Fashion Archives - An Equestrian Life

Workout Motivation in Dress Form

January 30, 2016 4 Comments

I’m a big fan of fancy dresses. I should probably stop buying more, but Rent-the-Runway was having a clearance sale, and I instantly wanted everything. But I’m not a crazy person, so I didn’t buy everything, but I did buy a few!

Parker “Wintergarden” Gown, Halston Heritage “Flip Switch” Dress, Allison Parris “Winter Wonderland” Dress

There was only one problem – the smallest size available of each of these dresses was a size 6.

One of the dresses was brand new with tags!

When they got here, it was obvious that size 6 is too small for my current body. I could wedge it on, but both tulle dresses looked like 80’s nightmare prom dresses. I can only hope they will look better once they actually fit.

Except for one of the dresses, shockingly, actually fit, and looked so awesome, I feel like I met my soulmate dress.

This one is the same brand as the dress for my Middleburg shoot, although that one was a size 10, and yet I looked way more sausage-like. If that one had fit and been the right length, it would have been my favorite dress ever. But since picking the wrong size isn’t really the dress’s fault, and since I’m happy with my new dress, Halston gets the thumbs up. Thank goodness for stretch!

I have heard people discourage buying clothes that are too small are motivation. But I believe if there’s actually a plan in place, like scheduling gym workouts and planned meals, it’s a great way to stay on track. Clearly it doesn’t work as motivation if the only plan is to wait for the weight-loss fairy to pass by. I’ve been waiting for her to visit me, as well as the housekeeping and renovation fairies, but none of them come to my neck of the woods.

Now I just wish I could justify buying more dresses… but I really don’t thinking I can!

Fashion, Life, Personal Style

Middleburg Photoshoot

December 4, 2015 No Comments

It’s been raining most of the week, and since I don’t have regular access to an indoor, I haven’t been riding, nor had my lesson. I’m now having riding withdrawal.

So instead of anything related to the mud beasts that inhabit my field, here’s some photos from our fall photoshoot!

Every year (although we hope to do it more frequently now), my friend and I will force our husbands to do a photoshoot with us, done by the super awesome photographer Steven of Photo Senikai. I feel like I stalk him, because I love his photos so much.

These photos were taken about five weeks ago, in Middleburg, VA. Yes, we did get comments and weird looks walking around like this. I heard a lot of “they must be going to a wedding”, which would have made it a very poorly attended wedding with just the four of us.

This was my first experience with Rent The Runway, and while overall it was a good experience, I’m disappointed that the dress ended up way too short for me. I didn’t realize I would have been considered “long” at 5’6″, but at least I will know that for next time.

middleburg photoshoot — This one is my favorite, because Dave always gives me these incredulous looks.

Can I say that this is a super awesome picture without sounding vain? (except for that dang short dress!)

I decided to ditch the heels and just wear sneakers, conveniently they were blue. Also pictured are our gorgeous friends.

Ditching the shoes entirely! Thanks, Middleburg, for having so many beautiful backdrops, although with this one right on a corner, we had a slight fear we would be hit by a car.

And that’s all… for now. One of these days, I’ll glam up Berry and do some pictures with her like what I did with Vintage last year. I feel like it’s only fair.

berry, Chickens, dogs, Fashion, Horses, Life, Personal Style

Random Things

July 7, 2015 No Comments

My dress came in, and it is better than I expected.

The material is really heavy and just beautiful. It’s so pretty!

Poffins agrees it's quite nice for making a nest on. — Poffins agrees, it’s quite nice for making a nest on.

With Poffins sitting on my dress and me laying out on the floor, I’m pretty sure I’m going to need to get this dress dry cleaned before I even wear it.

I’ve now dug in the arena for 20 hours. I would have done more, but there’s so much rain! I think Virginia is becoming a rainforest.

I brought the arena out by another 20 feet, so much so it was hard to get a picture of it, and I had to stand in a tree. Turns out this is the hardest spot to dig out because I have hit a stash of boulders. (So that’s where they’ve been hiding!! I was warned this might happen by others who have made arenas in my neighborhood!) Luckily, my bobcat can smash right through some of them, or at least reduce their size enough to tediously dig them out. My immediate neighbor had to use dynamite to get ride of her boulders. But now I have huge potholes and giant hard mounds everywhere. It’s going to be tricky to get this area level.

Berry and Pony decided this was fascinating so last night they broke into the arena and ran around like a bunch of idiots. Berry, who recently became lame and I had to have the vet out, only to discover she did not break her leg, she just had a huge abscess that somehow manifested itself on a trail ride, was covered in mud, and (of course) has a swollen leg, no doubt from playing slip and slide all night. Now I get to see if it’s minor or if I’ll have to have the vet out AGAIN. With this kind of record, I’m not sure if I’ll even be able to show her this year.

A long time ago, I mentioned I bought chickens. Not my teenage mutant ninja chickens, but chickens from My Pet Chicken. I don’t think think I said anything, but they arrived several weeks ago, and have been growing up in a little dog crate.

Super babies, pictured with teenage chicken sensation, The Khaki's. — Little babies, pictured with teenage chicken sensation, The Khaki’s.

Going through my photos, it occurred to me that I have literally no photos of the little babies, just this one picture of them in a dog crate where you can’t even see them. Since I’ve been binge watching South Park recently, it reminded me of this episode:

I’m sorry, but these chickens are censored. No one can see them, NOT EVER.

Fashion, Personal Style

A Dress to Wear to a Wedding

July 2, 2015 No Comments

Once again putting off my last New Orleans’ post, I am trying to decide upon something. I sort of already did, but I’m interested in other people’s opinions.

I have a wedding to attend soon and while searching for a dress to wear, I discovered an amazing dress, and I’m wondering what everyone thinks of it.

My first reaction to seeing it – perfect! It’s a mock two piece, the skirt and top are attached by mesh. I love the sliver of exposed waist trend, and I figured its about time I did something about it.

I have already purchased this dress and it is on the way to me. But now that I have already purchased it, I’m having doubts, as seems to happen in cases like this. I love this dress, but is everyone going to gasp and whisper among themselves upon seeing it? (well I know a certain relation will, but she would regardless). I know the maid of honor really well, but I have never met the bride. I don’t know how formal she’s going for, as I only have the save-the-date so far, but I’m thinking it will be at least semi-formal.

Is it appropriate for a wedding? The concerns that I feel people might have – is it scandalous to show a little midsection? Is black okay to wear? Does everyone wear cocktail length dresses these days? Does having a long dress automatically make it overly fancy? Does the top having a casual feel tone it down?

Assuming it’s a semi-formal dress code, do you think I would be overdressed? Additionally, is it okay to be more dressed up than everyone else? I personally love dressing up, but then I feel silly if I’m the only one dressed up, like I missed some kind of memo about what’s going on. But if I don’t get dressed up, where will I wear all the nice clothes I buy? What is even the point of buying them!?

And then I have another thought – If the skirt was knee length, I wouldn’t even think twice about wearing it, because knee length is the norm, and most women there will be wearing knee length. But I really like long dresses… I suppose it comes down to, will people think I’m wearing an evening gown, and am therefore overdressed for the occasion?

Tell me what you think, fashion police!

Fashion, Personal Style, Shopping

An Ode to Hats

November 15, 2014 No Comments

I bought a new hat the other day. There’s a really nice tack (horse) store near my house and in addition to overpriced horse tack, there’s plenty of human clothes and accessories.

I’d been looking for a hat like this for a while, so naturally I was thrilled to find it.

I love hats. They shield your face from the sun, and the darkness is like a real life instagram filter.

Since I bought it at night, I needed some place to wear it. Off to Tyson’s!

I found this amazing jacket. It was much too expensive though. I thought Macy’s was supposed to be cheap! I will continue to search for a reasonably priced fur jacket or vest though.

Most importantly, I went to Sephora and bought eyebrow filler. I suffer from a terrible affliction: early 2000’s over plucking. It refuses to grow back. I finally decided to do something to make it better.

The helpful assistant assisted me with picking a product and slathered it on.

And then like a miracle, I had full eyebrows!

And just like that, I now had two things to be thrilled about: my hat, and my eyebrows. Yay!

More hat-ness will be featured in other posts. I love my hat!