A Little Black Dress for Casual Days & Link Up On the Edge #243
It is finally Friday and I thought I may not survive this week! Last weekend’s festivities and celebrations completely wiped me out and set me way behind in my blogging obligations. I have spent every day this week trying to play catch up but fell a day behind on nearly everything that I attempted. To add insult to my already dead motivation was the fact that I was physically and mentally just pooped. My email inbox is currently overflowing with unanswered messages, I have not made my typical blogging and commenting rounds, and I feel awful about it all.
But we cannot recuperate lost time. Once the day has passed, we only have the now to get on with the things we need to get on with. So I am calling this week a bust and focusing on next week in the hopes that I will be reenergized and ready to wow you with fabulous outfits and thought provoking content.
For now, I am going to share this sweet little black dress for casual days at home. It has the cutest cheetah decal right in the front and for the $6 price tag on Target clearance, I really could not resist it. I love comfortable tee shirt style dresses for hanging around at home during the warm weather months. Plus, my husband’s favorite style ever on me is a tee shirt dress, but he does prefer them styled with sneakers. Maybe when it is a bit warmer and I can comfortably bare my legs.
I actually photographed this outfit in the early days of April when we had a few really mild and warm days. I could tolerate partially bare legs as long as I added warm knee high socks and a cozy oversized cardigan. The combination of black and tan has also been a long favorite of mine so this was a super easy outfit to throw together and not go anywhere at all!
Archie was the photographer behind the camera for this shoot in the back yard. He was getting mad at me because I was highly unsatisfied with how the outfit was photographing and I kept making him take more! The boy just wanted to play and his ridiculous mother kept forcing him to be a photographer. Of course, Ralphie likes to get in on the photo action, too, but he never wants the job of photographer. I think I need to resort to bribery from now on!
What do you wear when you are just hanging around the house?
I am keeping it short and sweet today so I can get myself better organized for next week. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Featured Favorites
Reader Favorite (Most Clicked)
Terri of Meadowtree Style shared her post, Reimagine & Refashion-Altering a Thrifted St. John Wool Knit Jacket. Not only does she share her wonderful alteration skills with us, but Terri has also styled two different outfits with her gorgeous thrifted blazer…showing us just how stylish we can be in our preloved fashions!
Fashion Favorite
Mireille of Chez Mireille shared her post, Kimono Dress 3 Ways Inspired by This Blonde Shopping Bag. First of all, I absolutely loved Kellyann’s kimono dress that was the inspiration for Mireille’s post. And then Mireille went above and beyond and styled 3 different outfits with this gorgeous dress worn as a kimono. I cannot love it any more!
Non-Fashion Favorite
Suzy of The Grey Brunette shared her post, A few ideas for a self portrait photoshoot & the weekly linkup. She outlines some really wonderful tips and tricks for getting the best out of our cameras from playing with filters and lighting as well as props and accessories. But the most important tip in this post is to just have fun!
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Ups.
Outfit Details: Dress-Target / Cardigan-Old Navy / Boots-JustFab / Socks-Sock Dreams / Earrings-Old
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
50 Comments
Nancy
Oh don’t be so hard on Archie! He did a good job! I never tell my photographer how to it………….. yeah, you know me better then that! Have a relaxed weekend!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Nancy, I wasn’t being hard on him! He did a great job! I just wasn’t liking how the outfit was photographing! Haha. He wanted to play and I kept making him take more photos! I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kellyann Rohr
Oh Shelbee, I empathize with the kind of week you’ve had; I am in the same boat and feel like I’ve been swimming upstream all week! I hate it when that happens and I’m behind on everything. Kudos to your photographer – he did a great job and yes, bribery works!
Have a great weekend my friend and happy Mother’s Day!
xo,
Kellyann
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Kellyann, thank you so much! That feeling of swimming upstream is all too real sometimes, isn’t it? I am so exhausted! I am sorry that you have had a week like that as well. I hope you have a lovely Mother’s Day and then we can both thrive when the new week arrives!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
Love this cute dress and what a great find at Target! Don’t worry about taking a break. We all need them my friend!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kathrine! I always feel bad when I take breaks which is weird because I take them often! Haha.
xoxo
Shelbee
Jill
I’ve had that kind of week the past several weeks and can’t seem to get caught up. Archie is doing a great job with your photography! I always have to bribe my daughter to help me when she’s home. I love a good t-shirt dress and this one is darling on you! Hope you have a nice, relaxing weekend!
Jill – Doused in Pink
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jill, thanks so much! It really is a struggle when you get one day behind on things..it’s like it sets you back 5 days. I hope that you have a relaxing weekend as well and can get caught up with things!
xoxo
Shelbee
Claire
Love your black dress and how you have styled it 🙂 Hope you have a nice relaxing weekend, lovely. Thanks for hosting.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Claire! I plan to do all the relaxing this weekend to make up for the craziness of last weekend! I hope you have a great day, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
It’s been a week for me too!! And I understand what it feels like to be behind and have no motivation. I hope you get to relax and take a nice break this weekend. You deserve it.
Jennifer
Curated By Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh Jennifer, I am sorry that it has been a beast of week for you, too! I am so ready for a relaxing and quiet weekend after the festivities from last weekend and transitioning my kids back to 5 days of school this week. I am hoping once next week arrives, we will all be settled into our new routine and things will move along much more smoothly. I hope you get a chance to rest and recover this weekend as well.
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
I so get you- feeling majorly swamped too. But you jut think of yourself and one day at a time- we’ll still all be her my friend xx
Loving your little black dress! And again- you have the best booties always!!! I’m freaking out over these!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lucy! It is nice to know that I am not fighting this feeling of overwhelm all alone! And aren’t these boots so much fun?! I could not resist adding them to my ever growing shoe collection. I need to pair them with some colorful tights next time! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Di
Archie is so cute and is doing a great job with your outfit photos! Love the little black tee shirt dress for a comfortable day at home, and what a bargain it was! Hope you have a lovely Mother’s Day, and a relaxing weekend to rest and recharge.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Di! I am starting to really enjoy my kids much more now that they are 8 and 10 and they have some independence and their own opinions on things. Really interesting opinions, too! I hope you have a lovely weekend as well, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
mireille
Thank you for the feature! I decided to wear the kimono again today over black and I like it much better than over white. Probably because the fit of the tank and short is much better! Plus black always looks good. Just like your cute tee shirt dress! Love that little cheetah on it. I think pretty much any shoe would look great with it and I love your pictures with your arms wide out: cute cute!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Mireille, thanks so much! I have been trying to get a little sillier with some of my photos just to add some interest to these same old poses! Plus the silly photos are a much more accurate depiction of who I am! I styled a dress as a jacket/kimono today as well. It is for a Thrifty Six post coming up soon. I wore my dress over a tank top and flared denim for a dressier version of my warm weather boho vibes! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a very blessed Mother’s Day, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Estelle Forrest
Happy Friday! Thanks for hosting the link-up – I hope everyone enjoys the recipes I added.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Estelle, thank you so much! I know that I will enjoy your recipes! I hope you have the most wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
That is a really cute dress! And the boots are amazing. What stylish lounge wear! I’ve been trying to up my lounge wear game a bit instead of just wearing the stuff too old to wear in public. Ha!
I feel you on the getting behind because of a busy week. I’m right there with you. Since we are fully vaccinated, we’ve been catching up on dentists and eye appointments, and seeing friends that we haven’t seen since the pandemic began. It’s affected my blogging, blog reading, and progress on my projects. But I’ve decided that’s okay. These things are all more important than a schedule.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Michelle! Oh my goodness, getting caught up on medical appointments and socializing with friends is so much more important than sitting in front of your computer writing blog posts! I need to find some friends to socialize with now that the warm weather is coming. I just commented to Ellie that I love finding super cheap clearance on items like comfortable tee shirt dresses because that is what I wear for lounging around the house or yard. And I have found that the loungewear that I really like is often way out of my price range for loungewear! So this is how I do at-home casual on most days. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Ellie
What a fabulous find and I too like black paired with tan! Your photo session this time sound a bit like my usual sessions. I always find something to complain about (maybe it’s one of my German traits LOL). A wonder really that my husband still puts up with the photography.
Archie did a fabulous job with these pictures though!!
Thanks for hosting the linkup!
Ellie
Ellibelle’s Corner
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Ellie, thanks so much! I actually love finding dresses like this for super cheap clearance because they very quickly get converted to loungewear or pajamas! And it is way less expensive than stocking up on actual jammies! All of my photo sessions are done in like 15 minutes time because even when my husband is taking them, we are always in a hurry! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a very blessed Mother’s Day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Donna
Hi Shelbee, as hectic as your week had been, it is wonderful you had time with your son acting as the photographer of the day! Very cute outfit and bargain no less! Hugs, Donna
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Donna! I am slowly digging my wait out of the pile of obligations that accumulated last weekend! Emails must be tackled next! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Midlife and Beyond
What a lovely dress, you wear it so well and I love the cool way you have styled it. Like you, our weather is freezing at the moment so I’ve gone back into hibernation. My
“go to” cosy house Wear is pj bottoms and a warm top – until summer decides to wake up of
course. Thank you for hosting. xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Alison! I have so many cozy sweaters and toppers and wraps at my disposal because of this weird climate where I live…and then menopause makes me shivering cold all the time, too! Eventually the warm days will arrive and we will appreciate them so much more! I hope you have a lovely weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
ratnamurti
That week that you just described? I’ve had similar for weeks now and blogging just had to be temporarily let go of, hopefully just pulling out of it now. Glad that you are too xxxxx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh Ratnamurti, I am so sorry to hear that you have been struggling with this overwhelm as well. I do hope you are able to pull out of it! I finally got all caught up but now I need to get a little bit ahead so I can take an actual planned vacation next weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Darlene
Love this cute and casual look on you. You find the best pieces on clearance, my friend! The boots and socks add a fun edge, too. I had to laugh at the boys and how quickly they get bored. That is true of all the boys I know!! Lol! And finally, you are right–when we get behind–as we all do–we just have to pick up where we’re at and carry on!
xx Darlene
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Darlene, thank you so much! I do love to hunt the clearance racks! Haha. And I just cannot resist certain deals. Probably the reason my closet looks the way it does! Haha. I am finally all caught up on my things but now I need to get a bit ahead so I can go away next weekend for a mini vacation! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a very happy Mother’s Day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lauren Renee Sparks
What a fun dress!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lauren! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Mother’s Day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Katie
I love this casual version of the classic little black dress! It sounds like it was a great deal! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
-Katie
http://www.hellokatiegirlblog.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Katie! I like to buy dresses like this for loungewear options. They are much less expensive than actual loungewear sets! I hope you have a lovely weekend as well, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Natalie
I would seriously love to go shopping with you one day. I love love LOVE your style Shelbee!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Natalie, thank you so much! You are so sweet! I do love shopping and bargain hunting! And shopping friends are always welcomed! Haha. Have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Terri Gardner
I know your week-I agreed to fill in at the school library all last week. That was a shock to the system! I am trying to play catch up today. Well, I always say, you can never have enough black dresses! And I practice what I preach (not sure how many I have but can’t seem to get rid of a single one). I am happy and a bit surprised that my “rehab” was the most clicked. But, I have to admit, that was a pretty good thrifty find. AS usual, enjoyed your post-Take care, Terri
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Terri! I have no idea how many black dresses I own either! I am sure the number is at least a dozen but probably more than that. Now that I have gotten sort of caught up, I am trying to get ahead so I can take a proper vacation next weekend. I have lots to do this weekend. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Archie did a wonderful job. A+ to him. Ralphie will get into it sooner than expected.
Don’t worry about being behind, I am behind in a lot of things. My schedule has totally changed since the return to in-person teaching. Just do the best you can, that is all.
Looking so very nice and fun there.
Thanks for hosting and Happy Mother’s Day to you.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Patrick, thank you so much! Sometimes I do live by the famous of words of Miss Scarlett O’Hara, “I’ll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.” That is what I do with most things…put them off until tomorrow! I hope your transition back to in-person school gets easier for you soon. Have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jessica A Jannenga
I love black and camel together. I initailly thought that the chettah was a brooch, so neat!
Those boots are very cool too1
Good job Archie on the photos! I am kind of a perfectionist with pictures too but we don’t take as many as I heard some people do.
Have a great day!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Jess! I have always liked black and tans together, too. It is such a striking color combination and always classic! Usually when Jeff takes my photos, he snaps about 100 in 15 minutes and we are good! Archie will get about 20 photos in 2 minutes and then he’s done. Haha. But I appreciate him anyway! And he does a great job when I ask him to play photographer.
xoxo
Shelbee
Sheila (of Ephemera)
Well done on the photos, Archie! There’s nothing worse than a hyper-critical fashion blogger, ha ha ! I gave up on L taking my photos over 12 years ago.
I love a fun t-shirt dress – I hang out in similar dresses, mixed in with thin wool/cashmere sweaters and pants that don’t make the wardrobe cut anymore. L’s favourite house-outfit of mine is an oversized printed cotton dress with matching leggings (the red/white slippers are so elegant with it – not! *snort*).
Thank you so much for the link-party! I think you will approve of my Princess Jelly-Deer outfit! ;-P
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Hehe, thanks, Sheila! Archie is such a cool kid and he’s really creative, I wish I could get him more involved in an artistic hobby of some sort! So my newest around-the-house wear has been matching sweatpants and sweatshirt sets. While they are trending right now, they still remind both me and Jeff of the 80’s. Lately I have been wearing a gray set with colorful little starts embroidered all over it and Jeff keeps calling me Bev Goldberg! Whatever…the 80’s are back and I’ll enjoy a bit of that flashback cheesiness if I want! Looking forward to checking out your Princess Jelly-Deer outfit!
xoxo
Shelbee
Suzy
That is such a cute and practical dress to just thrown on, Shelbee! I love the little decal on the front too. I did chuckled when you commented on your mothering skills LOL!! Your boys are just adorable!
And THANK YOU so much for picking my creativity post as the non fashion favourite! I was chuffed to bits when I saw that. Thank you!
Oh, and you should never feel bad when you just don’t have the energy to do all your blogging rounds! You do so much already!
Big hugs
Suzy xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Suzy, thanks so much, my friend! Parenting is seriously the most confusing endeavor in my entire life! Haha. These little humans are hard to raise! Oh, I do hate when I get behind on blogging rounds. I managed to get all caught up this week only to fall behind again already! I am going away for a 5 day retreat this weekend for some quiet solitude! I am sure I will do blogging stuff because I love it, but there will also be much relaxation! Have a fabulous day, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Suzy
Oh wow, Shelbee, that sounds amazing! I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing time, my friend!
Hugs
Suzy xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I definitely will! I am so excited to get away and regroup. I am planning some photo shoots while I am away as well!
xoxo
Shelbee