Posts Tagged“border print”

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:…

Next to Normal

Next to Normal - The Dressed Aesthetic

While January seemed to drag in a flurry of lecture-giving and lecture writing and trying to appear as if I know what I’m talking about (all the while wondering how I was going to keep up that pace for four whole months), suddenly I feel as if I’m nearing the halfway mark of the semester. And I’m proud to say I’ve hit my groove a bit. This is not to say that life has magically returned to normal – we are still living in a sea of unpacked boxes and most weekends I am camped out at the dining room table…

Tea For Two

Tea For Two - The Dressed Aesthetic (Retrospec'd Vivian dress)

Good news everyone – I survived my first day of school! Truth be told, it was a pretty easy first day. As my classes don’t start until Monday, it was very similar to every other day before: namely, write lectures frantically. The main difference being that this time, I actually had to get dressed before noon. Am I the only one who relishes being able to work in her pajamas??

Bop Till you Drop: Reviewing Lindy Bop with Modern Millie!

Bop Till you Drop: Reviewing Lindy Bop with Modern Millie!

Although my heart sings over true vintage – the heart stopping details, the gossamer thin fabrics, the attention to detail – I’m a gal who embraces her vintage-inspired frocks with fervor. For a lot of reasons – particularly the modern sizing, mashine-washability, and the fact that I don’t have to be quite so precious with them. But to be very honest, more often than not, it’s when a print is just too freakin’ cute that mere mortals such as myself cannot resist.

{Review} The Grace Dress by Hearts and Found

{Review} The Grace Dress by Hearts and Found - The Dressed Aesthetic

A few months ago I discovered the amazing shop Hearts and Found – and introduced you all to the cutest ever play skirt set I had ever laid eyes on. If you’ve never heard of Hearts & Found before, they’re a swoon worthy Etsy shop who make beautiful vintage inspired clothing – and all of them can be made to your exact measurements! Even better, they have a mission to support local businesses and tailors and source all of their fabrics from local Vietnam markets. I was so smitten with my last experience I knew it was only a matter of time before I…

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…

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!

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…

Grass is Always Greener

Grass is Always Greener - The Dressed Aesthetic

No matter how great anything is, we can’t help but be drawn to something else. What we once had. What someone else has. A different dress, shoes, circumstance. Personally, I find myself hopelessly drawn to whatever season I’m not in. If it’s winter, I only feel inspired to style summery looks. In summer, I start dreaming of cozy layers and fur trimmed coats. I just can’t seem to get myself on board with dressing for now.

Window to the Past:
The Bernie Dexter Amy Dress

Window to the Past - The Dressed Aesthetic

Like any good vintage-loving girl, I can’t help but romanticize the past. I fully acknowledge we have the luxury of looking back with rose colored glasses, and gazing at historical paintings or imagining the romance of the Renaissance and a life lived on horseback is very likely not all it’s cracked up to be (I mean, they didn’t even have indoor plumbing. Or wifi). But, in the crazy, fast paced world we live in, there is something so appealing about a simpler time.