The Dressed Aesthetic

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Carnival: The Value of Art

Carnival: The Value of Art - The Dressed Aesthetic

When I entered in high school I was a ridiculously shy kid. I had been horribly bullied as a child and really struggled with having confidence in who I was. As most schools put a huge emphasis on athletics, I always felt somewhat on the outskirts of extracurricular activities because I don’t have an athletic bone in my body (Seriously. I’m tall, but just can’t seem to get the ball through the hoop). But, my high school miraculously put an equal value on sports and the arts. And I discovered theatre – which was kind of like landing on the island of misfit toys…

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{Review} A Princess State of Mind

A Princess State of Mind - The Dressed Aesthetic (Priscilla Candy Stripe Midi Dress)

Let’s face it, every now and then a gal gets in a Princess State of Mind. Don’t get me wrong – this is not a mood that solely inspires lounging on a throne while being fed grapes (though that sounds nice too). No, in my world, Princesses get things done. But, some days I wake up from a long, deep sleep and the birds are singing (alas, they don’t help me get dressed) and the day feels imbued with a hint of magic. It’s the kind of mood where I feel inspired to wear a tiara and bejeweled slippers (and no one bats an eyelash). And it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the perfect…

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Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin Spice - The Dressed Aesthetic

In all of my planning, one event that I forgot to pack for was Halloween. In rummaging through my (woefully abbreviated) closet this weekend, there wasn’t a cat ear headband or a devil’s tail in sight. No fairy wings. No vampire fangs. Even my old standby blue gingham dress with my vintage barn purse for an instant Dorothy costume was packed away, not to be seen for a month or more. Thus, I was pretty much out of luck on the costume front. But, I knew that if I couldn’t fully get into the costumed-Halloween spirit, at least I could embrace…

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Just Winging It…

Just Winging It - The Dressed Aesthetic

Getting used to new surroundings can be a bit daunting. Luckily, as I spent the majority of my life in the US, it’s not quite as much of a culture shock as it may be to some. But being abroad will always give you new perspectives on the places that were once so familiar. How large everything seems here – portion sizes and cars and pretty much everything you buy comes in a super sized pack. But there are also the odd little luxuries I completely forgot about while living in Australia – washing machines living next to dryers (dryers are…

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Racing Stripes

Racing Stripes - The Dressed Aesthetic

Well, it’s official. We have finally made it to our new home in North Carolina! This is not to say that our work is done, but I can finally breathe a sigh of relief that all of the major To Do Items have been ticked off – nearly everything we own is on a boat and Mr. Dressed, Willie and Finn and I are tucked into our temporary rental, ready to explore our surroundings.

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Tiny Dancer

Tiny Dancer - The Dressed Aesthetic

When I was in college, one of my roommates was convinced the lyrics to Elton John’s classic “Tiny Dancer” were about Tony Danza. Who’s The Boss himself. As in, “Hold me closer Tony Danza.” I remember dissolving into fits of giggles when I heard this, which commenced the Quote Board, that hung on the back of our door our entire senior year and soon became filled with things that only we would understand.

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Be Still My Hearts & Found

Be Still My Hearts & Found - The Dressed Aesthetic

I am a self-proclaimed Etsy stalker. That is, should I find myself with a minute to myself, I almost always flip over to Etsy to browse vintage wares, swoon over wish lists, or discover new shops. One shop has come on my radar again and again, owing to their amazing vintage inspired designs and bevy of beautiful prints: Hearts and Found. You may have seen them popping up on my various Lust Lists, but the thing holding me back from taking the plunge has always been narrowing it down to just one dress and just one print!

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Midnight in the
Garden of Good & Evil

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil - The Dressed Aesthetic

There are definitely good and bad things about traveling. The Bad: The chaos, the stress, the constant motion and never feeling settled. The Good: the excitement, the journey, the feeling that something new is waiting around every corner. I’ve also found, at the crossroads of good and evil, sits My Suitcase. True, there’s only so much it can hold, and I had to tearfully part from about 80% of my wardrobe. But the positive thing is that, each morning is a bit like Christmas when I open it up, Pulp Fuction style, and stare at the glowing contents within…

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Cat Got Your Tongue?

Cat Got Your Tongue? - The Dressed Aesthetic

We are successfully transitioning into our lives here in the US. In truth, we still feel a bit as though we’re on vacation, as we’re visiting family in San Diego for the week and are in the all-too-familiar whirlwind of dinners out, meeting up with long-lost friends, and tripping over our many suitcases. All the makings of a good holiday.

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A Fond Farewell

A Fond Farewell - The Dressed Aesthetic

As many of you know if you follow my Instagram, The Dressed Family has successfully moved to the States this week! It was a bit of a grueling trip (made ever-so-less grueling by the fact that I had squirreled away my air miles for the last year and wrangled us a Business Class Upgrade. I shall never be satisfied with flying cattle class again). However, we are now safely on US soil, complete with our loyal pets who survived their own overseas adventure with aplomb, and are all slowly recovering from our jet lag. 

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