forget the sadness of our computer teacher because her teenage daughter was battling the really bad skin cancer. I think about her time and again and hope she had a good outcome.

      I did not think you are preachy or mean at all! I think everyone should protect themselves from the sun!

      We had a fantastic outcome with my son today, so we are doing jumping jacks with relief.

      Have a beautiful weekend!

      Jenni

    • Thank you so much! I appreciate it! You have a lovely weekend, too! : ). My son looks like he is on the mend so we are rejoicing tonight.

      Sweet dreams!

      Jenni

  6. Love the dress and those sandals! I too, may share an underwear story on my blog. I started buying these Jockey shorts to wear under dresses this summer because I knew I would be extra hot being pregnant and thigh shaffing is no fun! They look like shapewear, but are a much thinner and more comfy material. Feels like I have nothing on! But yeah, not cute, but I don’t care!

    I am not good at editing photos either. The only thing I ever do to mine is crop and/or adjust the coloring.

    My Tutti Fruiti skirt came in the mail today – I just adore it!!! I am so glad you have turned me onto Free People. I have always liked their stuff, but the way they show it is hard to envision for the real world sometimes. I like seeing it on a real person!

    Hope you have a great weekend!

    • Thanks Heather. That is a brilliant, brilliant idea you have. I love wearing my husband’s briefs, so that is so smart to take that idea for shapewear. I am afraid my reveal will be anticlimactic tomorrow because I thought we still had the original picture but we threw it away. So, I found one with just a touch of the girdle in it. I want to do a post on the girdle, but it will really be more like an ode to it as it has many funny stories to tell. More people have seen it than really should ever happen. I think all of my friends here have helped me with it at one time.

      I am SO excited to see you style that skirt. It is going to be so good. I just know it.

      My husband actually edited my pictures. I would have absolutely no idea how to do it.

      Sleep well! Have a super weekend!

      Jenni

  7. Beautiful dress. And I love your sandals. And your accessories. And everything about this look. It’s just so summery and free and happy and romantic and flowing. Makes me happy 🙂

    • Oh, thank you Liana! That is how I feel when I wear it. Happy. I am glad it makes you feel that way, too. : ). I cannot wait to wear it all summer. I am taking it on vacation next week, too!

      Have an amazing Saturday!

      Jenni

  8. No, I have never heard of Bermeja before – it sounds to me like an Atlantis type of place! … My original blog, originally, had a not very original name – 63Jeannee … then, believe it or not – yes – CSI: Miami! My brain needed something predictable and interesting and so that was what I was watching – and – I heard something that struck me about as hard as when I first heard of A.C.I.M. — the female character said “Saudade” and explained that essentially meant a sense of profound sadness at the thought of happier memories///times. WELL! Even with a Portuguese godmother, I had never heard that word before … and … it fit exactly … and, so yeahhh it became part of my blog name!

    • I love that! That is so cool. Isn’t it neat how the brain works? I am always astounded at the things it contains and the links back to certain memories.

      Thank you for sharing!

      Have a great rest of the weekend!

      Jenni

    • Thank you Rachael! I did think of you with the turquoise. : ). I like thinking of the sandals as “insane”. I love it!

      Sweet dreams!

      Jenni

  9. Looks FAB and effortless!! I LOVE the sandals and the dress!! HOWEVER I am uber curious about the holy girdle and wonder what it looks like!!

    • Thank you so much! Ha! I will be doing a post on it one day. It has had many adventures!

      Have a marvelous Friday!

      Jenni

  10. Sexy Jenni! This outfit is hawt! You don’t exactly think sexy when you think bohemian goddess, but you are doing both so well here! And those sandals are so fun! You look like an elf warrior woman. And I really love the photo of the wind blowing your hair about your face. It looks like such a natural, candid shot.

    I will have to go check out the holy holey girdle shot. I am impressed you knew how to edit it out. I can do color and contrast balance, along with hitting the “Clear Skin” blur button. So, I basically have a kindergarten education in PhotoShop. Self taught! No thanks to you, Pop! (Wedding Singer? Anyone? Someone please know what I’m talking about…lol)

    <3 Liz
    http://www.withwonderandwhimsy.com

    • Oh my gosh! Um, elf warrior woman, can I tell you that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me?! Thank you! : ). The only thing we know how to do is this one button that you circle on this app and it changes something to the scenery. For some reason it worked on the girdle. But it has not worked since. So, who knows why we could use it then? Photoshop is something that is way over my head. I have not seen “Wedding Singer” in years. I wish I got that reference!

      Have a happy day!

      Jenni

    • Thank you Jess! I appreciate that. I am in love with that dress. I am sad I forgot to take it on vacation. : (. I did remember the sandals, though! So, excited about that! : )

      Have a fab day!

      Jenni

    • Thank you Lea! I love those gladiators! Are they not the most comfortable sandals ever? I wear mine all of the time. I was at Nordstrom Rack this week picking up a few more school pieces for the kids and I found a pair of Julianna Hough sandals in that same muted greyish color. They were marked down to $25. They have an intricate embroidery like pattern at the heel. I bet you would like those, too, since you have the gladiators.

      Thank you again! I really appreciate it! : )

      Have a fun week!

      Jenni

      • Definitely sounds like something I would love. I got my dress on Anthropologie on sale for 80.00 and since the gladiators were sold out everywhere I actual was lucky enough to find a pair on eBay in my size! They are extremely comfortable and can’t wait to wear them!

      • Yay that you found your shoes on eBay! I honestly would not have thought to check there, which is so silly because I always do if something is sold out. I guess I just assumed since they sold out so quickly they would not make it there. I have to restrain myself from wearing them every single day. They are my favorite summer shoes.

        Great price on that dress! I am envious.

        Have a super Monday!

        Jenni

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