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Like Summer

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:00:24 -0400

I have had this outfit by Beth of B. Jones stuck in my head for forever now. No really, I just sit there and think about that outfit sometimes. No joke. And yet somehow it just dawned on me the other day, that I have all the components to put a veeeeery similar outfit together myself. How did I not realize this before?! It made me so excited!

And also - this outfit made me feel like summer.

dress: Express

shirt: Forever21

blazer: Forever21

pin: vintage

heels: Shoemint

One Bug, Two Bug, Red Bug, Blue Bug

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:15:34 -0400

I really, really, real hate real insects. But put a bunch of colorful ones on a shirt and I’m smitten. So much so that I stalked another girl in the thrift store until she put it down. I snatched it up before she could even turn her back on it.

No shame.

shirt: thrifted

shorts: Forever21

glasses: Bonlook

shoes: BC Footwear (my wedding shoes!)

In My Life

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:00:36 -0400

» This week on Design Diary - It was Crescent week! I shared some tips and tricks for assembling the top, and then showed you my dress variation.

» Speaking of Crescent and the rest of the Breakwater collection, check out some of the pattern testers and their awesome creations. They all did so good!

» The winner of the Loly In The Sky giveaway has been announced!

» Have a great weekend, my friends!

Crescent

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:00:15 -0400

I’ve been gushing over Megan’s new pattern release, and I’ve finally started to dive into new variations and tutorials! Head on over to Design Diary to check out my Crescent dress tutorial, as well as a few more photos.

dress: handmade - Megan Nielsen Crescent pattern. See my variation here.

belt: Anthropologie

glasses: Warby Parker

heels: H&M

bag: H&M

DIY Necklace Stands

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:00:15 -0400

I’ve been looking for some new displays for some shopHollyDolly items. And when I couldn’t find anything I really liked, I decided to make them myself! They are good display stands for jewelry designers, but would also be super cute for displaying your necklaces at home! Check out the supplies below, and see how to I put these together after the jump….

Supplies:

- plywood ( I just used craft plywood)

- thin wood stick for kickstands

- craft saw

- sandpaper

-paint or wood stain

-wood glue

1. Lightly draw out your desired shape onto your wood. I went with a basic design so it would be easier to cut out. But I think some rounded edges, or cute design details would be adorable!

2. Use a craft saw (or an actual saw if you are hardcore) to cut out your shape. It may be a little rough at first, but that is what the sandpaper is for. Use the sandpaper to smooth out and clean up your edges.

3. Use paint or wood stain to add your design. I though about stripes, chevron, and little flowers, but eventually landed on a simple polka dot.

4. Take your wooden stick, and rub one end against the sandpaper at an angle, until you have a bit of a slant. Cut the other end to your desired kickstand length.

5. glue your slanted edge to the back of your stand. Let dry completely before you attempt to stand your stand up.

That’s it! Display your necklaces, and admire your handiwork.

Flower Power

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:48:49 -0400

Happy tuesday, my friends! I have a pretty long to-do list today, so I’m gonna keep this short and sweet. Short, sweet, and floral :)

dress: Haberdash Vintage

jacket: H&M

bag: H&M

sandals: Urban Outfitters

All The King's Horses

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:00:41 -0400

I’m pretty fricken enchanted by this necklace. In fact, so is Henry kitty. So much so that he can’t help but want to steal and wear it for himself. Such a little fashionista, he is.

….Or it just really resembles a toy, when it’s swinging right in front of his face. That’s probably more like it. But I much prefer to picture him prancing around with it around his neck. Just him and his little horse-y friends.

P.S - don’t forget to enter the Loly In The Sky giveaway! only a few days left!

sweatshirt: Nordstrom

jeans: Old Navy

necklace: By Beep

glasses: Warby Parker

shoes: Forever21

In My Life

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:00:40 -0400

» Have you checked out Megan’s new pattern collection, Breakwater, yet? I’ve started to get to work on some variations and tutorials, so watch out for them throughout the month of May on Design Diary!

» This week I was interviewed and featured On Chictopia’s blog, Everybody Is Ugly. Check it out here!

» Also, earlier this week, I was featured on Hollaback! Boston. Hollaback! is an awesome movement aimed at stopping street harassment. You can read my feature here.

» This week’s wishlist items include this golden hem skirt, these polka dot shorts, these Seychelles heels, and these comfy pants.

» Last but not least - thank you all for your comments about our new baby kitty, Henry! We’re pretty smitten with the little monster :)

Guest Post : Jamie of Paint The Gown Red

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:00:00 -0400

Hey everyone - I have something a little different going on today. Jamie, of Paint The Gown Red, and I have swapped blogs for the day! Jamie is super adorable (I mean, look at that cat hat!), so please welcome her to HollyDolly. And don’t forget to head on over to Paint The Gown Red to check out my outfit!

Why, hello wonderful Holly Dolly readers! I’m Jamie of Paint The Gown Red, and I am super excited to be here today to share with you my handmade style. I’m often inspired by Holly and her incredible handmade pieces, and thought for this guest post I’d challenge myself to put a little dolly in my dress. However having just learned to sew this year, my sewing skills are a tad limited. But everyone’s got to start somewhere. Can you guess which piece is a Jamie original?

If you guessed the cat hat, you’re not completely off base. This adorable cloche was handmade, but not by me. It’s actually by Jessicozy for Dear Creatures. I first spotted the cap in the Dear Creatures Fall lookbook and contacted them immediately to see when and where I could get one. It wasn’t for sale. I must not have been the only one crying, “woe is me” for a few months later they started selling the lovely cat hats.

The one of a kind item that is in fact handmade by yours truly, is the apple skirt. It was one of the first pieces I ever made, and I’m pretty pleased with the result. There’s something very special about handmade clothing; it’s never perfect, each piece is unique, and you can always see the time and labor invested in its production. To me, that makes handmade all the more valuable.

Thank you Holly for letting me be a part of your lovely blog. I hope you all enjoyed my handmade style and please stop by Paint The Gown Red and say hello!

Blouse: Free People

Skirt: Handmade

Petticoat: Legs Avenue

Shoes: Barneys COOP

Hat: Jessicozy for Dear Creatures

Purse: Vintage

Loly In The Sky Giveaway

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:00:28 -0400

Loly In The Sky, a new sponsor of HollyDolly, is here today with an awesome giveaway for you guys!

I’m sure you have seen their shoes around the web lately. They have the most adorable loafers that you just can’t help but love. And today they are offering one of you a pair of Regina loafers (pictured here). Super cute, right?! A classic black loafer with a metallic toe twist. LOVE.

To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter form below. Like their Facebook page to unlock 6 more entries. That’s 7 possible entries total! Giveaway closes on May 15th at 12am. Open to U.S residents only, sorry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Henry Darling

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:00:15 -0400

You guys - we adopted a kitty!

Boo and I have been trying add a little fur ball to our family for months now, but the stars just didn’t align… until this weekend. We headed to the shelter on a gorgeous saturday, after laying out in the sun and enjoying the city, not really expecting anything. We knew how crazy the shelter can be on kitty day - lines out the door, people fighting over the poor kittens. But we got in there, laid our eyes on this little guy, and were told we could take him home that day.

His name is Henry. And he is pitch black. He’s a cuddler, but also a little maniac. And we love him.

You’re sure to see him around here quite a bit. And if you follow me on Instagram, you will definitely be seeing a lot of him. I’ma cat lady now.

Boston, You So Pretty

Mon, 06 May 2013 10:27:30 -0400

Seriously. I think it is pretty all the time, but this time of year is my absolute favorite. My favorite time to explore and enjoy this city. And Saturday was one of those days for us.

We walked around Beacon Hill (oh, the pretty buildings), laid a blanket out in The Common (oh, the people watching), took in all the pretty flowers (oh, all the colors!). And we even added a new little four-legged member to our family. Best.Day.Ever. But more on that tomorrow ;)

top: H&M

cardigan: JCrew

pants: Forever21

shoes: vintage Salvatore Ferragamo

In My Life

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:00:18 -0400

We’ve got a week of NEW things! So without further ado…

» My NEW posts on Design Diary this week - Basic Sewing Supplies you should have, and How To Keep Your Creations From Looking Homemade.

» Speaking of Megan Nielsen, her NEW collection of patterns have been released today! Seriously, go check them out… they are fricken adorable. I’m so excited to get to work on them!

» Please welcome two NEW sponsors to HollyDolly - Loly In The Sky and Amanda of Indie Jane!

» NEW Boston bloggers to be added to my blog reader : Elissa of Style Wire, Katherine of Style Tab, Alyssa of Ruffle and Curl, Smita of Hogger & Co. And so many more! One of these days, I should do a round up of all the lovely Boston ladies that I’ve met.

» Lastly, I’ve done a tiny bit of an update to HollyDolly. Not much - just a few changes to the sidebar, and I’ve added a NEW shopHollyDolly page.

Black & White // Day & Night

Thu, 02 May 2013 09:00:24 -0400

I love the simplicity and versatility of this top. When I first got it, I immediately dreamt up 6 or 7 outfits. Which is such a good sign! It will obviously have some longevity in my closet.

So, I decided to do a little remix post for you. I wore the first outfit to a bbq at a friends house, and then changed later in the evening for dinner with Boo. Granted, this clean white blouse is probably the last thing I should be wearing to a bbq where I’m stuffing my face full of burgers and hot dogs over a flimsy paper plate. But I’m proud to announce that I didn’t get a single drop on me! Phew.

top: Modcloth

polka dot skirt: Forever21

full skirt: Diane von Furstenberg (from when I interned there)

polka dot bag: Target (gift from a friend)

chanel bag: ….Chanel

sneakers: Converse

pumps: Nine West

Lust List : Summer Shoes

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:00:19 -0400

————————————————————— 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 —————————————————————

Shoes. Shoes. Shoes. You can never have too many pairs. Am I right?!

I’ll take one pair of each of these, please.

#BBBos

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:00:24 -0400

Continuing my obsession with crop tops, I present you with my outfit that I wore the Blog Better Boston: Style Summit. I’ve had this outfit planned out since before I even had this skirt made up. And it worked out just as good in real life, as it did in my head.

Now, I was a bad little blogger and deserve a slap on the wrist. I barely took any photos at the event. I know. Not cool. I was just too busy mingling and chatting with all the other lovely Boston bloggers to realize I had my own blogging duties! Please forgive me. But at least I had my iPhone permanently attached to my hand the entire day, so I did manage to get a good number of Instagram photos.

But I seriously had a blast the entire day. I met some new blogger friends, caught up with Julie from Orchid Grey, met Tieka from Selective Potential, won a dress from Lulu’s, and learned awesome new stuff that I can’t wait to put to work here. Isn’t it amazing that after almost 3 years of blogging, there is still so much to learn about it?!

Thank you Amy, Alana and the rest of the Blog Better Boston and Boston.com teams for putting on such an awesome event!

crop top: American Apparel

skirt : handmade using Megan Nielsen Kelly Skirt, my colorblock tutorial here

shoes : Seychelles

bag: THEIT

Recap: LOFT [Prudential] Grand Re-Opening

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:00:38 -0400

Last Thursday, I was invited to co-host the LOFT grand re-opening event at Prudential Center. Alongside Emily, Amy, and Alana, we mingled with customers, offered styling advice, and took way too many Instagram photos (in true blogger fashion). Oh, and there were music and delicious cocktails. So.Fun.

The store looked impeccable, and the clothes were the cutest. Seriously, I’m not just saying that. I spent some time before the event trying on a bunch of different outfits, and I wanted them all. In fact, I think I might be going back for a few more items (shhhh, don’t tell Boo).

Thanks to the LOFT and Blog Better Boston girls for such a lovely evening!

P.S - I didn’t get any proper outfit photos (seeing as I picked it out just before the event started). But trust me - I will definitely be repeating this outfit.

Here’s what I wore:

In My Life

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:29:45 -0400

» This week on Design Diary, along with my Kelly maxi skirt, I also shared important sewing terms, and a round-up of fun business cards.

» I had a blast at the LOFT Prudential grand re-opening event last night with Emily, Amy, and Alana! I’ll have a re-cap post up on monday.

» I’m also excited to see all the girls (plus so many more!) again tomorrow for Blog Better Boston: Style Summit! I’ll have a recap of that event next week too, but you can follow along with me tomorrow on Instagram.

» I’m still eating lots of birthday cake. Funfetti birthday cake. And I never want it to end.

» I picked up this sweatshirt, this skirt, and this dress for my birthday. And I’m really excited to wear them.

» Don’t forget - you can follow along with HollyDolly on Bloglovin’!

Kelly : Maxi-ed

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:00:43 -0400

I’m sharing another Kelly Skirt variation over on Design Diary today. Head on over to see the tutorial. This one is my favorite! It flows so lovely, and I’ve finally found the perfect project for this fabric that has been in my collection for a few years!.

tee: handmade, using Megan Nielsen Briar pattern and altered

skirt: handmade, using Megan Nielsen Kelly pattern and altered

Z necklace: Olive Yew

heels: Forever21

LOFT Grand Re-Opening Party

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:00:15 -0400

Hey Boston friends! You know what you should be doing this Thursday evening? Stopping on in and visiting me at the LOFT grand re-opening event at the Prudential Center! I’ll be there alongside Emily of So Anthro and the ladies of Blog Better Boston, offering styling advice and our company while you shop and enjoy music and refreshments.

Oh, and did I mention that there will be an Instagram contest where you could win $250 to LOFT? Yeah, pretty awesome.

So come on down and hang out with us! Hope to see you there!