This past Friday was a big day for me and I’ll get to why shortly. But first some background…
THE STORY
…When my dad passed away over a year ago there was only one thing of his that I really wanted. I mean really…with my whole heart wanted. That one thing was his motorcycle, High Dollar. Yes, she has a name. He’d had her since I was a kid. She was a beauty and could fly like the wind. His own hands had built her into the beautiful growling beast that she was. Dad was a biker; and I mean a hardcore biker. He grew up riding, he raced bikes and he owned a motorcycle shop. And High Dollar was his baby.
He rode her hard and he rode her until she finally died. His health was failing so he was no longer able to fix her back up. She sat on a lift in the shop, torn apart and gathering dust for years. When I saw her after he passed away it broke my heart…but I knew that I wanted her anyway.
Bringing High Dollar back to life would be no easy feat. And it wasn’t a job that just anyone could be trusted with. After looking long and hard, we found a man about an hour away from us, who much like my dad is a true biker and he only rebuilds older bikes. When he came to take High Dollar back to his shop last October I cried when he hauled her out. He promised me that he would treat her well and bring her back to life. Since then we’ve visited his shop a couple of times to see her in various stages of repair…slowly but surely she was coming around.
This past Friday, she finally came home. Of course due to my husband’s injuries we can’t ride her yet, but she’s home. She’s beautiful and she’s loud and she growls like the beast that she used to be. I cannot even begin to find the words for how I felt when I climbed on and listened to her run…and I know that somewhere my dad was kicked back with a beer in his hand and a smile on his face because High Dollar lives again…
THE OUTFIT
When my friend Jodie from Jodie’s Touch Of Style asked if I’d like to collaborate on a post about styling bralettes of course I said “yes” because I’m a huge fan of bralettes and an even huger fan of Jodie’s! Jodie is one of my favorite friends that I’ve met through blogging; she has a great sense of humor and one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever come across. One of the things that I love most about her blog is that she also features her mom and stepmom in her style posts for a cross-generational spin on fashion. When you’re done here, be sure to check out Jodie’s tips for styling bralettes too!
My bralettes are always in heavy rotation especially in the summer. When it’s hot outside 9 times out of 10 I’ll be wearing a bralette as opposed to a conventional bra both for comfort and for prettiness.
Whether or not to have your bra straps/bra visible is to me, one of those black and white fashion topics; you either love it or you hate it. Obviously, I’m a fan. I have a number of regular bras in fun colors for that very reason, however especially when it’s hot outside, I prefer a bralette. They are especially useful in the summer when we tend to wear things like cami’s, tank tops and sundresses which make visible bra straps more likely. A bralette is typically more lightweight and less bulky and constricting thus making it a more comfortable choice for hot days and since they are often designed to be seen, bralettes offer a wider variety of pretty straps and details too.
Not only do I have a variety of colors, also have a variety of styles on hand. Just last week I wore my white bandeau bralette under a jumpsuit with low cut sides. I have several with wide lace straps and they look pretty under off the shoulder tops like this sweatshirt that I wore last winter or this loose knit sweater from last fall. A bralette with a pretty higher neck made up of lace (I have several with a lace high neck that I haven’t photographed yet) or edgier details like cage straps make a lower cut top more interesting while giving you some additional coverage. I styled one of my cage bralettes with a simple low cut tank top and it made the look exponentially more interesting.
I will never ever wear jumpsuits again…said the girl who now has like, I dunno, ten jumpsuits. I guess the key is finding the right jumpsuit, a jumpsuit that doesn’t induce flashbacks to that one night in the eighties…a jumpsuit that doesn’t cause me to squirm around like I’m in a straight jacket…a jumpsuit that I can get in and out of myself thus eliminating the need to hire a bathroom assistant.
This jumpsuit meets the requirements. It’s loose, lightweight and floaty and super easy to get out of when need be. The bright pretty floral print doesn’t hurt either. And since today is all about the bralette, how perfect was my bright coral bralette under this particular jumpsuit? Pretty damn perfect I have to say…
THE TIP
Consider giving bralettes a try. They are so much more comfortable than a conventional bra and are perfect for days off and days when you’re just chillin’ around the house. They are an easy way to add some extra prettiness to an otherwise ordinary outfit. Bralettes come in sizes to fit just about any figure, from petites to plus size so there’s something for everyone. I used to shy away from bralettes since I’m on the bustier side with a small band measurement and it was tough finding one that fit. More brands are starting to offer bralettes for d/dd sizes which is a bonus. Surprisingly my favorite and best fitting bralettes come from American Eagle. I have no issues with shopping stores that are traditionally considered “juniors”, but the sizes do often run somewhat smaller. However their bralettes do seem to fit me well and they do offer some styles in the d/dd size range.
Since they are typically more inexpensive than bras, have fun with them; try some bright or bold colors and/or prints. I suggest starting with a few basics; a simple cotton bralette, a bralette with pretty lace strap details, a bandeau and a high neck bralette all make for a great basic collection.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Jumpsuit: Zulily (Same in black); Sandals: Similar; Bralette: Walmart (Similar); Necklace: Ettika
