OUTFIT OF THE DAY, NOVEMBER 7 (2018) – BEATLES & PASTELS

Beatles Abbey Road t-shirt // pastel Chevron shorts // sushi print novelty socks // Doc Martens // purple lenses glasses used as hair accessory // Wet ‘n Wild pastel paint palette eyeshadow in orange 


I love the contrast between the darkness/masculine elements of the Beatles t-shirt (which is a new addition to my wardrobe, & I wore it for the first time a week ago at my Busch Gardens Tampa audition!) & the feminine pastel of this shorts (which I got in the children’s section!). The same contrast also occurs between the edginess of the Doc Martens & the playfulness of the purple fake glasses (which as they are unreasonably big for my face, I decided they looked quite nice as a hair accessory). And the sushi socks are just there to be funky. I love contrast in an outfit, & I love funkiness more than pretty much anything, so when you take funky things THAT contrast, it takes it to a whole new level of Funkytown.

Previous Outfits of the Day, #1 (Including Ombre Rainbow Eyebrows & Red Ombre Hair!)

Special Effects Nuclear Red Ombre & Debut of Rainbow Eyebrows!

Special Effects Ombre #2

red ombre hair / blue & teal rainbow eyebrows / blue & gray striped shirt customized by me by adding the gray flower I crocheted & embellished with beads

Ombre Hair with Nuclear Red Ombre & Teal & Purple Rainbow Eyebrows

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to lighten the ends of my hair so I could dye them a bright color. I watched a YouTube video where someone used a blonde Garnier hair dye to lighten their dark brown hair. I decided to try Nutrisse Nourishing Color Crème in 93 Light Golden Blonde, & as I’d had good luck with the high-lift red I used last summer for my red & brown ombre, so I assumed this one would work just as great. Unfortunately, my hair is quite impervious to coloring, & the dye had little effect. Luckily though, it added a few lighter brown highlights, as well as damaging my hair a little bit more to allow the hair dye to soak in more.

Originally, I was going to do a rose gold ombre, but as my hair didn’t get light enough for that, I decided to go for my Nuclear Red Special Effects hair dye. The Special Effects dye definitely works better on my hair than Manic Panic, although it didn’t show up very well with my natural hair color. I love Special Effects, btw. I put the Special Effects dye in my hair, & let it sit under a shower cap for 30+ minutes. When I rinsed it out, I was pleasantly surprised by the bright color! It was just what I had hoped for with the Nuclear Red. The dye faded out over a little more than a week, & now is a subtle red color, which is also pretty. Soon, I hope to go to the salon & get the ends of my hair bleached for real, so that I can dye it whatever color I want.

Purple & Blue Colorful Eyebrows

Also, my sister taught me how to do rainbow eyebrows, because I’d seen plenty of photos online of them, & my sister has done them quite a few times on herself. Thanks to my e.l.f angled brush & some bright-coloured shadows, I soon achieved a teal & purple ombre effect, which I was happy with. I definitely want to try more things with the rainbow eyebrow trend, because it’s one more way to look cool + colorful.

Blue Bow & Stripes

Blue Hair Bow and Striped Bon Worth Blouse

Red and blue striped blouse from Bon Worth / cherry earrings / diamond earrings / blue hair bow headband

A cool picture I took with the sky as my background. The sky ended up looking cool & washed-out, which goes along well with the slightly-wistful expression on my face. I matched the colors of this blouse with my red earrings & blue headband.

Gold & Winged Liner

Gold & Winged Liner

gold short-sleeved blouse from my grandmother / winged eyeliner over gold glitter eyeshadow / sparkle “celebration” earrings. worn during winter/spring.

I had been wanting to create an outfit with this awesome glitter blouse for a long time, but the last time I’d tried it on, a few years ago, & the fabric was very scratchy. Thankfully, I discovered camisoles, & wearing one under this blouse made it comfortable to wear. I decided to pair it with the Elizabeth Taylor elegance of winged liner, & one of my favorite pairs of sparkly earrings, which I have just dubbed my “celebration” earrings. For added measure, I added gold facial glitter to my eyelids, because if you’re going to wear a sparkle outfit, you might as well go all out.

Leopard Print & Dress Shirt

Leopard Print & Dress Shirt

unbuttoned white dress shirt / gray & black sleeveless leopard-print shirt / round neon pink earrings / white plastic giraffe earrings / ponytail

I felt like wearing my leopard-print sleeveless shirt, because #funkypatterns, but my arms were cold so I decided to put my favorite white dress shirt over it. To add to the ensemble, as well as tie in with the color of the dress shirt & continue the safari theme, I added white giraffe earrings. For a small splash of color, I wore my favorite neon pink earrings in my second ear piercings.

Classic & Simple
Simple & Classic

multi-cabana stripe dress shirt by Devon & Jones / black ballet flats / black capri tights

I went through a big fashion phase last year where I pretty much just wore dress shirts, even when I wasn’t at work. I don’t wear them as often now, mostly because there are other things I like better (& are probably a little more comfortable). Dress shirts provide a clean, classy look, & they can be made more casual by both rolling up the sleeves, & by pairing them with less formal accessories, like the capri tights. Simple & Classic #2

With glitter & happiness,

Ashlee

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

Glitter + Dress

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016
dress by Simply Couture / black knee-length tights / glitter jelly shoes / coral lipstick / pink earrings + frog emoji earrings / gold glitter eye shadow / gold interlocking circles cuff bracelet

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

Let me just say how much I LOVE this dress. I bought it on zulily (which is another thing I LOVE, because I can get awesome clothes for a great price) & every time I wear it, I get so many compliments. I love it because of the unique pattern – polka dots & random artistic circles – & the interesting asymmetric cut. It’s definitely my favorite dress at the moment. I also am in love with the color combination of green & pink, which I utilized in the earrings that I’m wearing. The frog face emoji ones are especially great! & as always, everything is made better by the addition of sparkly jelly shoes.

Badass Negotiations

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

jean jacket from Bealls Outlet / yellow sleeveless shirt from Just Be… / black skinny pants by Be Girl / combat boots / diamond earrings / yellow triangle earrings from Claire’s / minimal makeup

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

For this outfit, I wanted it to look badass. So I did one of my favorite combinations of a sleeveless shirt & a jean jacket, which to me, just looks badass for some reason. I would have used a leather jacket, but because I don’t currently own one, I used my jean jacket instead. My love of utilizing skinny jeans to make an outfit a little edgier – an inspiration which I attribute to Bob Dylan – was also something I drew on here, along with combat boots, which instantly make any outfit look that much more badass. I think this was the first time I ever wore these great earrings from Claire’s, even though I had them for a long time, but I loved them. I practiced making a mildly unamused expression to top off the look.

Jumping For Joy

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

red blouse from thrift store / George white dress shirt / striped tights / combat boots

This was an outtake from the #radicalselflovejanuary photo challenge by Gala Darling. The photo I ended up using was this one, but in this photo you can see the whole outfit better. Earlier in the day, I paired up my red blouse with my “mime tights”, because they look great with red. I put on my combat boots, & because the weather was a little chilly, I put my white dress shirt on over my blouse like a jacket. It was the perfect fun & whimsical outfit for a fun & whimsical photo shoot.

Dark Plum Manicure

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

I had been wanting to paint my nails for a long time in order to go along with the new persona I was working on developing, but because I was busy (& because nail polish takes FOREVER to dry completely on my nails), I hadn’t gotten a chance to. When I finally did, I selected Revlon #490, Urban. It looked like a very deep royal blue when it was in the bottle, but when I put it on, it was more of a very deep, rich plum purple. I loved it. It also lasted for 10 days on my nails before I had to removed it, despite having a job in which I frequently hit my nails on things, so I was impressed.

Pastel Zig-Zags

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

yellow sleeveless shirt by Just Be… / jean jacket from Bealls Outlet / pastel zig-zag skirt from Bon Worth / Revlon nail polish in shade 490 – Urban / gold glitter eye shadow /  combat boots (not shown)

Recent Outfits of the Day // February 12, 2016

I bought this really great skirt at Bon Worth a while ago, but I hadn’t got around to wearing it yet, mostly because I didn’t really know what to pair it with. I decided that wearing a yellow shirt would match the pastel pink & blue hues of the skirt well, so that was what I ended up wearing. I was going to go shopping in the evening & the weather was pretty cold, so I added a jean jacket & my combat boots. I was thinking about wearing my sparkly jelly shoes with this, but I thought it might be too much & wanted the focus to be on my skirt & not my shoes. I really liked this outfit, & I really liked the way my hair looked in the second photo. I’m loving the new way I’m parting my hair!

Indiana Jones Halloween Costume!

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Indiana Jones Halloween Costume by Ashlee Craft

Harriton khaki shirt / khaki pants by Columbia / belt from my grandmother / combat boots / whip is a strap from my sister’s purse / canvas medic bag / Indiana Jones-style fedora

Indiana Jones Halloween Costume by Ashlee Craft

I’ve been a HUGE fan of the Indiana Jones movies since I was a teenager. I’ve seen all the movies several times & even read the spin-off books, comics, & movie novelizations. BIG FAN. So, this year, I decided I was actually going to dress up as Indiana Jones for Halloween this year. Also, it was an easy costume for me to make – I already had all of these Indiana Jones-themed clothes, with the exception of the hat, which had been on my fashion wishlist for a long time. 

Indiana Jones Halloween Costume by Ashlee Craft

Indiana Jones Halloween Costume by Ashlee Craft

Cue the Indiana Jones theme song!

Here are some photos of my beloved Owl Pumpkin, #becauseOwls.

Owl Halloween Pumpkin by Ashlee Craft

Owl Halloween Pumpkin by Ashlee Craft

Owl Halloween Pumpkin by Ashlee Craft

Owl Halloween Pumpkin by Ashlee Craft

Also, here is a video of my dog wearing his Yoda Halloween costume.

Recent Outfits of the Day // October 20, 2015

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products that I recommend. When you click on an affiliate link to a product on an external website, I will receive compensation if you buy something. Thank you for your support.

Mime

Mime - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Red collared blouse / combat boots / striped tights from Amazon.com / “Happy” earrings / diamond earrings / bright pink lipstick / gold glitter winged eyeliner / black shorts from T. J. Maxx / ponytail

Mime - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

What I liked about this outfit was the contrast between the bright, bold red of the shirt & the black & white stripes on the leggings. I am trying to find things other than plain white shirts to wear with each pair of patterned leggings that I have, & I think I hit the nail on the head with this one. There’s just something about red, black, & white stripes that just looks bold. Also, I really liked how the bright pink lipstick looked on me, as well as the idea of winged glitter eyeliner. My sister said I looked like a mime.

Mime - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Leaf Scarf
Leaf Scarf - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Minimal makeup / white t-shirt / hair down / black & white leaf patterned scarf from Bon Worth / canvas Indiana Jones bag

Pretty sure that I wore this with the black shorts from T. J. Maxx that I’m wearing in the above photos, & my Converse-style tennis shoes. It was an outfit for a quick jaunt out, so I didn’t bother to add too much to the outfit. I liked how the scarf looked, especially with the windblown hair & the canvas medic bag – it made me look like a traveler. Unfortunately, the way I wore the scarf caused it to slide around on my neck, requiring frequent adjustment. Oh well. This was my very first time wearing a scarf, so I guess I just need a little more practice to discover what works best!

Pink Polka Dots

Pink Polka Dots  - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Converse tennis shoes / black shorts from T. J. Maxx / pink & white polka dot shirt from thrift store / ponytail / pink sparkly heart-shaped hair clip / plastic rose earrings / pink eyeliner from Claire’s

Pink Polka Dots  - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

This outfit was a transition from the outfit I wore earlier in the day out shopping, to the outfit I wore for spending some time outdoors. It was a rather simple outfit, but it was warm outside & the no sleeves were very suitable to the Florida weather! I love these rose earrings. The color on them is so pretty!

Pink Polka Dots  - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Pink Polka Dots  - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Red & Blue

Red + Blue  - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Red & blue striped blouse from Bon Worth / black shorts from T. J. Maxx / silver & black zigzag earrings from Walmart / single hair braid / combat boots

I liked the single braid in my hair, as well as the combination of the stripes on my shirt + the zigzag stripes on my earrings.

Red & Blue, Again

Red + Blue, Again - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Side ponytail / red & blue blouse from Bon Worth / canvas Indiana Jones bag / pink sparkly heart hair clip / black shorts from T. J. Maxx / pink eyeliner / gold facial glitter / strawberry photo print socks / clear sparkly jelly shoes / a variety of bracelets / pink glitter lip gloss

Red + Blue, Again - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

I really loved the way this outfit looked. This shirt from Bon Worth is so, so comfortable! I try working it into many different outfits of mine. Let me note how much I adore my strawberry photo print socks, my jelly shoes, & the combination between great socks & clear jelly shoes. Since I bought the jelly shoes, I’ve been buying all sorts of great, whimsical socks to show off in the jelly shoes.

Red + Blue, Again - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

Many of the bracelets I’m wearing here are ones that I’ve made – I’ve beaded & strung them myself. Some of them, like the red one I’m wearing here, I made when I was as young as 13, & I still wear them now. I also got a few of the bracelets here from my cousin.

Red + Blue, Again - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

I made all the bracelets on this wrist except for the blue rubber one. I love the round blue beads on the first bracelet. The purple bracelet is made of Mardi Gras beads. I learned the technique of making bracelets out of Mardi Gras beads when I was a kid – a friend of mine taught me, & I’ve loved the look & simplicity of these bracelets ever since then.

Red + Blue, Again - Recent Outfits of the Day, October 27, 2015 // ashleecraft.com

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair

I wanted dip-dyed hair for a long time. Here’s how I did it at home.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products that I recommend. When you click on an affiliate link to a product on an external website, I will receive compensation if you buy something. Thank you for your support.

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair

For a long time, I was super-inspired by photos & people I saw throughout the day who had ombre hair. I absolutely loved the way it looked & knew that I wanted my hair to look that way.

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair

A few months ago, I tried doing this look with a light reddish brown color, but as the dye I used wasn’t a high-lift variety & the color was somewhat similar to my natural color, the color didn’t show up very well unless I was in bright sunlight. I was disappointed by the results, but decided to give my hair a break for about six weeks before dying it again so I didn’t dry it out too much. I decided to learn more about the process of dying hair ombre & which dyes would give me the results I wanted. Additionally, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to have the ombre effect done with red or blonde dye.

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair

I eventually settled on red, & I’m so glad I did! After selecting a high-lift dye that I ended up being pretty satisfied with (Garnier Ultra-Color Nourishing Color Creme, Ultra Color R3 – Light Intense Auburn
), I followed the directions on the box & let the dye sit in my hair for about 30 minutes or so, if I’m remembering correctly. I applied the dye using the applicator in the box. I tried to concentrate most of the dye on the very tips of my hair, then blended it upwards both by using my fingers, & twisting the strands of hair to force the dye upwards in a blended manner so there wasn’t a harsh line between where I dyed it & my normal hair color. If you want to learn more about how I did it, read this article that I found incredibly helpful.

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair
At first, when I was rinsing my hair afterwards, I didn’t see that much of a difference, as my hair looked darker when it was wet & the contrast wasn’t so great. When my hair dried, I was very impressed by the boldness of the color. It actually was a lot more red than it is in these pictures, which I took probably four or five days after I colored my hair.

Unfortunately, the color started fading pretty much immediately after I dyed it. Every time I washed my hair, despite rinsing it thoroughly after I washed it, dye still rinsed out, & when my hair was wet, it actually made light orange stains on my bedding & several shirts of mine (thankfully all the stains washed out after I treated them with stain remover). The color also faded quite fast, which was kind of a bummer.

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair

After having this happen, I read online about dyed red hair & learned that it is notoriously challenging to maintain, & that it is completely normal for it to fade quickly, even if you get it professionally done at a salon. I read that this is because the molecules of red pigment in the dye are larger than other colors of dye & therefore, the pigments can’t penetrate the center of the hair, so it kind of just clings to the outside. Learning this made me feel better about what my hair was doing because I knew the fading had nothing to do with the dye I used, the method I used to dye it, or my hair being abnormally resistant to dye. Now I know this isn’t the case. I also found some really great products that preserve red hair color. I’ve started using the John Frieda Radiant Red Color Protecting Shampoo (& I’m going to buy the matching conditioner soon; the store I went to unfortunately was out so I have to go back & buy some next time I have a chance) & it seems to be bringing out the red highlights in my natural hair color already!

How to Get Dip-Dyed Red Hair

My hair dye has since faded away almost completely, & I really, really miss it, because I loved how it looked SO MUCH & I realized that red hair looks good on me. So, I decided that I want to dye it again. I want to try using red Manic Panic dye, because it’s vegetable based, contains no harmful chemicals, & because of this, I’ll be able to use it much more often than regular dye without damaging my hair. I prefer natural products when a natural, cost-effective alternative which works well is available, so Manic Panic being vegan, not tested on animals, & relatively natural is a big plus for me. Another big plus for me is the fact that as opposed to regular hair dye, which has one application which you mix in a bottle & then apply, Manic Panic comes in a tub & therefore it can be used for more than one application, or can even be diluted by conditioner for touch-ups or to adjust how bold the color is. I’ll post photos on here once I use it & explain my methods!

Pink Giraffe

Pink Giraffe #2 - Outfit Photo

Zebra print high-tops by Op // black tights // black skater skirt // floral button up from thrift store // red sparkly headband // pink studded bow // rubber band as hair scrunchie // pink giraffe earrings from dollar store // diamond earrings // royal blue eyeliner + gold eyeliner from Claire’s // sparkly pink lip gloss from Wet ‘n Wild // purple eye shadow by Wet ‘n Wild 
Pink Giraffe #1 - Outfit Photo

Pink Giraffe #3 - Outfit Photo

Pink Giraffe #5 - Outfit Photo

golden ring thrifted // white diamond owl ring // bracelets made by me

Pink Giraffe #4 - Outfit Photo

Frog Sculptures

Cat Print Scarf

Funky + Fluer-de-lis

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Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft

Dress from Amazon.com // owl socks from Amazon.com // combat boots by Faded Glory // white & teal bracelets from Wal-Mart // pink bracelet from thrift shop // guitar necklace from eBay.com // pink hair bow by Just Be… // rose earrings from Claire’s // cubic zircona earrings // eye shadow a combination of teal Wet ‘n Wild + light beige L.A. Colors eye shadows // emerald green eyeliner by Wet ‘n Wild // facial glitter by Wet ‘n Wild

Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft

Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft - Palm Tree

 

 

Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft

Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft

Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft

Funky + Fluer-de-lis // Ashlee Craft

 

Stars & Owls

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products that I recommend. When you click on an affiliate link to a product on an external website, I will receive compensation if you buy something. Thank you for your support.
Stars & Owls // Ashlee Craft

Devon & Jones Women’s Savile Patterned Dress Shirt in Multi Cabana Stripe // shorts from T. J. Maxx // star earrings from Claire’s // purple earrings from Wal-Mart // Just Be… High Top Tennis Shoes // eye shadow from L. A. Colors // purple eyeliner from Claire’s // white rubber watch from Wal-Mart // gold bangle bracelets from Wal-Mart // owl socks from Amazon.com // owl ring from eBay

Stars & Owls // Ashlee Craft

Stars & Owls // Ashlee Craft

 

Yellow T-Rex Outing

you stood with your back to the wind & the rain
& lied to the clouds about where you thought you belonged
in a cage, you said
but I knew you were wrong
& that your only true home could be the wind & the sky & the wild nature outside the door
that no cage could ever contain you

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

Yellow sleeveless shirt by Just Be… // skirt brand unknown // tights by No Boundaries // combat boots by Faded Glory // gel nail polish by L. A. Colors in Rockin’ It // sparkly hair bow from a dollar store // t-rex earrings from eBay // gold facial glitter on cheeks by Wet ‘N Wild // yellow eye shadow by Modeso

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

 

& the sky is still waiting to hear the sound
of the bird who is finally learning to fly

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft

Yellow T-Rex Outing // Ashlee Craft