I know what you’re thinking: “What?? An actual blog post?!?” Needless to say, it’s been more than a little quiet around here. So, why am I gracing these cyber pages with a splash of color, you ask? (or didn’t ask. But I have the microphone so….) Because I am officially on Spring Break! When you’re a professor, this doesn’t mean you and your 20 closest friends piling into a clown car headed for Daytona Beach. But it does mean time to breathe, time to sew, time to write a bit. A time where the endless demands blessedly cease and the sun starts to remerge after the rainstorm.
Although I never knew this as a student, Spring Break is the time when your Profs stay in their pajamas. They catch up on emails. They work on that paper that they never have time for. They read. They enjoy the simple fact of not coming up with answers. They also have a bit of extra time to sew and take a few outfit photos.
And while I wish I could say I was lounging on a beach all week, reading books for fun, I’m definitely using the time to infuse some color into this world that has been feeling awash with grey.
Last year I discovered an amazing new brand – Kitty Joseph – which seems to match my sensibilities perfectly (those sensibilities being: why choose one color when you can choose ALL THE COLORS??). I was lucky enough to snag this skirt in one of their sample sales – the design has been modified since this version, where it now has an interior elastic rather than a waistband. As a gal who loves a fitted waist, I definitely prefer the waistband and was pretty excited to snag this version. But, the elastic also seems like a great option for allowing some sizing flexibility. It also looks like it can be a little more versatile, being worn as either a skirt or a dress.
In reading about their business model, Kitty Joseph are also making many efforts to produce clothing more responsibly. This skirt (called the chroma skirt) is made from recycled plastic bottles, keeping a cycle of plastic out of the world’s oceans. It also has the added bonus of including every color of the rainbow, with a fully invisible zip, which means I can twist it around to show the colors in tune with my mood.
Right now, the mood is definitely sunny without a cloud in the sky. But ask me again tomorrow…
Thanks to having a bit of time this week to stop and smell the rainbow-hued roses, I realized when putting this post together that yesterday was The Dressed Aesthetic’s birthday! (I think I buried the lead). Although I was a bit shocked when I actually did the math, she has 9 candles on her birthday cake. Yep, I started this blog 9 years ago. It’s insane to think it’s been that long. And although we’ve gone through a lot of changes over the years, and I’m not entirely sure what the future will bring for this corner of the interwebs, I’m pretty proud of the space I created. And I’m grateful for the creative outlet she gave me when I needed it most.
A lot can happen in nine years. You can move around the world. Start a new job. Survive a global pandemic. If there’s one thing that’s for certain: we are constantly growing and changing. Some days we are all of the colors. Other days just one. But regardless of the hue of our mood, it’s always important to stop and reflect on just how far we’ve come. So, happy birthday TDA.
As a present to myself, we’re going to remain here in staycation mode just a little bit longer…
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Cami: WHBM (similar)
Cardigan: Heart of Haute via Modern Millie
Skirt: Kitty Joseph
Necklace: Swarovski
Handbag: Kate Spade (same here)
Shoes: Sophia Webster, sold out (similar secondhand)
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Any items marked with a “c/o” (courtesy of) a retailer mean I was provided with an item for free in exchange for a review and/or feature on my blog. I always provide my honest opinion of any item I’m reviewing, regardless of whether it was sent to me as a courtesy item or if I purchased it myself. In addition, this post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links or ads on this site, I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase at no cost to you, which helps with the day-to-day running costs of my blog.