Tag: Style Blogging

Lobster and Lounging…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Lobster and Lounging…

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I’m excited that today is not only my work from home day, but also my designated half day- which means I can get things done in the comfort of my pajamas before I mentally check out at noon, get dressed- and go have some fun with what’s left of my afternoon!

Truthfully I’m still sort of in “rest and relaxation mode” from this past weekend’s excursion to New Hampshire with my mom, my cousin, my cousin’s fiancé- and my dog- where we attended the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival for a day. It’s been our tradition for quite a few years now- and I look forward to it every August/September because it’s essentially just a day to eat great food, stroll the boardwalk, play some classic arcade games (and skee-ball!) and snag some pretty terrific bargains and sales as all the seaside shops attempt to get rid of their remaining inventory before they close up for the Fall/Winter months!

And while I’ve typically gone for lobster rolls as my indulgence of choice during the festival- this year I gravitated towards crab cakes and lobster rangoons (absolutely delicious, by the way!) with freshly-squeezed lemonade from various vendors around the food/cooking tents.

I’m pretty sure I could have easily eaten 10x more of everything- but then I wouldn’t be able to fit into the absolutely adorable clothes I bought while I was in town!

Each year I try to pick up a couple of things I can wear during the following Summer or for future trips to hotter climates- but this year I decided to pick up a couple of dresses (and a new purse to give my current Prada one a bit of a break!) that I can easily wear and accessorize throughout the early Fall. the purse itself came with an accessory- a lovely bit of satin cloth and a navy blue tassel that is around the handle.

The first dress is a foxy (literally) frock with buttons and a really cute cartoon fox print all over- and the second is a ruffled, super soft floral dress that I am going to pair with some cowboy-style boots after I go shoe-shopping this weekend. I can’t wait to wear this out on my next night on the town!

And everything I purchased was under $50 total. Not bad, right?

Overall it was a really lovely day and I’m excited to do it all again next year. Being at the beach and watching the waves always relaxes me- no matter what time of year it is.

This particular trip got me thinking about Hurricane Dorian, though- which threatened our weekend forecast for a few days but thankfully didn’t turn into anything more serious- and it got me thinking about the Bahamas.

On Friday, I’ll be taking a quick break from my usual Autumnal Activities to share ways you can help those affected by what was one of the worst hurricanes we’ve seen shown up on a radar in quite some time. I’m eager to help, and i hope you are, too!

But for now- I’ve got to get to work. Enjoy the rest of your “Hump Day,” everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: Feminine Flannel

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: Feminine Flannel

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I know I sure did- and I’ll be posting up all the details, photos and shopping splurges a little later on this week. Before I do that, though- I wanted to show off a simple, comfortable, but oh-so-cute “Summer To Fall” transitional piece I sported this past weekend during a family outing in New Hampshire!

Certain fabrics have always screamed Autumn or Winter to me- wool, cashmere, fleece, so on and so forth- but one fabric I’ve noticed regularly goes underappreciated in these “not too hot, not too cold” days that fall between late August and early September- flannel.

I’m a self-proclaimed aficionado of flannel sheets and the occasional over-sized hoodie as the temperatures begin to drop- but sometimes it’s nice to have a lightweight shirt you can throw on for early-Autumnal activities with a simple pair of leggings and comfortable moccasins. Such was the case with this long-sleeved, button up flannel shirt I recently picked up in the Valley that has a bit of an unexpected twist to it- a lace cutout along the back to allows for an easier time keeping cool under the sun.

The varying shades of brown and red scream “Fall!” to me- but the lace is a nice little reminder that it’s still warm out, too. I wasn’t pouring sweat in this thing- but I also wasn’t shivering by the time the sun began to set, too. It was the perfect top for perfect weather!

I’m sure I’ll be wearing a lot more of this as we continue to gradually move away from Summer’s heat and humidity- and I know it’s going to look great with a pair of fitted jeans and some new ankle boots, as well! I love pieces I can easily mix and match with other things in my wardrobe- and this shirt definitely fits the bill.

But with it being a Monday and my scheduled time at the office beginning right about now- I’ve got to head on out for the day. I’ll be back with a weekend recap this coming Wednesday- highlighting this year’s Seafood Festival and sharing the incredible deals I was able to find during my sidewalk sale perusing.

Until then, enjoy the start of your week, y’all!

xx

– Ashley –

Favorites: August 2019!

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Favorites: August 2019!

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone!

The end (of August and the Summer!) is nigh- but I’m ready for sweaters, leaf peeping, scary movies and pumpkin patches- especially now that I’m living in one of the most picturesque, straight-out-of-a-postcard areas in New England! It’s going to be my first Fall in the Pioneer Valley- and there are so many things I want to do!

But respects must be paid to August and really the entire Summer of 2019, first- which I fully intend to do tomorrow morning for my monthly “In a Nutshell” post where I recap the weeks that were and talk about what I have planned for the weeks ahead. There’s a lot of ground to cover- but it’s going to be a fun trip down (recent) Memory Lane!

Before that, though- I wanted to share some of my favorite things from August 2019. From beauty products, to jewelry, to silly sentimental pieces- all the way to movies, music, television, etc.

This is my usual months-end “Favorites” post- and as always- I’ll be starting with the things I was able to photograph, first!

Starting with the silly, sentimental pieces- I had picked up this pair of silver, glittery sandals for about $8 at Primark a couple of years ago when I was strapped for footwear just hours before I was headed to a beach bonfire- but these have become my default Summer shoe choice ever since. This past August was no different, as I wore these trusty, surprisingly durable beauties during road trips, ice cream pit stops, lazier days at the office- and lounging lake-side.

I’m going to store them in the back of my closet until next Summer- where I’m sure they’ll see more adventures.

Exfoliation is key year-round, but especially in the Summer when I’m all about exposed legs, arms, and the occasional exposed midriff. I want my skin glowing and smooth- so I try to find scrubs that both buff away the dead skin but also conditions without drying me out.  I’m partial to sugar scrubs, and this whipped one from LALICIOUS does the job just right.

Not only does this scrub smell incredible, like a candy shop- but it leaves my skin touchable, soft, and glowing.

The scrub is $35, but a little goes a long way- so one tub of this will last you well over the course of a season!

Of course, I can’t exfoliate my body without making sure my face is super smooth, too- but being that it’s far more sensitive than say, my knees or my elbows- I rely on this gentle microdermabrasion scrub from Mary Kay that a friend turned me onto earlier this month.

I only use this lightweight exfoliant about 2 times a week if that- but the results are instant- and my serums and moisturizers sink into my skin with so much more ease whenever I apply them after gently cleansing my skin with this scrub. Throughout August, my complexion has been clear, smooth, and even.

Finally, my go-to jewelry for August was simple and consisted of two things. One, a moonstone statement ring I had picked up a couple of weekends ago during the annual Massachusetts Tax-Free Weekend.

The other? A throwback to my pre-teen and early teenage years with the return of the cowrie shell craze. While I couldn’t bring myself to wear a choker of these like the guys I grew up with used to do all. the. time.– I thought the anklet was a nice, more subtle choice.

I wore this all during the Summer, but it really made a splash in August when more people noticed and seemed to get on board with the trend making a comeback! Now we just need to bring back those glittery butterfly-shaped hair clips and I’ll be thrilled.

And that, my friends- just about does it for the photogenic favorites. But, as always- a one or two more things made the list this month, too!

– MISCELLANEOUS –

All Things Seafood – I had said that my Summer 2019 bucket list consisted of eating as much lobster, crab and scallops as possible, and in August I rose to the challenge since many of my favorite seaside shacks close up after Labor Day.

With stops at some of my longtime favorite locations and some new finds here in the Valley (including a delicious chowder house- which I’ll be revisiting soon!) I’m pretty sure I don’t even want to look at anything from the ocean again until next May/June at least.

Clowns, Baby! – With “It: Chapter 2” coming out in theaters next week, a new trailer for “The Joker” dropping earlier this week (the movie premieres in October) and a new teaser poster for the next Harley Quinn movie making the rounds recently- Summer 2019 is all about clownery and I am here for it. My apologies for anyone with a clown phobia- but I am so, so excited for all of it!

Aaaaand now I’m finished! Although it’s the end of the work-week, I’ve still got some things to do around the office before I break for the long weekend- so I’ve got to get going!

As always, if you’d like to share your own favorite things from this past August- feel free to drop me a line!

Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: On The Lake…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: On The Lake…

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

As we get ready to head into another work week (and the last week of August- if you can believe it- because I certainly can’t!) I have been preparing the inevitable wardrobe “switcheroo” or transition into heavier, more Fall-friendly layers. We are, of course- going to see plenty more scorching and humid days ahead- since Summer in New England never tends to bow out particularly gracefully- but it’s been a bit chilly the past few days/nights, and I like to be prepared!

I’ve been picking up some lightweight sweaters/cardigans and not-too-heavy leggings in recent days, and as I had mentioned last week during my Tax-Free Weekend Haul reveal– this “lake” sweater was/is going to be ideal for those kind of cool/kind of warm days that tend to show themselves on and around Labor Day.

I actually had the opportunity to wear it this past weekend when temperatures dipped into the high sixties (and where it’s been about eighty degrees and higher in recent weeks- we could definitely feel the change!) but still made it a point to keep it Summery with a pair of distressed denim shorts, a grey cotton tank top, and flip flops- which are not pictured since I don’t wear shoes in my apartment!

With my color-changing moonstone ring, I was ready to go about my weekend errands, as well as some unexpected travel to Rhode Island- which I’ll get into a little later on this week. I took a LOT of photos.

I’ll also have my monthly “Favorites” roundup ready to go on Friday morning- and Saturday, as is tradition with the last day of the month- I’ll take a look back on this August that was before we jump right into September!

Until then, I’ve got some work to do at the office- and I best get to it!

Enjoy the start of your week, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

OOTD: Busy Bee…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: Busy Bee…

Good Morning and Happy Halfway-Point, everyone! We’re almost to the weekend!

Although this week has been pretty busy so far with work, meetings, side hustles, etc.- I’m excited for this afternoon since I get to take a little bit of time off after I leave the office and indulge in some pampering (see: touching up my hair.) I’m in desperate need of a trim and my roots are long overdue for a little TLC- and today seemed like just as good a day as any to treat myself!

And although I’ll be changing out of business-casual wear and sliding myself into some sweatpants or something for this afternoon’s touch-up, I wanted to show off a shirt that made an appearance on Blondie Birdie earlier this week when I picked it up over the course of Tax Free Weekend.

I adore this bee shirt, which I paired with some jeans and dressier sandals since I was wearing it to work- but you can best believe I’ll be throwing this on with some shorts and flip flops during the last weekends of Summer 2019, as well!

I’m hoping to get back to Bridge Street Bazaar before we roll into September since I’m sure a good bulk of their Summer tops and skirts will go on sale and I’d like to stock up for next year. That, and I love any reason to venture into Shelburne Falls for an afternoon!

Maybe some of the stuff I buy will make it into a future OOTD post? They sure do have a lot of cute things there!

But until then, I’ve got to get some work done and count down the minutes until I’m restyled, refreshed and rejuvenated.

Enjoy your “Hump Day,” everyone!

xx

– Ashley –