OOTD: August Brights

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

What a whirlwind weekend I had. Literally. While I was spending time with my mother on Saturday morning, a F1 tornado touched down in her town and caused some pretty significant damage to the Main Street/downtown area and surrounding side streets. Thankfully, there were no deaths or injuries reported- which is a big deal considering we’re not used to (or particularly prepared for) twisters in rural Massachusetts- but quite a few people were displaced in the aftermath.

Saturday’s storm/tornado is the second I’ve narrowly dodged since a F3 swept across a highway I was traveling on back in 2011- and the one thing that still sends a chill up my spine to this day is the sound it made. While taking cover in my mother’s cellar with her and Oliver (who was such a brave little dog throughout the ordeal!)– it sounded like a freight train was speeding by eerily close to where we were sitting. It was the same noise I had heard on that highway back in 2011. It lasted only a few seconds- but it was pretty insane and intense.

My mother’s home wasn’t damaged at all, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that- and yesterday’s weather was clear and sunny- which made it a lot easier for those performing cleanup to the affected areas. It could have been so much worse, but we got really, really lucky.

Yesterday afternoon, after running some errands and taking a much-needed breather following such a close call- I met up with friends for a late lunch/early dinner to decompress and get myself back into a good state of mind. It was pretty hot out- so I opted for this bright aqua sun dress with subtle silver beading along the straps to stay cool and comfortable.

I can’t remember where I got this dress, honestly. I’ve had it for years- but instinct tells me it was probably up at Hampton Beach and more than likely during their annual Seafood Festival. I usually find really cute pieces for amazing prices when I stop by during that time.

I just know I love the color, which was flattering back when I was a redhead but seems to really look lovely and Summery now that I’ve got blonde curls going on. To keep things bright and cheerful, I paired the dress with my pink floral sandals from ModCloth and matched my lipstick shade (Urban Decay!) to the shoes to give my face a flush of color.

I’m hoping to get some more wear out of this dress before the end of Summer- and since it’s pretty versatile- I have a feeling it’s going to be making an appearance in my office within the next week or so. If I need to cover up the beaded straps for any reason- I have a white, short-sleeved cardigan I can pull on over it.

And now with a brand new work-week underway, I’ve got to dive right into my voicemails, e-mails, and caseloads to try and get my schedule clear by Friday and not have to worry about a thing!

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Monday and a steady, easygoing week ahead!

xx

– Ashley –