Browsing CategoryFashion

Some Necessary Sparkle

Wardrobe Weaponry - The Dressed Aesthetic

In my opinion, there are certain items every woman needs in her wardrobe arsenal. These include (but are not limited to): (1) the perfect little black dress (paired with the the perfect red lipstick), (2) killer heels that put a swing in your hips and a raise of your eyebrow, (3) a vintage jacket to nip the waist in something fierce, (4) a sundress to twirl in and (5) the comfiest pajamas (I firmly believe in this last one. As much fun as it is to dress up, it’s SO much fun to come home and crawl into fleece).

The Straight & Narrow

The Straight & Narrow - The Dressed Aesthetic

I have a confession to make – this is what my hair looks like when I wake up. Straight as an arrow. Though those with unruly hair surely want to kill me right now, I spent much of my younger years trying to beat my hair into submission. Trying to convince it to be something that it’s not. But, alas, this is how my hair likes to be: Shiny and straight. It refuses to hold a substantial curl. Rejects bobby pins over time (literally spits them out like projectiles). I’ve gone to many a pinup hair-tutorial, to try a pin curl or…

Orange Sherbet

Orange Sherbet - The Dressed Aesthetic

When I was younger, I went through a phase where orange sherbet was my absolute favorite flavor of ice cream. It was quite a deviation for me, as I was up until that point a die-hard vanilla girl. And nowadays, though a bit too sickly sweet for me, a dress of a certain color will whisk me back to that summer, with drips of sunshine melting down my arms, pumping higher and higher on the swingset and spinning in the park for hours…

Pencil Me In

Pencil Me In - The Dressed Aesthetic

By now, I think most of you have a firm grip on my style. Though the characters change, the storyline is generally the same: fitted bodice, cinched waist, and a full twirly skirt. But as I said last year, I think it’s always important to step outside of our style comfort zones now and again and boldly go where my lower half rarely ventures…

Raindrops on Roses

Raindrops on Roses - The Dressed Aesthetic

I have probably seen the Sound of Music about 12 billion times. The music, the family dynamic shift, the historical context, Julie Andrews twirling on a mountain top – I just love it all. I remember coveting Liesl’s dress in “I am 16, Going on 17” and having serious wardrobe envy over the drapery-meets-dresses, make it work moment (clearly). But, the song I find myself still humming today always starts with, “Raindrops on roses…”

Going Far Afield

I think we all have certain elements of clothing we just can’t resist. For me, that element is a beautiful print. In particular, a scenic print. And it honestly doesn’t matter how many scenic print dresses Bernie Dexter produces – I will want them all! I try (with a certain degree of effort) to minimize my scenic print craze to one-print per style, and I’m proud to say that while my resistance often fails on many counts, this is my first of her Paris style dresses.