Cottage Witch

 

Feels nice to be back! This last month has been a bit of a rollercoaster for my family. We recently lost Punchy, our first family dog. It was unexpected and we're still kind of dealing with the feelings that come with that. While I love all things spooky, it's been very difficult to enjoy those things while I'm grieving. This week I decided to put on a nice outfit, do my hair and makeup and actually get out. I didn't realize how much I needed to get away from my comfort zone until I actually did. I've said it many times but being out in nature is very healing and that was exactly what I needed.

Pinafore- c/o Unique Vintage

Top- c/o Collectif

Shoes- c/o T.U.K. Footwear

Hat- The Beheaded

Purse- c/o La Femme En Noir

I'm no stranger to a pinafore and I love this bat print one from Unique Vintage. It's made from a thick stretch material and features adjustable ruffled straps, mini swing skirt with pockets and a back zippered closure. I'm between a small and medium in all UV things but because this is stretchy I went with a small. I think I might have been better in a medium, simply for a little more length in the skirt, but it's otherwise a great fit. I paired it with my classic witch hat, some fun Mary Jane shoes and my new cauldron purse from La Femme En Noir. I felt like a true cottage witch!

Here's to feeling a little bit more like myself and enjoying more of my favorite season.

xoxo

Ashley

Honey Bee

 

I don't know if this is good news or bad news but this is officially my last "normal" post before this space becomes all things spooky! The summer heat is in full effect but it's always a crisp fall morning in my heart. Before I switch gears to my favorite time of year, I wanted to share one of my favorite new dresses from JessaKae. This Honey Bee dress was perfect for my trip to NYC so I had to add it to my closet. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to wear it in New York but it was perfect for a morning stroll in nature.

Dress- JessaKae

Shoes- c/o Charlie Stone Shoes

Lipstick- Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Glowing Beige

The Honey Bee dress features a beautiful bee inspired embroidered bodice, basque waistline, puff sleeves, layered tulle skirt and a back zippered closure. I love that the neckline is so pretty but also has full back coverage. That means I can wear a comfortable bra! This is my first JessaKae dress so I went with my usual size small and it was a great fit. I didn't realize it until after I placed my order but there's a kids version as well. Guess I need to get one for Bianca too!

You can find this dress (and many other gorgeous pieces) in sizes XXS-6X. Shipping was super fast and this dress was so well made. I can't wait to add another piece to my closet soon!

xoxo

Ashley

Coco

 

Holy hot summer, it's been awhile sine we've dressed up and gone outside! Everyday is 100+ degrees here so we mostly keep cool at home or find fun things to do indoors. As you probably already know, we're huge fans of Ivy City Co. and their summer collection was full of gorgeous mommy and me dresses. These Coco babydoll pieces are made from a light cotton so it makes these hot days just a little more bearable.

Dress- c/o Ivy City Co.

Shoes- Remix Vintage Shoes

Bow- c/o Fable England

Bag- c/o Fable England

Bianca's dress- c/o Ivy City Co.

Bianca's shoes- Amazon

The Coco dress has a babydoll bodice and features puff sleeves, a square neckline, a full skirt with bottom ruffle and hidden side pockets, tulle underskirt and a back zippered closure. Seriously, this dress is so full! I'm wearing a size small but I feel like I could have sized down to an XS. Bianca is wearing a size 9/10, which is a little big on her but will be wearable for years to come! The Coco dress is available in sizes XXS-5X and has both a kids and baby option so you can match with your little one.

I'm really excited because Bianca and I are headed to New York City next week! Bianca has never been so we're making a quick trip to see Josh Groban play Sweeney Todd on Broadway. My heart is so full thinking about how much fun she's going to have! Lots of food, shopping, a trip to Central Park and museum hopping are in order!

xoxo

Ashley

Dark Forest

 

It's the beginning of July which basically means it's spooky season! The patriotic decor has been removed from stores to make room for Halloween stuff aka my year round decor. I don't know about you but I've been hoping for some extra serotonin this year and Halloween getting closer is basically the best it's going to get! La Femme En Noir has their very own Cottage Witch collection and this Dark Forest dress was at the top of my list. Stretchy, sexy and perfectly spooky, it's the piece that's light enough to wear in summer but easily a top contender for the hopefully many Halloween-themed events I'll attend in the fall.

Dress- La Femme En Noir

Shoes- c/o T.U.K. Footwear

Hat- The Beheaded

Bag- c/o Unique Vintage

The Dark Forest dress is made from a stretchy knit fabric that features a plunging v-neckline, lightly padded shoulders with an elastic cuff sleeve, gathered skirt with deep side pockets and a back zippered closure. The print boasts everything a cottage witch desires: frogs, flowers, brooms, bats, goats and cauldrons. I wear almost everything from La Femme in a size small and I'm comfortably wearing a small in this dress. While the fabric is stretchy, I would not recommend sizing down due to the woven fabric. If it stretches too much the print could distort! You can't tell from these photos but it was 101 degrees outside and I felt just fine in this dress!

The Dark Forest dress is available in sizes XS-4X and is also available in a solid black. You can shop this dress and the rest of the Cottage Witch collection HERE!

xoxo

Ashley

Botanist

 

It's official: the warm weather is here and it's time for lightweight fabrics! I usually gravitate towards my Trashy Diva pieces in the summer because they're great for the heat and fit in with my vintage aesthetic. They've recently released their new Botanist collection and I knew I had to add a piece to my closet. It's a perfect summer print and this stork club short dress allows me to feel covered *and* cool.

Dress- Trashy Diva

Shoes- Remix Vintage Shoes

Hat- Amazon

The stork club short dress is made from flat rayon and features a square neck bodice with bust gathers, banded waist, short keyhole sleeves, a gathered knee-length skirt with hidden side pockets and a back zippered closure. Unlike stretch rayon, this fabric has no stretch. I waffle between a size 4 and 6 in Trashy Diva dresses so I chose the 6 due to the fabric. It was a firm but comfortable fit. If you're between sizes I would highly recommend going with your bigger size because many people feel like this dress runs small. I love that this dress feels sexy but I can wear a normal bra with it. As much as I love Trashy Diva, many of their cuts in the last few years have deep necklines and I've had to pass on them because they're unwearable for me. The stork club is a perfect vintage inspired dress that makes me feel beautiful. I hope we see more in the future!

The Botanist collection is available in sizes 0-24 and contains five dresses, one romper, two tops, one pair of shorts, and a wrap scarf.

xoxo

Ashley

Evangelina

 

I feel lucky that Bianca still wants to twin with her mom so I take very opportunity I can! Ivy City Co. has all the cutest dresses for mom, kid and baby so we wanted to feature one of their styles we really love: the Evangelina. It's cute, perfectly summery, has a great statement sleeve and is currently on sale!

Dress- c/o Ivy City Co.

Shoes- Remix Shoes

Bianca's dress- c/o Ivy City Co.

Bianca's shoes- Target

The Evangelina is a fully lined dress with a tulle overlay that features gorgeous embroidery on the bodice and skirt, tulle flutter sleeves, a swishy a-line skirt, attached waist sash and a back zippered closure. I'm usually a small in most brands but with Ivy City Co. I can take either an XS or S depending on the style. The Evangelina dress does run snug so if you're between sizes like I am I would consider going with your bigger size. There is no stretch to this one! Bianca is wearing a 9/10 and while it's a bit big on her, I know she can grow with it and wear it for awhile.

You can find both of these dresses on sale and in inclusive sizing. XXS-3X for adults and 12m-11/12 in kids.

xoxo

Ashley

Flora

 

I feel like I rarely get to have a fancy moment these days but you know what? Sometimes you just have to make those moments yourself. Ivy City Co. is one of my favorite places to find mommy and me dresses and I love that they have everything from casual day dresses to evening attire. This Flora dress is absolutely stunning and deserved to have its cottagecore debut in a nearby forest. If only I could have my own cottage and live in the middle of nowhere with my dresses and woodland friends!

Dress- c/o Ivy City Co.

Shoes- c/o Charlie Stone Shoes

Bag- Olli Ella

Hat- Amazon (similar)

The Flora dress is fully lined and features intricate embroidery on the top layer, beautiful flutter sleeves, and a back zippered closure. I tend to waffle between a size XS and S in Ivy City Co. dresses and am wearing an XS in the Flora. It is *very* fitted and I could have easily sized up to a S for extra room in the bust. I do like how the dress looks in an XS and is still very comfortable so I stuck with the XS. I can see myself wearing this to afternoon tea with the girls (yes, we are that extra) or a garden party in the summer. There is a matching girls dress but unfortunately, it was sold out in Bianca's size. I did sign up for restock notifications so I'm hoping I'll be able to grab her one eventually!

You can find the Flora, and pretty much everything else they offer, in sizes XXS-5X.

xoxo

Ashley