Ruffled Mini Dress with Statement Sleeves. | LSR

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + The First Episode of The Adults Aren’t Alright.

Date Night, Fashion, Holiday Party, Outfit Post, Prints and Patterns, Winter, 73 Comments

by Ashley

Ashley Style Blogger + Creative Director

A ruffled paisley mini dress with blue accents for a fall wedding.

This post contains affiliate links. 

Who doesn’t love a pretty party dress? They’ve taken a back seat to sweatpants over the past few years, so when a friend of mine (shoutout to Bria!) tied the knot earlier this fall, I wanted to swing for the fashion fences. This ruffled paisley mini dress from Thurley via Rent the Runway checked all the boxes for me.

I wanted something with statement elements but nothing that would overshadow the bride (as if I could!) so I was immediately into this light paisley print. The combo of minty green and navy felt fresh and seasonless; this dress could be worn just as easily in March as it could in October. The ruffled skirt and clavicle cutouts gave the dress a little figure skater flare I just couldn’t resist.

And those sleeves! Victorian-esque button detail from shoulder to wrist, with a pretty bell flare at the forearm just before it all cinches back in with a strong cuff. I’d never seen anything like it and I love the way a long sleeve plays against a short hemline. Adds interest, brings in balance.

I went back and forth on the shoe choice before leaning into the blue in the paisley and wearing a royal blue suede pump (an old fave). Matching nails (ahem, I told you I went hard for this wedding) and a blue and black Rebecca Minkoff wove in some more of those cool tones.

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + Blue Accents. | LSR
Thurley dress (more here) // Sam Edelman pumps (almost exact here and here) // Anthropologie ring (also love this one) // Rolled gold ring (similar here) // Rebecca Minkoff bag (similar here and here) // Gucci sunglasses (exact here in black; similar here)
Party Outfit Idea: Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress. | LSR

Ruffled Mini Dress with Statement Sleeves. | LSR

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + Blue Accents. | LSR

Ruffled Mini Dress with Statement Sleeves. | LSR

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + Blue Accents. | LSR

Ruffled Mini Dress with Statement Sleeves. | LSR

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + Blue Accents. | LSR

Mini Dress with Statement Sleeves. | LSR

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + Blue Accents. | LSR

Timeless Shoe: Blue Suede Pumps. | LSR

Ruffled Paisley Mini Dress + Blue Accents. | LSR

Shop the look:

Jewelry was a pretty simple procedure. The high neck of this ruffled paisley mini dress meant I didn’t need a necklace and the cuffs nixed the need for a bracelet. I stuck with simple studs for earrings (which you cannot see here because my hair dominates everything) and grabbed a fistful of rings as the standout accessory.

Ashley and Dave at the wedding | Cait and Ashley at the wedding

The wedding was before rampant Delta variant spread and before Omicron was first detected, so things were pretty safe with distanced tables and a vaccinated crowd. It was so nice to get out and celebrate! There’s just something about getting all dressed up, especially for a cause as worthy as two people joining their lives together.

The Adults Aren't Alright Season 1, Episode 1: Your 30's Hit Different.

Episode 1 of The Adults Aren’t Alright

I’m so excited to share the very first episode of my podcast, The Adults Aren’t Alright! You can find the episode here or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

I’m so excited for you to listen to the episode and to hear what you think!

Linking up with Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Fashion Canvas, I Do DeClaire, Style Splash, Straight A Style, Is This Mutton, Curated by Jennifer, This Blonde’s Shopping Bag + Doused in Pink, Mummabstylish, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Shelbee on the Edge, The Grey Brunette, My Random Musings, Glass of Glam, My Bijou Life, and Away from the Blue.

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73 Comments

  1. OK, so much talk about! First of all can I say how proud I am of you! Your voice on life is one of my favorites in the blogging influencer world! I listened to your intro when you first announced you were going to be doing this podcast and I cannot wait to listen to the first episode! I am older but I feel like I can still relate. It’s going to be a huge hit my friend also a huge hit are your adorable ruffles!

    Reply

  2. Ashley, you had me at “minty green & navy.” That just sounded so…cool and refreshing! And then I saw the dress…and…uh…are you SURE you didn’t outshine the bride??

    I loved your verbal description almost as much as the pictures…sounded like something out of a historical romance…”Ashley walked the moors in the paisley dress…tousled blonde ringlets and minty green ruffles whipping hard in the stiff wind. From a distance she saw a tall stranger approaching…” You get the picture, ha ha.

    Happy New Year, Ashley!

    Bettye
    https://fashionschlub.com

    Reply

    1. Aw, you’re so sweet, Bettye- trust me if you saw the bride, NO ONE was outshining her! But I did feel super pretty in this dress, which is always nice. 🙂

      Hope you’re having a great start to the new year!

    1. Excellent podcast! Good subject of interest to many; polished presentation; and entertaining writing. As I mentioned before you have a professional-sounding voice, so much so we’re taken by surprise that you’re not on TV already. 🙂

      Adjusting to new life (e.g., being an “adult”) is hard. Your struggle at 36 mirrors what you’ll feel at 48 (“I’m not old!”) and 64 (“I’m not elderly!”). We rarely “feel” the age we are and trying to reconcile that self-image with our driver’s license date is a common experience. I’d predict this podcast will be of central concern to everyone. With good promotion, you can become a STAR. (No kidding!)

    2. Aww, thank you SO much for listening, and for coming back and letting me know what you thought! This is so important for new podcasters like me- I need to know how I’m doing! 🙂 You are so kind and I’m so glad you were entertained by the episode! Thank you again!

  21. What a gorgeous party dress! I love the statement sleeves and the ruffles at the bottom are a nice touch too. It’s great you had fun at the wedding. Have a lovely day!

    Reply

  22. I have listened to your podcast and it was really enjoyable. You covered some interesting topics, I especially like how you talked about being a generation in between. Having grown up with technology being a big part of our life, but (fortunately) not with social media. I often think how kids have it hard these days, growing up with social media. Imagine some kid growing up being bullied on Instagram and other social media, that must be devastating. I’m 36 too and I’m honestly glad there was no social media when I was a kid. I don’t know how I would have dealt with it. I think kids today have it hard. We had Internet and those brick cellphones, we chatted online via computers and socialized online, but it was non stop immersion like with kids today.

    Reply

  23. Hi
    Wow this dress is a-ma-zing!! I love the detail of the sleeves and the frill at the bottom, you were very elegant at that wedding! And congratulations on your first podcast!
    xoxo

    marisasclosetblog.com

    Reply

  33. Oh this dress is perfect for a wedding and love the pix of you two or actually both photos of the two of you!! And so cool you got it off RTR. I will so check out your podcast. I like to listen to them when I am commuting. Just have to remember I am a bit stressed out right now lol.

    Allie of
    http://www.allienyc.com

    Reply

  39. This dress is not one that I would reach for, but it looks great on you. I love the little details of the cut-outs and those buttons on the sleeves. I like the bright pop of blue you added with the shoes and I think it was a great choice.
    teachinstyle.com

    Reply

  41. I LOVE the sleeves on that top!!! Very Edwardian.. (I think.. honestly, I can’t even pin down the era that comes from, haha)… but now you got me trolling Shein for a look alike, haha..

    Reply

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