Outfit Of The Day – Page 8

OOTD: Spring in the City

April 23, 2018April 29, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

Being as pale as I am- I used to never wear white for fear it would wash me out even more and make me look like a literal ‘Scooby-Doo’ ghost. And then, when I attempted to dip my toe into the trend a while back- I had people reminding me that one isn’t supposed to wear white after Labor Day- a rule I never fully understood (and still don’t, really.)

But I’m a perpetual rule-breaker, and with this past weekend feeling like the first, real, legitimate set of Spring days we’ve had in a long time- no jacket required!- I decided to throw on a pair of crisp, white jeans, a bright and billowy floral top, and some pastel pink flats to meet my friends for a day of sunshine and burgers in Charlestown.

The jeans are the Rockstar Super-Skinny cut from Old Navy, while the top and flats are from Primark– all affordable and all able to be paired with other tops/bottoms- but what I love most about this outfit in-particular isn’t just how bright and fun it is, but how comfortable it is, too.

In beautiful, historic neighborhoods like Charlestown, it’s much easier (and much more pleasant) to walk to where you’re going- and when you’re in uncomfortable fabrics or overly complicated shoes- your lovely, leisurely day can be spoiled right away.

I really love breezy, loose-fitting fabrics this time of year- and this top had a fun tier/layered look going on that gave me a little bit of flair with my movements and a neat silhouette.

And although I am perpetually clumsy- I’ve learned to utilize long, thin sweaters when I sit down or as I’m eating while wearing white. I carried a cardigan in my bag for that very purpose- throwing it on before I sat down anywhere and making sure it covered the part of my jeans the napkin didn’t quite reach when it came time to eat dinner. See? Getting wiser with age (I think…)

But it’s time for me to go ahead and sip some coffee, swallow back the Monday blues, and get some work done.

Here’s hoping you all have a wonderful week ahead!

– Ashley –

OOTD: New Metal

April 13, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone!

After what proved to be a pretty busy week- I’m so excited to have a low-key, chill weekend ahead of me. Tonight marks my bi-weekly dinner with my mom, brothers, sister-in-laws, and niece- and tomorrow night I’m kicking it with friends for a quiet-night in to enjoy some pizza, drinks, pajamas and horror movies. All of this is leading up to Sunday night’s season finale of ‘The Walking Dead’ (I’m already terrified…) before Monday’s big ‘Patriot’s Day’ festivities here in Boston.

I’m hoping the weather stays sunny and somewhat warm- not only for those running the Boston Marathon on Monday- but for those of who who are going to be watching (and in my case, brunching) from the sidelines, too!

But before we break for a blissful few days off- I wanted to showcase an eccentric piece I’ve had in my closet for a while now and recently took out to wear once it actually started to feel like Spring around here. This ribbed, calf-length and rose gold metallic skirt is such a fun thing to sport with confidence- especially since it can easily be paired with blouses, button-ups, or in my case- tucked tank tops (not pictured: a black cardigan) and some over-sized rose gold sunglasses.

The muted metallic color of the skirt, as well as the texture of the fabric is so neat looking. It catches the light with every movement- but there’s a silky soft lining and an elastic waistband- so I stay comfortable and can move freely and without restriction in it during the day. The length is perfect, too- since I can wear it to the office or out to dinner and still look on point.

Plus, given the season- pinks and rose tones just feel so lovely and appropriate right now.

Since it’s been raining on/off a bit here lately, I wore some high-heeled, buckled black boots with the skirt this time around to keep my feet from getting wet in case I encountered any puddles during walks to/from my car- which always happens, no matter how careful I am- whenever I wear flats.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think they gave this outfit a bit of an edgy kick to it- and in colder temperatures I might accentuate that edginess a bit more with a leather jacket or some studded jewelry.

I twirled, spun, and strutted around my office in this thing- and of course took my runway moves to the streets once I’d left work for the day and opted to run some errands while I was still looking and feeling fabulous. I can’t wait to bust this one out again when it’s a little dryer out and I can wear open-toed heels or wedge sandals with it and not have to worry about getting my pedicure wet in the rain!

But I am going to wrap up this Friday’s case load at my job and head on over to my family’s house to eat, drink and be merry. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend- and I’ll see you all again on Monday!

– Ashley –

OOTD: Casual Saturday

March 26, 2018by Ashley DeLarge3 Comments

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

Time to get back to the grind and start getting things done at work- all while simultaneously preparing for Easter dinner with my family this coming weekend! I’m still on the fence about what I’m going to be cooking/baking to bring with me- although I’m pretty intrigued by the concept of Japanese cheesecake. I’ve seen a few recipes floating around lately and it looks surprisingly simple (and delicious.)

We’ll see how that goes!

But I’m getting ahead of myself a little. This past weekend- despite some snow flurries here and there- was actually pretty nice out. Nice enough where I could spend some time running errands and briefly go hiking in just a t-shirt (and then a light faux-leather jacket whenever the snow started to fall.)

Skinny jeans/jeggings and a well-worn band t-shirt is actually my go-to weekend outfit when I’m just hanging around the neighborhood and/or getting things done during the Springtime. I know enough musicians and artists where I’ve developed quite a nice collection of merchandise over the years- but on Saturday I was rocking a David Bowie tee I picked up during my recent trip to Brooklyn.

Paired with some black ankle boots, a couple of studded rings, and that aforementioned faux-leather jacket and you’ve got the makings of an effortless, always-chic and pretty badass looking ensemble that works during the day- and even better at night if you’re going out for a casual hang.

Case in point? I hit a couple of dive bars around the city Saturday night in this and felt comfortable and cool the entire time. Bowie just does that, I think.

Side note: These boots are ridiculously comfortable. Hitting the pavement or climbing up a nearby (and rocky) hill in one of the neighboring State Parks to catch a view of the skyline during the snowfall? My feet stayed dry and warm. The small, chunky heel on these works wonders with evenly distributing pressure.

One of these days I’ll have to show off the rest of my band tee collection I’ve accrued since my teens. So many memories that always look good with a comfortable pair of jeans and boots or sneakers. Even the ones that don’t fit anymore are kept in storage for safe keeping. I just can’t bring myself to part with them!

But that’s another post for another day. I’m off to get some work done!

Have a terrific Monday, everyone! Let’s get through this week together! We can do it!

– Ashley –

OOTD: The Gold Standard

March 14, 2018by Ashley DeLarge4 Comments

Good Morning, everyone!

I’m not going to lie- yesterday was the third major snowstorm/blizzard that hit us head-on within a two week span- and it’s got me a little bummed out. I’m tired of shoveling. I’m tired of sliding around on ice. I’m tired of having to wear 13 layers to stay warm- and I’m anxiously waiting for Spring to get here and more importantly- STAY here.

Little by little, I’ve been trying to incorporate Spring-inspired trends into my wardrobe and accessories to brighten my outfits and my mood. Pastels, bold prints, some florals- and especially metallics- which I’ve been utilizing within my clothes and my makeup as of late.

My favorite piece right now is this gold moto jacket I actually found at Forever 21 a couple of weeks ago by sheer luck. I’d popped by the store to find a couple of t-shirts for when I work out- and noticed this gem hanging behind some semi-similar styled black leather jackets on the rack. It fits like a glove, is lined to keep me warm when I’m outdoors- and it is so shiny!

What I like best about it, though- is that it can be worn with both casual outfits- like jeans, t-shirts and ankle boots- or with fancier/professional ensembles. The black knitted mini-dress shown in the photo is one of my staples at the office this time of year- so the jacket gives it a nice, fun and unexpected pop!

While I’ve been keeping my eye makeup pretty subtle lately (mainly for work)– I’ve opted to keep up with the metallic trend on my lips. The shade above- a pink/purple sheen- is ‘Yacht Week’ by Tarte. It’s quickly become one of my favorite shades for the Spring- so expect to see a lot more of it in my social media posts/selfies (like this one!)

With the recent onslaught of Winter storms- I’ve unfortunately had to put this jacket on hold until the weather warms up again- but I’m really looking forward to wearing more of it in the coming weeks since it’s one of my most impressive and least regrettable impulse buys recently.

And now I’m off to work to catch up on the tasks I missed yesterday during our mandatory snow day- as well as some ‘Hump Day’ lunch plans!

Here’s to warmer days ahead and the weekend getting here a little sooner!

– Ashley –

OOTD: Seeing Spots

February 12, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone! While I’m not particularly looking forward to starting what is going to be a pretty hectic week at my office, I had a pretty fun, laid-back weekend (that also happened to include a surprise belated Birthday party for me!)– that I’ll get into a little later on this week. Plus, I’ve got my coffee and a cinnamon raisin bagel in front of me- so I can’t complain too much. I’ve definitely had worse Monday mornings.

Now that I’m back home in the cold and re-adjusted to my time zone- I wanted to share what has undoubtedly become “the” coat for me this Winter. It’s made a few appearances here on Blondie Birdie since I purchased it on sale for $10 last month (thanks, Primark!) but now I get to show what it looks like when it’s actually on my body.

What I love most about this leopard print coat is that it’s actually lined to keep me warm- so wearing it out and about this time of year isn’t like sacrificing my health for the sake of a fun, vintage look. It’s a legitimate Winter coat- that also happens to give me some serious 60s vibes whenever I throw it on.

I typically wear this coat with black leggings, black high-heeled boots, and a sheer top on nights out. If I’m not tying my hair up into a slicked back, high ponytail and throwing on some chandelier earrings- I do what I did this past weekend and let my hair down, glide on some cherry red lipstick and some winged eye liner- and hit the town.

I get a lot of compliments on this coat- which I hadn’t anticipated when I first bought it- but apparently leopard print is still very much in and still very much coveted. I love it. It’s fun, cozy, chic and is going to come in handy when I inevitably dress as Edie Sedgwick around Halloween later on this year.

I’m not going to lie- as much as I hate Winter- I’m going to be pretty bummed out when I have to put this thing in storage once the warmer weather rolls around!

I hope you all make it through your Monday unscathed. I’ve got a Valentine’s Day inspired dessert recipe coming up in a couple of days for those of you who like a quick and easy chocolate fix- and I’ll be sharing some of the details from this past weekend’s adventure.

Have a good one, everybody!

– Ashley –