Amsterdam

Is there anything more perfect than novelty prints and warm weather accessories?  I rarely get to wear both of these things at the same time, so I jumped at the chance to put this outfit together.  Laura, the wonderful designer behind Miss Fortune, was sweet enough to send me this dreamy outfit and I can't wait to tell you about it!  Get all the details below:













Top- c/o Miss Fortune
Skirt- c/o Miss Fortune
Shoes- Bettie Page
Petticoat- Malco Modes
Brooch- Luxulite
Beret- Modcloth

This warm yet chic and comfortable top from Miss Fortune is the perfect piece to pull me in from uncontrollable heat to the chilly breeze of Southern California winter.  This Kitty top is made from a thick and stretchy ponte fabric, which is perfect on its own but is a great foundation for layers in those colder climates.  It comes in an assortment of gorgeous colors but this cerise shade matches perfectly with their new Amsterdam print Boardwalk skirt.  I'm such a sucker for novelty prints but fun destination prints are at the top of my list!  This 100% cotton skirt features a side zip with a top button closure, right side pocket, and a full skirt perfect for twirling.  I'm seriously in love with this skirt!

Well, holiday season is now in full swing and I couldn't be more excited.  Not only do I get to enjoy the usual holiday fun, but I also get to celebrate my birthday, my brother's, and my baby girl's birthday too.  It can be overwhelming at times!  But I'm determined to embrace the spirit of the holidays and forget about the stress.  What do you do to combat the holiday stresses/blues?

xoxo

Ashley

Light Me Up

It's been a really long time since I've been this excited to wear a skirt.  Unique Vintage has been killing it with their house brand holiday items this year but this is just next level.  Why do you ask?  Well, this amazing skirt lights up like your very own wearable Christmas tree!  Read about this amazing piece of art below.













Top- c/o Unique Vintage (30% off today only with code BEST30)
Skirt- c/o Unique Vintage (30% off today only with code BEST30)
Shoes- Chelsea Crew
Petticoat- Malco Modes
Brooch- c/o Erstwilder

With a battery pack carefully concealed in your left pocket (it takes two lithium 2032 3V batteries, which are included!), this skirt lights up at your will with a flip of a very tiny switch.  Whether you choose to keep those twinkling lights on or off, the print of this skirt is guaranteed to catch some eyes!  This perfect holiday piece is made from 100% cotton, is fully lined, and has a back zipper with a top button closure.  I took my usual size in this skirt, but I ended up moving the button a bit for some extra breathing room.  Not into the twinkling lights?  You can also purchase this skirt without them HERE.  And in case you haven't noticed, this outfit (as well as everything else on the Unique Vintage website) is 30% off today only with the code BEST30!

Has everyone recovered from the Black Friday craziness or are you still in high gear for Cyber Monday?  I've already done my personal shopping, which was surprisingly light this year.  If you're still looking for all the best cyber deals, make sure to check out my Black Friday weekend post!  I've been updating all throughout the weekend to ensure everyone gets the best deals!

xoxo

Ashley

Holiday Gift Guide: Black Friday Sales!

Who doesn't love Black Friday?  I'm guessing maybe my wallet, but we all push through for the greatest deals of the year!  I'll keep updating this list throughout the holiday weekend as the sales become available, but here's my list of Black Friday blowout deals:


Anastasia Beverly Hills: Up to 60% off, no code needed
Trashy Diva: 30% off sitewide with code GOBBLEITUP
Pinup Girl Clothing: 35% off sitewide, no code needed
Unique Vintage: 25% off sitewide (even sale!) with code BEST25
Modcloth: 20% off sitewide with code FRIDAY20, 30% over $100 purchase with code FRIDAY30, 40% off $200 purchase with code FRIDAY40
Luxulite: 10% off sitewide and added items to sale section, use code BLACKSPARKLE
Betsey Johnson: 35% off sitewide and free shipping with code BLACK
Collectif Clothing: 25% off with code BLACKFRIDAY16
Bernie Dexter: 35% off sitewide (sale included!) with code BLACKFRIDAY35
The Pretty Dress Company: 25% off your purchase with code BLACKFRIDAY
Geronimo Vintage: 20% off sitewide, no code needed
Retro Glam: 25% off sitewide with code BF25
When Decades Collide Vintage: 15% off entire shop, no code needed
Tatyana: 60% off sitewide with code FRIDAY60
Voodoo Vixen: up to 50% off select styles HERE
Sourpuss Clothing:  25% off your entire order with code BLACKEST
Blame Betty: 30% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY
Malco Modes: 20% off orders up to $99, 25% off orders $100-$200, 30% off orders over $200, no code required
What Katie Did: Black Friday sale section HERE
Femme De Bloom: 25% off sitewide plus a freebie with every purchase, use code BLACKFRIDAY
Vixen: 20% off sitewide with code VIXENBLACKFRIDAY
Doll Me Up: up to 60% off sitewide, no code needed
Heart of Haute: 25% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY
Urban Decay: 20% off your order with code BLACKER
Bonlook: up to 50% off, Black Friday sale section HERE
Miss Fortune: up to 70% off, no code needed

What are you splurging on this season?  Let me know in the comments below!

 xoxo

Ashley

Red Balloon

In case you weren't convinced that I lived in a forever state of summer: I present to you a very weather appropriate outfit from last week.  While it has cooled down a ton (meaning it's no longer 90 degrees), having bare arms is still comfortable during the day.  Since she did come from Australia, this Red Ruby Vintage dress is perfect for their summer weather.  Luckily, I get to enjoy this beauty all year long!













Dress- Red Ruby Vintage
Shoes- Bettie Page Shoes
Petticoat- Malco Modes
Bracelet- c/o Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski
Belt- From another dress 

I'm not a huge fan of halter tops, and by that I mean I usually hate them.  Having something wrapped around my neck makes me feel claustrophobic.  But this dress is made from a gauze cotton, which means it's extremely light.  It almost feels like crepe paper!  It does require proper undergarments to wear outside, but my petticoat and strapless bra (which I would wear regardless) was the perfect amount of coverage.  As always, Gail takes the utmost care when constructing her dresses and this one is no exception.  I would have a closet full of her creations if I could!

Anyone else excited for the Black Friday sales this week?!  I may have already purchased a Pearl coat from Unique Vintage yesterday.  Can you blame me?  Their week long site wide sale is amazing (use code BEST25)!  If you're looking for a place to find the skinny on all the Black Friday sales, make sure to check back here when the clock strikes midnight on Friday.  I've been a super-sleuth and I'll have all the details here!

xoxo

Ashley

What's On My Radar: Current Loves

Holidays are right around the corner and I'm ready!  I've already started decorating the home and I'm curating a small collection of holiday pieces for my wardrobe.  I wanted to share a few of my favorite things this month, some with just enough holiday flair to keep those spirits bright :)

Hearts and Found

1. Penelope Dress "Nova Scottish" Red Green Plaid Tartan
2. Paige Skirt “Flowers in Bloom” in a Indigo Violet Floral Border Print
3. Lola Skirt "Holly Jolly” Christmas Holiday Candy Cane Print in Green
4. Lana Dress "Holly Jolly” Christmas Holiday Candy Cane Print in Green
5. Gilda Dress “Charlie Brown on Acid” in Chevron Zig Zag Print
6. Lola Skirt "Some Like it Hot" Chili Pepper Vegetable Chilli Print

Hearts and Found is quite easily one of my favorite small businesses.  Marjorie, the lovely woman behind this business, is super sweet and accommodating.  And as you can see, she makes some wonderful figure flattering pieces!  I have a very special blog post in the works featuring one of her dresses so keep those eyes peeled!

Em and Sprout

1. Mermaid Enamel Pin
2. Alpaca Vinyl Sticker
3. Meowy Catsmas Sweatshirt
4. Bat Girl Art Print
5. Unicorn Hard Enamel Lapel Pin

I can't get enough of Em and Sprout's ridiculously cute shop!  She carries an abundance of adorable lapel pins, fun art prints, clothing, shoes, and more!  It was really hard to only feature a few of her goodies on this post, so make sure you check out her shop to see them all.  I bet you won't be able to leave without buying something...

Unique Vintage

1. Paris Dress in For The Record Print
2. Lauren Dress in Lipstick Print on White
3. Paris Dress in My Deer Print
4. Kelly Dress in Wink Print
5. Paris Dress in Juicy Orange Print

As always, Unique Vintage has the most fun selection of Bernie Dexter dresses!  I'm all about a great novelty print and I love how the deer print Paris dress could be dressed up for the holidays.  I think it's going to be my next purchase!

Target

1. Decorative Fabric Birds
2. Artificial Christmas Tree Glitter Oval Set
3. Deer Snowglobe
4. Truck Decor
5. Camper Decor
6. Animated Phone
7. Flocked Pine Tree

I'm sure this isn't a surprise to anyone, but Target has some awesome holiday decor this year!  They've included lots of vintage inspired items to keep your home in a constant state of nostalgia.  I've already started a colorful bottle brush tree forest in my living room.  Can you blame me?

Collectif

1. Mainline Dolores Tai Tartan Doll Dress
2. Tia Middy Skirt
3. Pearl Coat
4. Bella Occasion Swing Skirt
5. Cinthia Blossom Print Pencil Dress

It's taken me some time, but I am starting quite the love affair with Collectif.  I love their rich velvets, classy prints, and oh my god their Pearl coat is just the most perfect thing.  I don't care that I live in southern California, I need one!


Who's excited to dress and decorate for the holidays?  What's on your list this month?  Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Ashley

Venice Nights

While my love for Trashy Diva holds true, my experience with with the Venice Nights collection was quite a journey!  I'm one of those fans who loves to watch the launch videos of each collection on their Facebook.  Not even joking, I carve out time whenever they announce the day/time it's going down.  I was ridiculously excited when I saw all the fun styles at their launch and I quickly purchased a dress that day.  Read more about this gorgeous collection below!











Dress- Trashy Diva
Shoes- Chelsea Crew
Belt- From another dress
Hat- Jeanne Simmons

The Venice Nights collection is made from their new stretch rayon fabric.  Much like the Ruffled Feathers collection, it feels like butter, has a good amount of stretch, and is really light and airy.  While I ultimately ended up with the resurrected Circle Day dress, I initially purchased their new Gia dress.  I loved the cut of the Gia, but my waist is very long and the Gia accommodates a much shorter torso.  Trashy Diva has amazing customer service and happily exchanged my dress for the Circle Day dress.  Here's the thing: this dress is also hard to style on a longer torso!  It hid in my closet for some time until I moved into my new home and it caught my eye.  While I still wasn't head over heels, I added a black belt and it made all the difference.  I love it so much more!

I tend to go between a size 2 and 4 in all of Trashy Diva's styles.  Because of the stretch rayon, the size 2 was a perfect fit.  The Circle Day dress features a wide set collar, full skirt with one side pocket, and a side zip closure.  The side zip is usually a deal-breaker for me, but again, that stretch rayon is magic and it doesn't bother me at all.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: I will buy everything in this fabric!

Today Bianca and I are headed to Disneyland with my mother in law.  She hasn't been in a very long time and she's never had the pleasure of enjoying the park with Bianca so we're all super excited!  Bianca is really looking forward to showing grandma where all the princesses live and I can't wait to document our journey!  Make sure to check my Instagram and maybe even my Snapchat for all the fun festivities!

xoxo

Ashley

Repro Roundup: Bernie Dexter

My first introduction to the world of reproduction vintage clothing was with Bernie Dexter.  At the time, I curated a massive true vintage closet but had the constant fear of wearing my pretties out and ruining them.  Vintage was getting expensive (especially if you live in a large city like Los Angeles) and I wanted to get more bang for my buck.  Bernie Dexter really spoke to my sense of style because the cuts of her dresses really flattered my frame, she offered a wide range of cute and romantic prints, and her clothing was made here in the USA.  I've been one of her biggest fans for several years and my love has stayed true!  Here's a roundup of some of my favorite Bernie Dexter pieces and some fun facts about her brand:


Open Book

Bernie Dexter is a pinup model turned fashion designer.  Much like most ladies who turn to reproduction vintage styles, she was looking for alternatives to wearing true vintage.  She offers her wide range of styles in sizes XS-4X.


Like A Fox
All of Bernie's dresses are made from 100% quilting cotton.  It's a breathable but sturdy cotton that holds its integrity over the years.  Almost all of her swing skirt styles come complete with side pockets too!


Kelly  

A few of her newer styles (Kelly, Lauren, Nicole) have zip front features.  This means you can wear a shirtwaist dress without worrying about button gaping.  I'm not the bustiest person, but I've always had problems with wearing anything with a button front.  Without a doubt, this is one of the biggest reasons why I keep buying these styles!

Deck The Halls

Bernie also offers holiday inspired prints.  One of my favorite dresses is her Winter Wonderland Jubilee dress (seen above) and it's available in a few different styles.  I just happen to own three... Oops!  She also has a New Year's Eve print and has offered a 4th of July inspired print as well.  I can't wait to see what she has in store for 2017!

Three Roses  

Bernie's dresses are great for everyday wear.  I wore them when Bianca was a newborn, I wear them to work, and they're even great for date night!  While I choose to dry clean my Bernie dresses, I know many ladies who either hand wash or machine wash on delicate cycles, and hang dry their dresses without incident.

Nothing Like A Saturday Night

Inspired by dresses of the mid-century era, Bernie's classic styles give you that perfect pinup/rockabilly look for the modern woman.  She also offers skirts, a line of denim, tops, matching men's clothing, and outerwear too.  I'm dying to own her new Kitten jacket... It's seriously cute!

Mine This Time

Bernie's website always has the largest selection of her dresses, but you can also find exclusive styles at Unique Vintage.  Her line can also be found at Pinup Girl Clothing, Retro Glam, That Shop, and if you're on a budget, you can find a select amount of styles for a discounted price on Zulily!

Hide In The Hydrangeas

Because I've been wearing Bernie Dexter dresses for years, you can find the entire archive of my closet HERE.  Have any questions about certain styles or fit?  Do you have a Bernie Dexter collecion of your own?  Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Ashley

Hermeline

It feels weird wearing a dress that I normally wouldn't pick out for myself.  It's a lot shorter than I'm used to, it has sleeves, and it totally throws me out of my comfort zone.  But I noticed while I was packing and unpacking my closet that almost everything I own looks the same.  I'm totally guilty of buying the same piece in multiple colors/prints if I love it, but I think I really do take that to the extreme.  I've always adored the print of this Hermeline shift dress from Hell Bunny and I figured this would be the perfect piece to help me take more fashion risks.











Dress- Hell Bunny
Shoes- Pinup Girl Clothing
Hair scarf- Vintage
Lipstick- c/o Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Candy Apple

I'm not going to lie, it's been quite a struggle when it comes to blogging lately.  Not only have I been busy settling into my new home (I haven't quite perfected my daily "groove" yet), I've also been down on life due to the recent election.  Blogging has literally been the last thing on my mind.  I ended up having some much needed time alone, and I decided to go to one of my favorite photo locations.  Being completely alone in nature really brightened my spirits and helped me realize that there's still so much beauty and good in this world.  It really inspired me to not only get back into shooting/writing, but to do my best to put more good into the universe.  Here's to hoping that with enough people putting out positive energy, we can make a change for the better!

xoxo

Ashley

Lilac Atomic Debbie

Since I've featured the gorgeous Lilac Atomic circle skirt from Trashy Diva on my blog (seen here), I've yet to actually wear this Debbie dress.  When the collection was released I was initially drawn to this dress, but I loved the print so much that a second piece was "accidentally" purchased.  Funny how that happens, right?  The Debbie certainly looks more fancy but feels extraordinarily comfortable to wear.  I felt/wanted to style it extra fancy today, but I can see myself rocking this with a belt and a pair of flats to dress it down.











Dress- Trashy Diva
Shoes- Modcloth
Brooch- c/o Erstwilder
Lipstick- c/o Anastasia Beverly Hills in Soft Lilac

The Debbie is a new style but hails from the classically cute Deb dress.  It shares the ruffled bust but leaves the ruffled trim on the skirt behind.  I love the sweetheart neckline and the fitted bodice, but my favorite feature is the full skirt with side pockets.  I feel like this mid century inspired print was the perfect match for this new dress!  The entire Lilac Atomic collection was made from a high-quality cotton sateen and it feels like heaven when you wear it.  I'm not even joking, I buy at least one piece from every one of Trashy Diva's cotton prints.  They're too comfy and cute to turn down!

Well, I'm pretty much all settled into my new home.  It's just the greatest feeling to finally live in place you consider your dream home.  My bedroom has massive windows which allow me to fall asleep to the twinkling stars and wake up to the gorgeous sunrise.  It amazes me every morning!  I can't wait to share some pictures once all of our decor is up!

xoxo

Ashley