
There’s no better way to usher in the arrival of (hopefully) warmer weather than by indulging in some much-needed retail therapy. ‘Cause a fashion girl’s gotta shop! Wondering what to wear to a spring wedding or what to wear to a festival? Take your pick from a slew of spring dresses that will get you through any spring celebration, outdoor concert and beyond. Think: bright and punchy palettes, next-level florals and abbreviated hemlines that are practically begging for more fun in the sun. Whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect weekend wear (hello, versatile denim shirt dress) or a stunning chiffon gown that can serve double duty for a bridal shower and a spring gala, it’s all here. Don’t wait until spring break to add these 19 gorgeous spring dresses to the rotation. They deserve to be front and center now.
1. Simply Be Stripe Shift Dress ($58): This fluorescent striped shift dress is inspiring us to skip spring and jump right into summer. Cue the floppy hats and free-wheelin’ slides for a late-spring jubilee or a day at the races.
2. City Chic Soft Layer Popover Bodice Tunic Dress ($79): Calling all color enthusiasts: Get ready for chartreuse to become your new power color this spring. Accessorize this easy-breezy tunic dress with a set of dangling earrings and some chic sandles for a fun night on the town.
3. Adrianna Papell Poppies Sleeveless Fit & Flare Dress ($160): Run, don’t walk, to snag this knockout floral dress that would look best teamed with mirrored specs and windblown hair. Take style cues from T-Swift herself by completing the look with a denim jacket and some trusty canvas sneakers.
4. Mynt 1792 Sleeveless Jersey Blouson Maxi Dress ($218): Fact: It’s not really soiree season until you have a slew of dreamy pastel-hued gowns on standby. This flowy coral dress with a peekaboo slit is so pretty, you’ll actually want to wear it beyond your bridesmaid duties.
5. Who What Wear for Target Women’s Plus-Size Midi Shirt Dress ($40): This wear-with-everything chambray shirt dress from Who What Wear’s collaboration with Target is a must-have for your spring capsule wardrobe. It can be dressed up with wedges for Sunday brunch or pared down with white tennies for the first baseball game of the season.
6. Michael Michael Kors Ponte Fit and Flare Dress ($150): If you’re looking for a versatile LBD that can be styled a million and one ways, this is it. Pair the classic fit and flare silhouette with black pumps for your office’s happy hour, lace-up ghillies for a black tie affair or metallic Birks for a stroll along the boardwalk. It’s that easy.
7. Simply Be Button Sleeve Shirt Dress ($49): Master transitional dressing with this army green utility dress that can be teamed with riding boots now and lace-up gladiators come festival season. Edge it up with a messy fishtail braid and some flash tats.
8. BEYOND by Ashley Graham Plus Size White V-Neck Dress ($62): Rock this delicate white frock for a fancy dinner party, Easter weekend with the fam or even a quick getaway to the Hamptons. With a quick switcheroo — swap out the sunnies for a statement necklace, and black d’Orsays pumps for sandals — you’ll be well equipped for every spring event on your iCal.
9. City Chic Floral Print Tulip Dress ($149): Roll out the red carpet — this stunning strapless number is ready for its close-up. The bold floral print is not only guaranteed to dominate on the dance floor, but it’s just as worthy for an afternoon in paradise too.
10. Chetta B Metallic Stripe Fit & Flare Dress ($148): Get the partay started with this DDG metallic stripe dress that’s worthy of a spring gala, date night with bae — you name it. Take it there with a sophisticated updo, a minaudière clutch and some dancin’ shoes.
11. H&M+ Ribbed Dress ($50): Perfect your throw-on-and-go routine with this black and white striped dress that’s practically made for off-duty weekends. Keep things on the DL by styling it alongside your prized field jacket and a sporty baseball cap.
12. Old Navy Chambray Plus-Size Cami Dress ($45): Embrace a springtime ‘tude with this chambray cami dress that will inspire you to do less. For a foolproof look that requires zero effort, simply throw in a white denim jacket and some leather mules.
13. Missguided Plus-Size Checked Shirt Dress ($51): Combat chilly spring temps with this oversized plaid shirt dress that can be paired with a leather jacket and OTK boots on any day of the week. Major bonus: The high-low hem is even HR-approved.
14. Missguided Plus-Size Leather Zip Back Midi Dress ($68): So much YAS. Show off your sultry side with this scene-stealing leather dress that will make you look (and feel) like Beyoncé. (Did you check out that exposed leather zipper on the back?!) Be first-date ready just like that by pairing it with some strappy steppers and major confidence.
15. Truly You Bright Floral Jacquard Shift Dress ($55): Unleash your inner flower child with this shift dress that Marcia Brady would totes approve of. Pair it with some throwback clogs and a fringed crossbody bag for a rad festival-going getup.
16. ASOS Curve Premium Pencil Dress With Pleat Side ($82): Take the corporate world by storm in this mint-hued pencil dress with major #girlboss appeal. Style it with a timeless trench coat and a ladylike satchel for a look that will slay.
17. Forever21 Plus Stripe T-Shirt Dress ($15): Lend some tough-girl edge to your spring lineup with this edgy striped t-shirt dress that will be hitting the town. Bring on the ‘90s-esque choker necklaces and combat boots, ‘cause this stunner is ready to come out and play.
18. Truly You Over Scale Floral Print Shift ($65): Whether you’re a bride-to-be or not, you’d be crazy NOT to say “I do” to this swoon-inducing floral dress. Period.
19. Violeta by Mango Printed Gown ($130): Taking you from an outdoor concert to a rustic-chic wedding, this flowy gown shall not be overlooked. Seriously, just add a tassel necklace and some gold gladiators for the win.
Which of these spring dresses are you currently coveting? Follow us on Pinterest for more style inspo.
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Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures