Grey Bats

 

Is there anything cuter than bats? Maybe second to crows for me but I love anything with bats on it. Unique Vintage (as usual) is killing it with the spooky cute prints this year and I love how simple yet versatile this dress is. I wanted to add a little more flair to this outfit with a harness and a matching novelty bag and I love how it turned out!

Dress- c/o Unique Vintage

Harness- La Femme En Noir

Shoes- Strange Cvlt

Hat- Modcloth

Bag- c/o Betsey Johnson

This is the Stephanie dress, which is your classic fit and flair silhouette. It's made from a stretchy blend fabric and features 3/4 sleeves, an above the knee skirt and a back zippered closure. It comes with a removable black belt but I switched it out for a harness. Since I have a bigger bust, I sized up to a medium and I feel quite comfortable in it. This dress is available in sizes XS-5X and priced under $100. I can see myself wearing this cutie into winter with some tights and a faux leather jacket!

I booked my first flight since 2019 earlier this week and I am so excited. Bianca has never been on a plane before and I can't wait to take her on some adventures out in the Pacific Northwest! She's old enough now where she wants to go out and explore what's out there and I'm really happy I get to experience that with her as well. I can't wait to share pictures once we go!

xoxo

Ashley

Beetlejuice

 
It's a wonderful thing when two loves come together and create something spectacular.  In this case, one of my favorite clothing companies and movies collaborated on a collection of ghoulish goodies.  Unique Vintage dropped their Beetlejuice line recently and I am obsessed!  If I wasn't already excited about their Halloween collection (I was), the addition of licensed Beetlejuice goodies made me lose my mind! My first piece from the collection was this purse and I decided to go with the color scheme and create this fun outfit.

Top- c/o Unique Vintage

Skirt- c/o Unique Vintage

Shoes- Steve Madden (similar)

Socks- c/o Betsey Johnson

Bag- c/o Unique Vintage

Kevin's shirt- c/o Unique Vintage

I love all the color in the Beetlejuice film and was inspired by the bright green in his hair.  Thankfully, Unique Vintage has tons of great Halloween offerings in addition to their Beetlejuice collection.  This Gracie top is super soft, versatile, and matches perfectly with my bag.  I decided to size up to a medium in the top for extra bust room and I'm so glad I did.  I paired it with this super cute skull print suspender skirt but it also looks great paired with black jeans.  I've worn it so many times already and can't wait to get it in more colors!

I also have to mention that I'm super proud of my husband for taking this picture with me.  He's been super helpful while we've been in quarantine (especially when I need help taking pictures).  But let me tell you, he *hates* having his picture taken!  He had to indulge me though, he looks so good in this bat print button down.  I can't imagine having a partner who didn't share my love for all things creepy and spooky, I'm super thankful to have a fellow weirdo at my side!

You can find all these pieces on the Unique Vintage website and everything is offered in plus sizes too.  Make sure you check out their Halloween and Beetlejuice collections and I'll be back with some more Beetlejuice goodies soon.  Stay tuned!

xoxo

Ashley

Fatale

 

There are rare (if any) occasions to wear a gorgeous dress these days but let's be real: sometimes you just *need* to do it for yourself.  Getting dressed up immediately improves my mood and I was feeling really good in this Pretty Dress Company number.  I've sung my praises for this UK based company many times before and this blog is no different!  I just love a great, classic, vintage inspired dress and this polka dot Fatale ticks all those boxes.

Dress- c/o The Pretty Dress Company

Shoes- c/o Restricted Shoes

Bag- c/o Betsey Johnson

Earrings- c/o Betsey Johnson

Belt- Vixen by Micheline Pitt

Lipstick- Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Cherry Moon

The Fatale dress is made from a heavyweight stretch cotton fabric and features an off the shoulder neckline with bow details at the shoulder, fully lined boned bodice, super full circle skirt with large hidden side pockets, and a back zippered closure.  This style is one of my favorites, I actually own it in many different prints!  It also comes in a wiggle skirt version which I love as well.  I'm wearing my usual UK8, which is perfect in the bust and just a smidge large in the waist.  I make sure to belt the dress for the perfect fit.

You can find the Fatale in four different polka dot color ways for almost 50% off right now!  Processing and shipping is always super fast, which is amazing for an international company.  If you're looking for something different, The Pretty Dress Company is having a great sale on lots of different styles (which you can find HERE).

Are you a fan of The Pretty Dress Company?  What's your favorite style?  Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Ashley

Psychic Powers Social Club

Spring is on the horizon but my wardrobe lives in the Halloween section all year around!  I was super excited to receive the newest t-shirt design from Psychic Powers Social Club.  All their designs are amazing (I have a collection of them) but this Psychic Vampire II tee just speaks to my spooky soul.  Read more about this outfit and get more info on this fantastic small business below!





Top- c/o Psychic Powers Social Club
Skirt- Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Boots- Steve Madden
Hat- Target
Earrings- c/o Betsey Johnson
Lipstick- c/o Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Sad Girl

This unisex tee is made from a very soft cotton/poly blend and has a great tailor-made fit.  I love the slight amount of stretch it has, it really is one of the softest tees in my wardrobe.  Thankfully, this tee has no tag... it's printed on the inside so it's super comfortable.  The design on this tee is absolutely perfect!  I love the artwork and the large size of it.  This tee is available in sizes S-XXL.  I'm comfortably wearing a small, which is my usual unisex size.  You can find this design and many more creepy-cool tees on their website right now!

xoxo

Ashley

Valentine's Day Style

Today I'm talking about Valentine's Day!  While it's not my favorite holiday, I do love dressing the part!  I'm going to have an extensive series on my Valentine's Day style and you can follow along until February 14th on my Instagram using the hashtag #scbheartsvday.  I'll also be posting here (although not all outfits will make it) in case you don't have/use Instagram.  I'm kicking off this series with four of my favorite outfits.  Check them out here and you can find direct links to almost everything below!

Outfit 1
Dress- The Pretty Dress Company
Coat- Nordstrom
Shoes- Chelsea Crew
Bag- Betsey Johnson

Outfit 2
Top- Collectif Clothing
Skirt- Unique Vintage
Jacket- Sarsparilly
Shoes- Charlie Stone Shoes
Hat- Unique Vintage
Bag- Unique Vintage

Outfit 3
Top- Sister Jane
Skirt- Sister Jane
Shoes- Nordstrom
Purse- Tatyana

Outfit 4
Top- Nordstrom
Skirt- Nordstrom
Jacket- Nordstrom
Shoes- Target

Here's the video version too!


Which outfit is your favorite?  Do you want to see more style videos?  Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Ashley

Unhappy Hour

Bring on those cooler temps because I'm ready for all the layering!  Retrolicious has wowed me with their Halloween collection this year and I'm quite smitten with this Unhappy Hour dress.  My favorite feature (other than pockets, of course)?  This classic cut is perfect for layering.  If you're spooky year-round like I am, this dress can easily transition into any season.  I'm showing you a "cooler" styling option, but you can wear this alone with ballerina flats and look just as creepy-cute!









Dress- c/o Retrolicious
Top- c/o Heart of Haute
Shoes- Target
Tights- Hue
Belt- from another dress 
Brooch- Erstwilder
Lipstick- Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Pink Souffle
Bag- Betsey Johnson

The Unhappy Hour dress is made here in the USA from 100% cotton and features a scoop neckline, a-line skirt with side pockets, and a back zippered closure.  I took my usual Retrolicious dress size (small) and I found the fit to be spot on.  I love the print of this dress, there are so many fun monsters to find!  Bianca loves identifying them when I wear it, something tells me she's going to steal this dress from me when she gets big enough!  This dress is available from sizes S-XL and is priced at $79.99.  If monsters aren't your thing, their Halloween collection is huge!  Make sure to check out their other selections HERE.

I started my Halloween posts just a few weeks ago and I'm just so excited about it!  I have plenty of goodies to feature these next several weeks but I won't be posting all of them here.  Make sure to follow me on Instagram to catch all the spooky small businesses on my list!  On days when I'm not posting a blog, I'll be posting to my Instagram.  That way you don't miss a thing!

xoxo

Ashley

Sunflower

This particular day was somewhat special.  I had the chance to go out and explore photo locations alone.  I normally have to lug Bianca around, keep her happy, and manage to get the right shot all at once.  I'm sure you can imagine how stressful that can be.  With time on my side and no toddler to entertain, I had a much needed date with myself.  It's crazy what a little alone time can do to your well-being.  I'm just hoping I get this opportunity again soon!











Dress- Bernie Dexter
Shoes- Chelsea Crew
Petticoat- Malco Modes
Belt- Old
Necklace- Femme De Bloom
Earrings- Betsey Johnson
Bracelet- c/o Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski
Lipstick- Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Veronica

Yes, it's true.  I've added another Bernie Dexter Paris dress to my closet.  She released a very limited run of this sunflower print version so I had to jump on it!  As someone who grew up in the 90's, anything with sunflowers gives me a good rush of nostalgia.  I guess it's fitting that it's on one of my favorite dresses.  Like my other Paris dresses, it's made from 100% cotton, has a stretchy gathered bust, full fluffy skirt, and pockets.  This dress absolutely runs true to size and fits like a glove.  I'm going to have a hard time not playing favorites with this one!

Since this is my first post of the year, I want to wish you the happiest of new years!  2016 marks my fifth year of blogging (which is craziness) and I can't wait to see what this year has in store.  I don't make resolutions, but since I've just switched from Nikon to Canon, I really want to learn my camera and improve my photography skills.  What's your resolutions this year?

xoxo

Ashley

Virtual Christmas Party

It's the most wonderful time of the year which means we have another Girl Squad Style post for you!  We wanted to do things a little fancier this time, so Sammi, Amanda, Katie, and I put on some of our favorite dresses and pinned on our cutest holiday brooches from Deer Arrow.  Since we can't be together during the holidays, we're getting dolled up like we would for a virtual Christmas party!

Peacock

Let the holiday outfits begin!  I love dressing up for any occasion really, so this time of year is always a fun way to play with my wardrobe.  Voodoo Vixen just released their holiday collection and I've been fortunate enough to snag this gorgeous Blair dress for review!

Greeting Temptation

Let the spooky outfits continue!  I've kept my word so far and I plan to keep them coming until Saturday.  Like I've said before; dressing up in costumes isn't my thing, but wearing spooky inspired outfits appropriate for everyday life certainly is!  This warm cabana striped skirt always felt more like Halloween to me, so it seems fitting to wear it this time of year.  I can assure you it gets wear all year around though.  I went for a more "witchy" vibe with black pieces and my favorite new boots.  I finished this look with my trusty Sandworm brooch.  You've probably seen him a lot because I wear him almost everyday.  It's so hard not to play favorites!

Fleur De Lis

This new (to me) Harley dress is an unexpected but welcomed change to my closet.  While the Harley dress has been a fan favorite, I've never been crazy about the neckline.  I tend to be insecure about my upper arms and this dress highlights that very same spot.  Because this fleur de lis print is so beautiful, I decided to give it a shot.  While it did showcase my upper arms, a cropped cardigan blanketed those insecurities and a cute outfit was born!

Monster Madness

I can't believe how much my skirt collection has grown in the past year.  I've been a dress only kind of girl for so long and I never thought I'd like anything more than just slipping one on and calling it an outfit.  I put a lot of style challenges on myself this year and I've found that I enjoy taking the time to create the outfit I want.  This monster print skirt has been on everyone's mind (and wish list) this summer and I can't wait to wear this out all year around!

When Decades Collide

Today is the first day this week where I feel somewhat normal.  I've been suffering from some terrible allergy symptoms which have caused my eyes to swell shut.  I was using antihistamines, but they were doing nothing except make me incredibly drowsy.  I went to the doctor yesterday and was given the correct medication which has helped so much!  I have never had allergy issues before, so I now understand the discomfort and miserable feelings that people have described.  I'm just happy that I can see properly again!

Pigtails and Pirates

I'm not going to lie, this week has been a rough one in mommy land.  Bianca's been more than a handful and she's really testing the strength of my sanity.  But then we make our way out and do something fun and I get to capture moments like this.  I know Bianca spoils me, her terrible moods/actions are so few and far between.  I guess I'm not really accustomed to a "difficult" child so I feel completely overwhelmed when she acts anything but perfect.  Basically, I need to stop complaining and remind myself how thankful I am for my beautiful child.  Can I start over again?

Heart In A Cage

I can't sing enough praise for the Junebugs and Georgia Peaches collection from Pinup Girl Clothing.  There were a few pieces I couldn't wait to add to my closet and then there was this Junebugs dress.  While I love a great novelty print, the collar kind of scared me.  While visiting the boutique with Sammi last week I decided to try it on for fun.  It may not have come home with me that day, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.  And as you can see, it's now a part of my dress collection.  I even got a sweet compliment from my husband when I wore it!  I guess collars aren't so bad after all...

Purple Harlequin

I'm sure it's no surprise when I say that purple is one of my favorite colors.  So when Pinup Girl Clothing released a purple harlequin print I was all over it!  I initially purchased this dress right after having Bianca and my dress size was much larger.  I didn't think I'd get the chance to own it in my actual size because this color way is now discontinued.  Thankfully, I have a few close friends (in this case, Sarah) who all wear the same size and our clothing is constantly swapped between us.  I got this from Sarah for a steal and I'm so happy it's finally returned to me!

First Bloom

With the exception of these fabulous shoes, this was the outfit I wore to the office yesterday.  This classic wrap dress from Karina Dresses is perfect for work and any other event I might attend afterward.  The fabric is light, stretchy, and wrinkle free so it looks just as good at the end of a busy day.  I'm pretty sure the neckline is my favorite, it's incredibly feminine and flattering!  This particular dress is a one size fits all, but Karina Dresses makes clothing from XS-2X (and their fabric could easily accommodate larger sizes) and everything is made here in the U.S.  Don't be surprised if you see a lot more of their dresses here in the future!

Summer Bouquet

Have you ever felt like a certain dress/style represents you?  I tend to dabble in a lot of different styles (I have an inner goth that likes to make appearances from time to time), but a nice fit and flare dress with a colorful print really speaks to me.  My closet is slowly starting to accumulate some solids, but it's basically like an explosion of prints and color in there.  Heart of Haute dresses really "get" me and this Mercedes dress is no exception!

Spanish Fans

I'm hoping everyone had a fabulous long weekend!  While I had to work a few days, I was able to have a date night with Kevin and a full day of family fun yesterday.  The weather is finally starting to warm up a bit so we enjoyed some time outside.  Bianca is a little explorer so I burned off some calories running after her!  Much like her momma, she's an independent soul and doesn't like being told what to do.  I can already tell I'll have my work cut out for me when she's a teenager...

Iced Coffee Bettie

It feels great to be back!  I wasn't away from my blog for long but I can't remember the last time I had a weekend without updating it.  I worked all weekend and also celebrated my second wedding anniversary with Kevin.  We're huge foodies and decided to go to one of my favorite restaurants on the planet, Capo.  Kevin had never been but I've been talking about their grilled calamari and pesto gnocchi for about five years now.  He loved it!  Added bonus: Al Pacino was sitting right behind me so Kevin had a fantastic view of two people he loves oh so very much.