The Dainty Days
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​The Dainty Days


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{fashionable sass usually 
                     paired with a braid}



Athleisure X2

4/17/2017

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If you've been around long (or actually even for a
week), I'm sure you've noticed I don't often
tiptoe out of my comfort zone and into anything athletic inspired. I do pilates twice a week and cheered my heart out until age 21, but an athlete I am not.
But today is a new day, and I have styled these AMAZE Mary Jane-esque tennis shoes from Off the Beaten Track two different ways! My usual reluctance toward athletic wear is its general lack of femininity, but these shoes eliminate that issue! They're the perfect athletic/athleisure/girly shoe.

Look One:

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I keep my workout attire super simple, and my this is one of my favorite Pilates outfits! The shoes are easy to throw on and go (which is ideal since Pilates starts at 6 a.m.), and I love not having to wear socks with them!

Look Two: 

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For my casual day look I kept a monotone palette and picked my step-hem denim to highlight the shoes. I love that they have black, cream/white, and camel on them so they match any neutral!

How do you like to style tennis shoes for everyday wear? Thanks for reading, friends!!

Love,
Ashley
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Maude-Love

4/17/2017

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  When I saw this denim lace up dress at Maude, I knew she had to be mine! I love how their        models are all different heights, and the model wearing this dress was shorter like me so I figured it   would be a good cut on my legs! 
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The lace up detailing in front allows for a cute bralette to show through (I think I'll do a lace one next time I style this!).
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I wanted to keep the styling minimalistic so that the dress stands out on its own, and these beautiful sand colored clogs were just the ticket! These are the Saragasso from Sandgrens Clogs, and they are positively amazing! They're so comfortable, feminine, and will match most anything! I will be styling these allllll summer long. If you want to check out all they offer, you can find them here. 
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How thrilled are you that spring is finally within our midst? I could not be happier!! I want to know what you've been loving so far this season :)

Love,
​Ashley
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My Very Favorite Fluffy Hat!

4/11/2017

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Of all and the hair and beauty bits I dabble in, my most requested tutorial is for a beanie! 
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Luckily, it's a super easy pattern I made up and honed over a year or so! Obviously exact numbers may vary depending on the size of your own head, but I am happy to share the measurements I use personally :)

The yarn I use is from JoAnn Fabrics, and if you use a 40% off coupon (which they always have available through their website), you can make two hats for around $6!

Yarn used:
http://www.joann.com/lion-brand-homespun-thick-andamp-quick-yarn/zprd_11834736a.html#q=Lion+Brand+Thick+And+Quick&start=3

I've tried a lot of other bulky yarns but this one is by far my favorite! It's extremely soft and wears really well.

Disclaimer: I am in no way pretending I know any technical terms or really anything at all that I'm doing in regards to crochet. I'm only sharing a pattern that has worked for me and that I've had a lot of people ask about so if I sound silly or use the wrong term, please be patient with me!

Materials needed: 
yarn (listed above)
yarn needle
P crochet hook

That being said...let's begin!!!


  1. Chain 29 (or whatever fits comfortably around your head as the lowest point of the hat. Beware it will stretch so you want it to fit comfortably but not loosely!)
  2. Slip stitch to join, chain 1
  3. Round 1-5: 29 half double crochet, slip stitch to join, chain one
  4. Round 6: Half double crochet, skipping every third stitch. Slip stitch, chain one
  5. Round 7: Half double crochet in each of the half double crochets from the round before (21), slip stitch to join 
  6. Round 8: 21 single crochets around, slip stitch to join
  7. Round 9: Single crochet, skipping every third stitch
  8. Use your yarn needle to weave the top of the hat together, drawing it to a close. Tie it off on the inside of the hat.
  9. For the poof ball! Hold one hand with palm up in front of you, and wrap the yarn around your palm until you basically can't keep the yarn on any longer (the bigger the yarn mound on your palm, the bigger your poof will be! Remove the poof wrap from your hand and tie a strand of yarn around the middle as tight as possible. Cut all of the loops, trim to round, and voila! And if that made absolutely no sense, go watch this tutorial. It's the exact same process, just on a larger scale for our hat!
  10. Attaching the poof to the hat: Take the extra length from tying the string around your poof, and push it through the top of the hat into the center, positioning it wherever you want it to sit! I position the poof more toward the my forehead than the back of my head, and that's how it stands up so well! If you're looking for a slouchier look, position the poof more toward the back of your head.
If you try this out, I wanna see!! Please tag me on Instagram @forthedaintydays with your recreations :) If you have any questions on technique regarding the pattern, don't hesitate to ask! All of the stitches themselves are easily googled with very clear tutorials :)

Thanks so much for reading friends, I hope you love these hats as much as I do!

Love,
​Ashley
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LipSense Review!

4/6/2017

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I feel like most of you will probably have heard of LipSense by now, but just in case you haven't--NOW YOU HAVE! 
I'm not going to pretend to know the mechanisms of how it does what it does, so here's what matters: Once applied, it doesn't budge, bleed, crack, feather, disappear, etc!

I'm somewhat a connoisseur of lip products, and this one has me stumped! I have tried so many long-wear lipsticks that ultimately crack and dry out by the end of the day. I'd honestly rather wear one that disappears after a meal! LipSense is simultaneously long-wearing and easy to wear, and I think that's why it's taken the beauty world by storm. 
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How to apply:

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After shaking it up, start in the corner of your bottom lip and drag to the middle, then repeat on the other side. As you can see, it's not quite even here but no worries, we can fix it later!
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As for my top lip, sometimes I start at my cupid's bow and others I start at the corner. I don't think it matters all too much, but you basically repeat the same steps up top and then keep your lips parted while the first coat dries.
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This is after my first coat!

Just repeat those steps twice more and then you're ready for gloss!
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Mine is the "glossy" gloss but there are many others to choose from if this isn't your favorite! 



P.S.--
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this is AFTER I put the gloss on!
The color doesn't transfer at all.
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And that's all you do to get an entire day's worth of lip color! 
I tried every test in the book to attempt to get the color to disappear, and it withstood soup, ice cream, smothering Evan with kisses, and 14 hours of wear. If you haven't tried this yet I highly suggest you do! You can find my friend Ryann on Instagram @coderedlips if you'd like to get more information or order! She's super sweet :)

Have you tried this yet? What are your color recommendations if so?

Love,
​Ashley
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    Ashley

    Behind the dainty days is a whole lot of planning. And coffee.
    Here is a look at both, and everything between.

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