The Dressed Aesthetic

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Your Own Brand of Fabulous: Reviewing Unique Vintage

Your Own Brand of Fabulous: Reviewing Unique Vintage - The Dressed Aesthetic

When readers email me and ask for advice, I’m more than happy to give my opinion. More often than not, it’ll turn into a post of some sort: my favorite crinolines or my makeup must-haves. Well, lately the running theme seems to be: where can I get the vintage look in modern sizes? And whether you love vintage but want a few vintage-inspired pieces to mix in to your wardrobe, or you love the look but don’t have the time to put into the care true vintage requires, or you’ve become a bit frustrated with your favorite vintage-inspired retailers: this is the…

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Mom & Me

Mom & Me - The Dressed Aesthetic

My family has been a huge fan of the blog ever since its inception. In addition to generally being supportive of my latest endeavor (I swear I could say I wanted to start collecting lampshades and they would cheer and start sending me cool lampshades). But, I think it was also important because they got to see a glimpse into my daily life. Particularly when I was living abroad, we would keep up with the Big Stuff: promotions, milestones, heartbreak. But, it’s the little minutiae of our days that would get lost in the miles. The blog let them see my…

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{Review} Up, Up, & Away:
Voodoo Vixen Aria Dress

{Review} Up, Up, & Away: Voodoo Vixen Aria Dress - The Dressed Aesthetic

For every bit of floral and polka dot I swoon over, novelty prints really are my jam. You just know when you see one that the person who created it had a sense of whimsy about them. And if there’s one thing I love in my clothing, it’s a sense of whimsy. Enter UK-based clothing brand Voodoo Vixen, with a bevy of beautiful vintage-inspired styles. When scrolling through this season’s offerings, I couldn’t help but notice that every piece came complete with a wink – an adorable detail, a unique print – which always inspires me to step outside of the norm. 

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Overdressed & I Like It

Overdressed and I Like It - The Dressed Aesthetic

If you are a lady who happens to like getting frocked up regularly, you get very used to a lot of comments. Sideways glances, questionable stares. Quizzical looks wondering why you aren’t wearing jeans and a t-shirt like the rest of the crowd. Did I not get the memo that it was bad form to look like you were trying too hard? As it happens, I did get that memo. But, I soon realized that there are a lot worse things that I could do than try.

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{Review} The Big Top:
Vendula London Circus Box Bag

{Review} Run Away With the Circus: The Vendula London Circus Box Bag - The Dressed Aesthetic

You are all very well aware of my love for novelty handbags. The cuter and more ornate the better. So, it’s no surprise that I instantly fell in love with Vendula London when I reviewed their Chocolatier Grab Bag last year. I get more excited every season to see their latest releases, as they are definitely a company with no shortage of ideas. The instant this Circus Box Bag came across my retinas, I was ready to run away with the circus…

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It’s the Little Things…

It's the Little Things - The Dressed Aesthetic

This past weekend I did something I haven’t done in months: I painted my nails. I realize this seems like a very mundane thing to most people; but for me painting my nails has always been the purest form of indulgence. Because when you work in a profession like mine, you are quite literally getting your hands dirty in one shark or another, or clattering away on the keys of a computer for hours on end. Thanks to these occupational hazards, it’s unlikely that a manicure will ever last very long. But somehow it never matters. It doesn’t matter if it looks…

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The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect - The Dressed Aesthetic

Every month, I like to put together a regular Lust List of the beauties around the web I’ve seen and swooned over. I’m not crazy enough to imagine they will all make their way into my closet. I just like to dream… and I like to share them, because if they can’t be in my closet, at least they might be scooped up by one of my readers! But, every so often, when I’ve seen a certain one of my Lust List dresses has sold (and isn’t on her way to me) I must admit I feel a pang of sadness.

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Winter White

Winter White - The Dressed Aesthetic

As this is my first year in NC, I’m experiencing so many things for the first time. The biggest has been the whackadoo seasons. It is 74 degrees one day and 40 the next. And somehow when I look back, we really only managed to have four days that I would classify as “winter.” This does not bode well for what the summer has in store. But, though the chilly weather is slipping further and further into my rearview mirror, I am enjoying the cooler evenings when I can still embrace capes and cardigans with glee.

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Free at Last!

Free at Last - The Dressed Aesthetic

Well, I can hardly believe it, but I survived my first semester as a fully fledged professor! I gave my last lecture on Wednesday, and feel as though I’m completely justified in racing around bellowing, “Free at last! Free at Last!” There are no words to describe the madness of moving across the world, learning a completely new city, starting a completely new job, and being thrust into two completely new courses. Let’s just say the word “new” is going to be a bit taboo around here for awhile (unless, of course, the word “new” is followed by “dress”, “shoes”,…

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