QUARANTWINNING: Ashley and Sammi style Butterflies & Begonias

Wow, how has it been so long since I put together a blog post? In all honesty, the last few months have gone by really quickly – which seems odd since quarantine life isn't all that exciting. Still, I'm hanging onto the highlights for dear life... and new dresses are definitely among the highlights!

I sadly wasn't able to visit Ashley in California this spring due to the pandemic. But even if we're way more than 6 feet apart (try 2,500 miles!), we can still feel like we're together when we coordinate what we wear. When Trashy Diva's "Butterflies and Begonias" collection launched, Ashley and I both purchased the Hollywood Circle style dress and decided to wear it together – but apart.

I love this fuller skirt and the shoulder ruffle (which can be worn up or down!) is probably my favorite feature. This vibrant orangey-red is such a beautiful color for summer, as well. I do tend to be particular about floral prints, but I have to say that this one has grown on me quite a bit.

A note about sizing: I wish I had ordered up in this style! Although the Hollywood does have elasticized side panels, the waist here is firm – and it runs a bit smaller than the size chart indicates. I do tend to like my clothes to be on the more fitted side, but I probably wouldn't wear this dress on a day that involved a lot of eating or lounging. But since I have lots of other clothes for those activities, that's fine by me.

Outfit Details:

Butterflies & Begonias Hollywood Circle Dress: Trashy Diva

White dahlia hair flower: similar  ||  Sandals: Naturalizer

You can see more of how Ashley styled this dress and get her outfit details over on her blog today. And as luck would have it, it looks like Trashy Diva will be launching a brand new collection today at 12 noon (central time)... so be sure to check that out and see what they have in store for us.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Easter!

It's been a while since I posted here! Things have been strange lately – which is a massive understatement, I realize. But getting to enjoy the signs of spring (by myself, of course) has helped a little bit. I don't really feel like dressing up for Easter this year, but I did want a chance to show off this beautiful dress from Cheshire Vintage!

Outfit Details

Dress: Cheshire Vintage

Hat: vintage (similar)  ||  Gloves: vintage (similar)

Heels: Irregular Choice (similar)

Whatever you do today,  I hope you're sweet to yourself.

2019 Recap

It's hard to believe that 2019 is coming to a close. This year was incredibly difficult and came with a lot of (very necessary) changes. But I feel emotionally stronger and more optimistic than I have in a while. And while I don't post on my blog as frequently as I once did, I think it's a really good exercise to look back on the last 12 months and appreciate how far I've really come in such a short time... and appreciate all of the outfits I've worn!

In January, I was still reeling from my recent breakup and contracted food poisoning from one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Talk about betrayal. I didn't post a whole lot. But I did celebrate my blog's sixth birthday in February and my mom made breakfast for dinner for us on Valentine's Day. Emma and I did a couple of fun shoots and I savored the flowers at the Dutch Connection exhibit. I spent a lot of time yearning for warm weather. Emma and I also made a big decision to rent a studio for our photography projects (though we didn't tell many people until months later)!

By April, I started to feel reinvigorated. Spring blossoms started to emerge. I saw Hamilton and started posting more frequently again. In May, my mom and I had Mother's Day tea at Sonnenberg Gardens. In June, we saw Waitress. Emma and I started creating content to promote the studio and I started feeling more confident again. I also came to terms with a really painful end. My mom and I spent a weekend in Skaneateles, followed by many excursions to different orchards and farms.

In July, I went to the NY Lavender Festival with friends and hunted for antiques. I found my collection of bathing suits that I thought I had lost three years prior. I didn't want summer to end. In August, Emma and I officially launched Dear Blossom Studios. We picked a lot of fruit, made our annual excursion to the sunflower fields, and went on a picnic. By the time September rolled around, I signed up for a flower share, pushed myself to take photos in public places, and took in the wonderful wackiness of the Fringe.

October was filled with spooky outfits, boudoir sessions, and birthday fun. I officially lost 50 pounds just in time to turn 31. November was slightly somber and nostalgic, but I also started rehearsals for "Winnie the Pooh." I received a promotion at work for a position I helped to develop and started feeling a lot more positive about my professional aspirations. And in December, I felt joyful in partaking in activities (aside from being involved in a car accident, that is) and putting together seasonal outfits.

This year might not have turned out the way I thought it would – and I still have a long way to go – but I am glad to be where I am now. What are you proud of accomplishing in the past year? Be sure to check out my post on Instagram later today to see my last outfit photo of 2019!

See you next year!

Let it Snow

All images by Emma Rizzo Photo

It's exactly one week until Christmas, so I thought it was high time to post at least one holiday outfit here on my blog. I've been posting more frequently on Instagram than on my blog lately, but I still love this space and think it's important to document things here... especially during one of my favorite times of the year!

This dress is an old one – I actually styled it five(!) years ago in this blog post. But it's probably my favorite dress that I've ever owned and I can finally fit into it again, which is a thrill. I convinced Emma to venture out to a Christmas tree farm with me to take some photos on a freezing-cold and icy day. She worked her magic like always, though!

Outfit Details

Dress: Bernie Dexter (other styles here)

Necklace: similar  ||  Hair flower: Stardust Dames

Shoes: Irregular Choice 

Things have been really busy this season, but they've been generally good. My life has changed a lot in the last year and I feel grateful to be where I am now. I'm looking forward to having a relaxing and special Christmas with my parents. We'll be doing our traditional hors-d'oeuvres-and-present-opening on Christmas Eve and we'll be seeing a movie and going out for Chinese on Christmas Day. What are your annual holiday traditions?

Make sure to follow me on Instagram so you don't miss any of my other holiday outfits that I don't end up posting here! And if I don't get a chance to update again before the 25th, have a very happy holiday!

An Apple a Day

Apples may not be my favorite fruit in the world, but I do love picking them! Sure, going to the apple orchard is a cliché fall activity – especially here in New York State (even Saturday Night Live aired a recent skit about it!). But that doesn't make me love it any less. I had the chance to go a couple of times this year and probably would go again if I got the chance... except now I have more apples than I know what to do with! The lengths I'll go to for fresh cider donuts and cider slushies...

I found this plaid vintage dress on Poshmark and knew it'd be perfect for this setting. While I certainly still love getting my hands on newly released items, it's getting to the point where I really need to watch my spending. As a result, I've been using Poshmark more – and restyling a lot of the great pieces I already have in my closet. One good thing about getting healthier is that you can go "shopping" in parts of your closet you'd abandoned for a while.

I can't believe we're already mid-way through October... and I haven't even started showing my Halloween-themed outfits yet! Plus, my birthday is coming up SOON (and not much planning has taken place there, either). Can fall just slow down a little bit?? What activities are on your to-do list for the rest of the fall?

Outfit Details

Vintage Dress: Poshmark (similar)

Cardigan: ModCloth  ||  Belt: similar

Boater hat: similar  ||  Shoes: available here

Have a great start to your week! (Mine's going to be a VERY busy one!)

Sunflower

All images by Emma Rizzo Photo

Last month, Emma and I drove out to Clifton Springs for our now-annual trip to see these incredible sunflower fields. We made the pilgrimage for the first time last year and we knew we had to come back again once August rolled around. The weather proved to be a bit tricky, but Emma came through (as always) with some stunning shots.

While we were traipsing through the fields, I couldn't help but think back to the last time we were there. It was a truly magical experience and we had a great day exploring the area. But that little escape (and others like it) was definitely necessary at the time. In retrospect, I can admit how sad and stressed I was then. It's hard to keep that in mind sometimes, particularly when my heart is hurting and I just want to view the past in a rosy light. But it's moments like these when things really come into focus and I can see that – in spite of all the darkness – the sun still shines... and maybe it's much brighter than it once was. I really do feel like a little sunflower looking towards the light.

Speaking of sunflowers... I know a lot of other people would love nothing more than to capture some special memories in a field like this. If you live in Rochester or the surrounding area, you're in luck: Emma will be having sunflower field mini-sessions a little later this month! If you're interested you can book your slot here – and don't dawdle, as sign-ups are limited and spots will go quickly!

Outfit Details

Arina Dress: Gal Meets Glam (similar here and here)

Boater hat: similar  ||  Flats: Jessica Simpson

Hope your day is a sunny one!