Asbury Park in Bloom: ootd

    As a hobby felt-er I often admire the work of others, especially that found at SugarSnapBoutique (shown above).  Her delightful arrangements have inspired me to finally branch out from cakes and tarts to flower arrangements.  Last week I sat down one evening and started work on a flower or two just to try my hand at it.  After about two hours I had a complete basket arrangement and was eager to complete another.   My second arrangement is featured with today's outfit photos.  

     I know felt flowers and fashion seem unrelated, but for this post, they are closely intertwined.  After months of admiring this Asbury Park dress by HD in Paris, I finally bought one.  I held off on buying one for so long, because it was too expensive.  For some reason this month ThredUp has been inundated with Anthropologie dresses and I managed to score this dress for about $25.  
    Compared to its original price of $158 and its Ebay price of $35-$85, you can see why ThredUp is my favorite online thrift shop.  (If you're new to ThredUp, use this link to sign up and save $20 off your first order.  http://www.thredup.com/r/WKVOY5

    When thinking of how I wanted to accessorize this dress, I wanted to do something different than a cardigan or a great purse, which is why I decided to sit down and try to create some flowers.  While not wanting to copy someone else's work, I felt it was important to look at many talented artists work to get a feel for floral composition and that is how I discovered SugarSnapBoutique

    I have enjoyed this endeavor so much, I think I'll work on a few floral hair wreaths next for some upcoming outfits.  For now, this sunny yellow dress and this basket of poppies have turned my thoughts away from the blustery storm out my window and on to the warm days of springtime ahead.

     As far as the dress goes, I'm sorry to say I don't have a glowing review.  The fabric is thin, the criss-cross on the bust is unique but awkward, and the cut isn't terribly flattering.  The sizing is a little hard to figure out since the bust runs small, but the rest runs big.  The color is cheery to the point of being borderline obnoxious.  I wish I could love this dress, but my feelings are only lukewarm.  I do however take great comfort in the fact that I only spent $25 and not the $80-$158 I would have paid else where.  So, thank you ThredUp for saving me from buyer's remorse. 

Shop the Look:
 Asbury Park by HD in Paris dress is from ThredUp
Shoes are from ModCloth
Jewelry is vintage and handmade