OOTD: Woodland Creature

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

When it comes to style and comfort in the Fall- one of my go-to ensembles is typically a pair of flattering skinny jeans, a nice and loose-fitting sweater, and sturdy boots (which I actually posted about not that long ago!) but sometimes- like this past weekend, for example- I need to put something together that can beat both the leftover soaring Summer temperatures that are still lingering around here while simultaneously allowing me to combat the rain that has traveled my way from this most recent round of hurricanes and tropical storms that made their way up the coast.

Enter this lightweight and breezy olive green mini-dress I picked up around this time last year while preparing for a week-long stay that split my time between Las Vegas and San Diego. The fabric it’s made from- ridiculously soft and wrinkle-proof- helps me stay warm (but not too warm) while my trusty knee-high, faux-leather brown boots keep my feet dry when I’m stepping through puddles on my way into the office.

If it’s colder outside- I typically wear leggings with this outfit- but since it’s been unusually (and stifling) hot out these past few days- I’ve gone bare-legged. One of my co-workers who saw me in this last week told me that I looked like Link from “Legend of Zelda”- which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, right?

“It’s Dangerous to Go Alone! Take This!”

Regardless of whether or not I look like an elf on a mission- This is another Autumn-esque outfit I love to wear before it gets too cold outside for me to show much skin. It could be considered another transitional outfit between seasons- but it’s also easy enough to dress up or down year-round depending on the occasion it’s being worn for.

Not pictured? My brown saddlebag- which is pretty much glued to me at this point- but since I’ve shown it plenty of times across social media, I thought I could put it down for a few minutes while I posed for photos (it makes me look more like Link, anyway!)

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: SoCal Smolder

Since I was only spending 24 hours in San Diego this past weekend- I didn’t pack much- just enough necessities to fit inside a backpack (like my makeup, my phone charger, and a fresh change of clothes for my flight home.) It wasn’t until I was actually in town and realized that I needed something a bit dressier and something I HADN’T spent 5 hours cramped onto an airplane in to wear for my plans on Saturday night- and I made it a point to make a quick pit-stop at the closest shopping center in order to pick up a new outfit to add to my wardrobe.

When it comes to going out in Southern California- I tend to dress a bit more on the provocative side- but without crossing the line into inappropriate territory. Mini skirts with a cute blouse and nice, dressy sandals? A sleeveless maxi dress with stiletto heels? Short shorts with a tattered band t-shirt and funky sneakers? I’ve worn ’em all at various points out West- so I opted for something a bit different this time around in this black and floral printed back-less, frilly mini-dress.

I love the cut of this dress. It shows off my arms, my legs, and just enough of my back to leave something to the imagination- and the fabric is so light and breezy that I was comfortable and confident the whole night I was wearing it. I picked up a long, black quarter-sleeve cardigan to wear over it, too- just in case the night got a little chilly while I was in San Diego (thankfully, it didn’t)– and also so I could get away with wearing this dress to work, too.

It’s definitely office-friendly in the front, but in the back? Not so much- so a light sweater is definitely a must.

I played up my pale and otherwise bare neck area with a red acrylic and faux-diamond studded statement necklace that I got on sale in a small boutique in Horton Plaza while I stopped in the area to get a caffeine fix and a blow-out for my hair. I wanted something to match the red flowers in the dress.

The necklace came with a pair of ruby red teardrop earrings, as well- but I skipped over wearing those since I was keeping my hair down for the evening and my hair always hides my ears. I’m saving them for a special occasion!

And finally, I wore sneakers to and from San Diego- which simply would not do with a dress this cute- so I grabbed an inexpensive pair of pointed, buckle-strap flats to tie everything together since I knew there was no way I’d be able to walk properly in high heels at a music venue or at a bar. These worked out perfectly- since they were both comfortable and practical- and I’ve been sporting these since I got back with jeans and t-shirts. I feel like they give me a sort of rocker edge without being too dramatic. They’re just the right amount of eye-catching!

Someday I’d love to do a list compiling all of my Summer dresses- although it would take forever since I have so many at the moment- and now I have one more in my collection thanks to this vacay-purchase gone right. I love this outfit, especially since I had pieced it together last minute- and I can’t wait to wear it again now that I’m back home!

xx