Tag: Outfit Of The Day

OOTD: In The Navy…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: In The Navy…

Good Morning, Happy Friday- and Happy Friday The 13th, everyone!

Before I finish up early at work, head out to stock up on bug spray and snacks, and venture out into the woods for an overnight Jason Vorhees-inspired camp out to commemorate this most creepy of dates with some friends- I wanted to share one of my favorite Summertime pieces that was under $10! Yes, you read that right- under $10!

This navy blue, cotton, strapless dress- courtesy of Primark– was unsurprisingly intended to be a bikini cover-up. But, when the temperatures soar and I want to be able to be out and about without sweating through or sticking to fabrics- this little number comes in handy!

This dress is lightweight and stops mid-thigh, making it easy to accessorize with sandals/flats without having to worry about it getting even shorter. I also love the crocheting around the mid-section, which makes this look super flattering!

I wore this dress this past weekend during my afternoon excursion to Georges Island- and paired it with a simple tan Panama hat and comfortable navy and white striped flats to make maneuvering around Fort Warren and the surrounding beach a little easier and safer.

And, as usual- I framed my face with my favorite pair of cat-eye shades from Quay Sunglasses! I was comfortable (even when exploring a spooky abandoned fort) and looked ready to go from beach-to-yacht-to-seaside-dinner in no time at all!

If I’m wearing this dress out at night, I tend to wear a little more bling with it to make it feel a bit more fancy- and if I’m feeling more daring- I’ll skip the flats/sandals and go with a modest wedge heel that isn’t too high.

But for under $10- this dress was a great buy that gets a ton of use in the hotter months!

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Friday and a ton of fun this coming weekend! If you’re superstitious- be extra careful today. And, if you’re not superstitious- try not to wander into any abandoned Summer camps anyway, okay? You never know what (or who) is lurking out there!

See you all on Monday!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: Talking Body(suit)

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: Talking Body(suit)

Good Morning and Happy Hump Day, everyone!

Admittedly, this work week has been brutal- and I can’t wait for it to be over so I can dive into my weekend plans and get geared up for July (and the Fourth Festivities!) but I’ve got to hang in there for just a couple more days, first- as exhausting as it seems right now!

But instead of wallowing, and before I attempt to get into Boss Bitch mode here in my office- I wanted to share what has become one of my favorite wardrobe staples for this Summer. Surprisingly comfortable, versatile, and easy to dress up (or down, depending on the occasion)– I’m really feeling one-piece bodysuits lately.

Not to be confused with one-piece swimsuits, bodysuits are usually made with lighter fabrics and can be embellished with fringe, tassels, bedazzled jewels, funky straps, zippers, etc. I’ve grown quite a collection in recent weeks (and after multiple visits to Primark)– and the striped one shown above has a pretty daring zipper on the front that goes down quite a ways when unzipped. I call it my “Cleavage Control Contraption”.

I typically wear these with high-rise shorts and statement earrings or over-the-top bracelets/rings- which sort of gives me the same 1970s vibes my mother had going for her when she was my age. Between the one-piece, my round sunglasses, and the beachy waves I rocked all weekend- I felt like I was channeling my inner Penny Lane and was ready to hop into the nearest functioning VW Bus to follow a band on tour around the country.

The only thing that didn’t really fit into the ’70s theme of this outfit were the sparkling slide sandals- because my feet had been killing me from the night before and I chose comfort and functionality over style when I put this together- but they’re still pretty cute, I think. Right? Someone back me up on this.

I plan on showing some of my other bodysuits in my upcoming ‘Favorites’ post for the month of June- but this striped one is definitely one of my go-to’s when I’m heading out and about for a day off!

But now I’ve got to get some work done and prepare myself for today’s meetings and errands. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: Bohemian Like You

by Ashley DeLarge1 Comment on OOTD: Bohemian Like You

One of my dearest friends from California is legitimately Bohemian. I’m not talking in terms of style or an unconventional attitude (although he is a musician)– but in the sense that his family were/are from Bohemia prior to it becoming part of the Czech Republic. So, whenever I hear people describe something- be it fashion or home decor- as “bohemian”, I always think of him and how he doesn’t dress anything at all like how BoHo-inspired clothing or accessories are designed.

Case in point- these loose-fitting, high-waist baggy pants I wore this past weekend while running errands and grabbing coffee with friends. I had initially bought these a couple of years ago while shopping for a weekend beach trip where I had wanted something breezy and comfortable to wear when I wasn’t on the sand but didn’t want to throw on jeans- and they’ve been a Summertime staple of mine ever since.

A woman at the cafe I’d popped into for a latte remarked that I looked “very bohemian”. A compliment, of course- but I just thought I looked impossibly comfortable given the heat outside.

I didn’t do anything to dress up these pants, since the pattern is pretty bold all on it’s own. Instead, I just wore a white tank top and my brown suede moccasins (a purchase I made for a cross-country flight to Vegas a couple of years ago and they’ve held up superbly ever since!) which goes well with my brown, faux-leather cross-body saddle bag. It was all about lightweight fabrics, comfortable cuts, and convenience, after all!

For jewelry (since I do love to sport a unique piece now and then)– I turned to a matching necklace and bracelet set crafted from stainless steel pebble-shapes threaded together with smoky quartz of different shapes/colors. I’m still in the experimental phases when it comes to using the healing power of crystals- mainly because I don’t know which ones would benefit me the most- but these looked pretty and had me feeling good about my look for the day, which works enough for me!

Final touches included my round, vintage, blue/green mirrored sunglasses and a swipe of my current favorite orange/coral Maybelline lipstick to brighten up my otherwise minimally made-up face (BB cream and highlighter are my only two necessities in the hot weather!)

Overall I thought this was a very Summery, laid-back, lounge-appropriate ensemble that could also double as fun Festival wear since it wasn’t overtly complicated and super comfortable- even when I was under the sun for a few hours!

And now with it being Monday and my day being filled with phone calls, e-mails, reviewing paperwork and a scheduled company luncheon a little later on this afternoon- I’ve got to dive into my work bright and early this morning.

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Monday and a (hopefully!) great week. Let’s push through to this upcoming weekend together! We can do it!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: Breezy Southern Belle

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: Breezy Southern Belle

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone! Time to get back to the grind and get some work done!

I hope all the moms and/or moms-to-be out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day! I spent most of the morning and afternoon with my mom- savoring the sunshine, cooking a delicious, homemade brunch together (the recipe for our main course will be up on the blog in a couple of days!) and doing a little bit of shopping for some plants/flowers for her garden- as well as some furniture and decor for a few renovations she has planned for her house this Summer.

My mom is very much the DIY, HGTV-obsessed type- always coming up with new projects to keep her home and lawn looking immaculate and cutting edge- so it was a lot of fun to just watch her in her element and jot down some pointers she had for me as we went about our day together.

Since our plans weren’t anything particularly fancy and I am all about comfort this time of year- I wore this lovely, lightweight gauze maxi dress I picked up a few weeks ago with laid-back weekends in mind. Something about this dress gives me a Southern Belle vibe. Not like Scarlett O’Hara- but I could envision myself strolling through a picturesque town in South Carolina during the Summer in this (it should be mentioned that I also recently watched ‘The Notebook’ for the first time in forever so that scenery is still fresh in my mind…)

The great thing about maxi dresses is that you can wear flats, sandals, wedges or heels with them and it always looks good. Yesterday I opted for these woven strap heels to give me a little boost of height and improve my posture- and topped things off with an over-sized hat I had originally bought a couple of Summers ago for the beach. Add some colorful bracelets and rings with aqua and orange tones and you have a perfect look for a lovely Spring Day!

But now I’ve got to get to work. Monday morning obligations and whatnot- and I haven’t even had my coffee yet!

Here’s hoping you all have an easy and stress-free week!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: In Bloom

by Ashley DeLarge2 Comments on OOTD: In Bloom

Good Morning, everyone!

I’m so beyond grateful it’s Friday. It’s been such a busy week- with work, post-office plans nearly every day, trying to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift before this coming Sunday- and squeezing in enough time for the gym and getting enough sleep to function like a relatively normal person. Although tonight is my bi-weekly family dinner with my mom, brothers, sister-in-laws and niece- I have to admit I’m looking forward to just being able to relax and sleep a little late tomorrow morning. I need it!

Earlier this week I had dinner arrangements with friends at The Local in Wellesley (one of my favorite towns in the Greater Boston area!) and thought it was just as good a time as any to break out an oldie but a goody party dress I’ve had since my early-to-mid twenties so that I could match the blossoming trees along Wellesley’s main street/historic district.

This lightweight, cotton dress with detailed embroidery and a floral print is the most beautiful shades of sky blue and pastel pink- and hits a little ways above the knee- making it easy to wear to both my office (with a modest button-up cardigan over it) and out with friends where I can expose some shoulder.

Wearing heels with this dress, however- can make it look entirely too short. Instead, I paired it with my pastel pink flats (which have made an appearance in some past OOTDs!) to stay comfortable and keep from exposing a little too much to those who were enjoying the late Spring afternoon/evening around the town.

And for my makeup- some shimmery pink eye shadow and lip balm was all I needed to keep things in a light, pretty and seasonal state.

I have a similar dress in a different pattern that I feel is more Summery given the colors- so I’m sure that will be making an appearance on the blog at some point after Memorial Day!

But I’m off to finish up some work for the week and get ready to catch up with my family tonight. I’ll be back on Monday- and in the meantime- I hope all the moms out there from all corners of the Earth and all walks of life have a truly beautiful Mother’s Day: filled with your favorite foods, maybe a little wine, some quiet time- and lots of pampering. You earned it!

I’ll be spending Mother’s Day with my own Mama- where we have brunch and some shopping plans in mind- so I’m hoping the nice weather holds up so we can spend more time outdoors.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –