The Dressed Aesthetic

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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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Spring Chicken

Spring Chicken - The Dressed Aesthetic

I can definitely swing a little saccharine in my clothing choices. Ruffles, lace, flouncy skirts – they all have a place in my closet. So when I spied this sugary-sweet novelty print 1950’s dress from Second Skin Vintage, with her pastel hues and rows of chirping baby birds, I knew I had found the perfect Easter frock to help me ring in the Spring. Tis the season for pastels after all….

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Candy Coated Memory

Candy Coated Memory - The Dressed Aesthetic

Recently in my Neurobiology class I’ve been teaching the students about the neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory. The ways we can learn names, faces, and dates and evoke things long forgotten from our childhood. The ways that we form neocortical assemblies behind the things we remember, where a whisper of a perfume or a few notes of a song can trigger recall of the entire memory.

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{Review} Introducing Orchard Corset

{Review} Introducing Orchard Corset - The Dressed Aesthetic

As a longtime lover and collector of vintage, everyone has come to know (and expect) the kind of dresses I favor – namely, a fitted waist and a twirly skirt. The classic 1950’s Dior New Look-inspired silhouette with a perfect sugar spun waist. So, it will come as no surprise that I also have a growing collection of undergarments that can help me achieve the shape and structure I love in many of my dresses.

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Purposeful Repurposing

Purposeful Repurposing - The Dressed Aesthetic

I wear vintage for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, it makes me feel amazing. I never feel more powerful than when I’m wearing a waist cinched within an inch of her life, two crinolines, and a smirk. But then there’s the other reasons: the fact that it’s like wearing a piece of history, and I get to just be one part of her story. The fact that the care and attention to detail is something you so rarely find in clothing nowadays. The fact that I’m supporting independent, small business owners. And the one that often goes unnoticed:…

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It’s Organic

It's Organic - The Dressed Aesthetic

I have a bit of an affinity for anything organic. And I don’t mean the label on our produce that’s become trendy these days; but rather the way nature manifests itself in fashion. A floral print, a leaf embroidery, a fruit-speckled handbag. So when this adorable necklace appeared under my Christmas tree from my best friend in Aus – a wearable planter (!) – I immediately started brimming with styling possibilities.

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