I had my eye on this quirky plaid Torrid dress ever since I first saw it in store. In this OOTD post, you’ll see why I love it so much… and how I put this look together on the super cheap for our 11th anniversary date night.

The Plaid Dress

First thing’s first: let’s talk about this Torrid Multi Plaid Challis Button Front Midi Dress.

It was love at first sight when I saw this one in store. If I remember correctly, it was way back in 2020. Full retail price was $69.50. As you know, I’m a cheapskate and refuse to ever pay full retail. But I’m also very patient and persistent. I watched it go on sale, then rotate into clearance. When they ran a 50% off clearance flash sale, I went in for the kill and snagged it for $14.

This dress features a super lightweight, thin “challis” material that you’ll already know well if you’re a Torrid fan. The material itself has no stretch, but the built-in smocked back provides a comfortably fitted top. They didn’t skimp on the fabric, either. It flares and sways and billows beautifully in the breeze!

And yes, I do wear shorts under thin dresses like these… Soft cotton stretch yoga shorts do the trick!

Pockets, adjustable straps, cute button details… Yeah, this dress delivers on all levels. But what initially drew me to it was the color combo: purple and chartreuse yellow – two of my favorites – plus charcoal for contrast! It has all the right vibes for spring and summer outings.

The White Jacket

It’s been unseasonably mild here in South Carolina this year, so I knew I needed an extra layer over this thin dress material. For small-town date night, I also appreciated having this jacket to bring a little more modesty on the top side.

This bright white Lane Bryant denim jacket is a versatile gem that I found on Poshmark for… drumroll please… only five bucks!

I can’t stand long sleeves; thankfully these are easy to roll up to the elbows (which I think looks cuter, anyway).

Snap-buttons, thin denim material, big pockets, goes with anything. What more can you ask for? I wouldn’t change anything about this jacket, but I would love to own something similar in a shorter crop style, too.

The Accessories

In keeping the outfit low-key casual for date night, I really didn’t want to wear heels. So I went with the next best thing: sparkle bling strappy sandals!

Originally priced at $60+, I’m thrilled to say I found these Sam Edelman Circus silver glitter sandals on clearance at Burlington last year for just $15. They fit like a dream with a really supportive, flexible footbed. I have slightly wide feet, which sometimes give me issues with sandals like these (Birkenstocks, e.g.). However, I’d easily recommend these as somewhat-wide-foot-friendly.

Check out these earrings! I was stoked to finally have an outfit to wear them with!

They are authentic vintage, swiped from my mom’s jewelry box back in the 90’s. Thin metal triangles pressed in a wavy scallop texture, painted yellow with a white splatter top coat. So funky and a perfect match to the dress!

I have no idea what brand they may be, or exactly how old… But I do enjoy an opportunity to slip a little vintage into an outfit when I can.

The Date

This guy right here has been my best friend and soulmate since 2010. In 2011, we got married in Las Vegas. This date was celebrating the 11th anniversary of our wedding, and we had a wonderful night.

We tried a local steakhouse, Porter Jack’s, for the first time. The food was great and the ambiance was lovely. I felt very cute and comfortable all evening, which is a refreshing reminder that I’m getting better at coming out of my shell in public.

More OOTD’s coming soon to Fat Fashion.