In This Post: From street style to holiday parties, luxe velvet fabric has been all over lately. Perfect for looking classy or chic during the winter, you’ll wear this versatile $28 velvet dress for all occasions. Plus, a note on how my business has been forced to change over the past few months.
**This post may contain affiliate links (which means I make a small commission when you shop from them) and sponsored items (gifted items are indicated with a [c/o] and sponsored links with an [sp]) because we all have to pay our bills, and I’d rather keep creating awesome content for you than get a real job. All opinions are my own.**
The Look: Velvet Wrap Dress | Sam Edelman Shoes
Yep, this velvet dress is $28!
On the day we shot these photos, I already had both of my sisters with me because the littlest one had an orchestra concert. I was their ride and there’s nothing like threatening that no one will go home until these photos are taken to get what I want. Just kidding – I didn’t say that, but it may or have not been my backup plan if $10 wasn’t enough to convince one of them to do it. (Big sister of the year right here, obviously). We’ll talk more about how I get photos of my outfits in a sec.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that this gorgeous velvet wrap dress is only $28! It’s figure-flattering and so so comfy. Not to mention, the length makes it perfect for wearing on a variety of occasions. I ended up wearing it to a holiday party that evening, but it’s also a great chic winter look when paired with boots. You could also opt for a cream sweater or a navy sweater over it to give the illusion that the bottom is a skirt making this an even more versatile piece.
Taking photos looks a little different these days
Shaun and I used to go on adventures together where we’d authentically work in shooting photos. I LOVED that – shooting beautiful photos of everyday moments and talking about the experience of wherever we were at. It was one of my methods for fulfilling the mission of this blog – inspiring you to get out there, live your life more, and stress about things a little less. In a special way, that kind of workflow also held me accountable for stepping away from my computer and engaging with the world.
That all changed when we broke up this summer. Photography (not just taking photos, but editing them and putting them together in a visual story is a huge passion of mine) became a major stressor in my life. Instead of dreaming up places to go and how to match my surroundings to my outfit, I’m lucky enough if I can bribe one of my sisters to snap a few photos at the closest “that will have to do” location. Scheduling things out in advance is another battle. I cannot count the number of fights I’ve had with my tripod.
I had to let go…
I resisted the truth for a while that my business needed to change. I’ve had to let go of the standards I was holding for my images and I’m done stressing about them. You won’t see as many thoughtful backdrops. The lighting might be off. It might not be the most flattering angle. But it will still be me wearing easy to style outfits with some words about real life accompanying them and I hope that that will still be enough to inspire you! (Unless you’re hiring me and paying me to shoot your products, then I’ll pay my photographer and you’ll for sure get top-notch images – no worries there!).
It’s neat how I can feel some of the pressure being lifted off of my just typing this post out. I don’t typically feel the need to produce “perfect” quality things – and the number of typos in my posts will attest to that, lol. But I love the beauty and emotion that can be captured in a photo. I think it’s really noticeable when thought and intention went into a photograph and I’ll miss not being able to put out as many of those images. But, I will not let this stop me from growing this brand and doing everything I can to authentically inspire others.
