Quick and Delicious Guacamole Recipe

This guacamole recipe is one that is sure to be one of the dishes that bring your kids back home from college missing your cooking! It’s THAT good. The best part of this recipe is how simple and fresh it is! Probably the only difficult thing will be finding those elusive “perfectly ripe avocados.” Is it just me or does it feel like the sweet spot window between hard, green avocado and molding, spot ridden avocados is about five minutes long?!? Anyways, I can’t control it so let’s get on to the GUAC!

Guacamole Recipe for Dear Elly Happy Hour

Here’s what you’ll need to get started, are you ready? because it’s so simple you might miss it! Tools: cutting board, knife, bowl, fork. Okay, now that the tools are in hand, let’s talk ingredients! Avocados, tomato, green onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt & pepper to taste–and that’s all folks!

I start out by slicing the avocados in half, then to get the pit out I tap it with the knife and twist (if they’re ripe, it should work like a charm!) be careful during this part, it’s easy to wrestle an avocado into a dangerous situation for your hands so please use caution! I should add here that if you realize your avocados are either too green or ridden with bruised spots, it’s best to change gears and try again tomorrow after getting the right avocados. I’ve made this guac with both out of desperation for how delicious it is and have been sorely disappointed by using an avocado at the wrong developmental stage.

Now that your avocados are sliced and the pits are removed, add them to your bowl and you can mix a little now but if you want to save your strength to mix it all up at once, that also works well. Next you’ll add the sliced tomato, sliced green onions, jalapeño and give it a really good mix, until the guacamole takes on a smooth and creamy texture. To finish it all off you just add salt & pepper to taste.

Screen shot the photo below and be sure to save it to your favorites or I like to create albums in my phone for recipes to keep organized!

The Best Guacamole Recipe for Dear Elly Happy Hour

ONE PIECE, FOUR WAYS: THE SUNNY BUTTON-BACK TOP

Do you ever fall in love with something in the store and then excitedly bring it home only to have it sit in your closet for months (or years) never to be worn? Well then read on, fellow shopper because you will not be left hanging this time!

Let me do the honors of introducing you to The Sunny Button-Back Top who not only sports this name due to her happy yellow color but to two other fun attributes. The Sunny Top features a button-back detail, which at the top includes a functional button and keyhole and at the bottom breaks away to create a split back a few inches up from the hem. One of the key ingredients of a useful work wardrobe is the ability to mix and match without requiring extra time in the morning and feeling like you wear the same thing every day. The Sunny Top helps you do just that!

Yellow Sleeveless Top For Work

To showcase just how versatile this top is, here are four ways to style it, while taking you from work to weekend with ease!

The first look shows you how to style the top tucked into a skirt, creating the perfect canvas to showcase a statement necklace.

The next outfit gives you a more professional option great for a meeting or first impression. The black ankle pants can be dressed up with heels while keeping you comfortable due to the stretch and highwaist. Pop on the t-shirt blazer and choose to either style it open, showcasing your favorite necklace or fasten the hook-and-eye closure.

A second skirt look transforms this top to a fun summer day at work or sightseeing on your next vacation. Dress your new favorite outfit up by pairing it with closed toe espadrilles or go casual with a comfortable flat. This skirt will have you floating through the workday and feeling perfectly styled by your accessories.

Last but not least, we are headed into the weekend with this casual look! You will feel put together as you go from errands to dinner plans with friends in this happy mustard top and headband.

5 Tips To Achieve Your Favorite Work Look

Do you ever wish it was easier and faster to get dressed for work in the mornings? Some days it seems like I go through 10 outfits before I get out the door and I did NOT wake up early enough for that to happen. Here are 5 tips to make your morning shorter and things to think of when purchasing a few go-to accessories, like the perfect heel height shoe that goes with everything, or a versatile sweater that you can throw on and stay chic when ‘The All-Powerful Ruler of The Thermostat’ cranks it down to 50 degrees in your office.

Business Casual Statement Sleeve Top
Make A (Sleeve) Statement Striped Top

Creating a nice shape is a very common reason we like the outfit we’re wearing or feel more confident while wearing it. At work, you want to feel comfortable and be able to move around, eat your favorite lunch without busting out of your dress, etc. A quick rule of thumb is if you have a lot of volume on top via a chunky, embellished sweater or blouse with a fabulous statement sleeve, go the simple route for your bottoms, like a pair of skinny black ankle pants

Raffia Fan Earrings For Work
Raffia Fan Beaded Earrings

Accessorizing for work can seem like a daunting task. Your favorite statement necklace might feel too dressy and a scarf that usually looks great makes you feel like you’re drowning in fabric. Think of your work accessories as a capsule collection that you rotate every few months. Some staples to include are:

  1. A simple pair of diamond or pearl earrings
  2. Pair of statement earrings that are neutral or a pop color that will match a majority of your workwear.
  3. Dangle Earrings that will create a subtle statement (these will dress up your ponytail/bun to perfection).
  4. A statement necklace that walks the line between dressy and business casual.
  5. A long necklace with simple charm that will layer with your plain tops, sweaters and dresses.
Business Casual Blouse
Light As A Feather Flowy Floral Tank

This one is simple. Never let your undergarments show at work, this includes bra straps and underwear lines. If anything you wear falls into this, it’s time to purge it from your closet. If you take off a layer at work, be sure what you’re wearing underneath also follows this rule.

Business Casual Dress Code
Blank Slate Sleeveless White Tank

Your feet (and your mood) will thank me for this one! A good rule to follow is, if you can’t do your job in your heels, they’re too high. This includes, thinking about how much your feet hurt, not being able to walk correctly and confidently, and having to change out of your shoes. Even if you can invest in one quality pair of matte finish pointed toe black heels with a 3.5-inch heel, it would be better than having variety–not to mention easier to get ready in the mornings.

Layering Pieces for Business Casual Dress Code
Navy Sweater With Tied Cuffs

We’ve all worked in an office where it feels like the temperature is set to 50 degrees year round. Working in a tundra can make layering an essential piece of getting ready in the morning, having an arsenal of cardigans that make you feel confident instead of frumpy will keep the pep in your step no matter the temperature. It may even be a good idea to keep your favorite neutral sweater at work so you don’t feel tempted to reach for a…(gasp!)…hoodie.

Well, that completes my round up of 5 tips to achieve your favorite work look! For more outfit inspiration follow us on Facebook and Instagram @dearellyshop and visit www.dearelly.com to find your new favorite work wardrobe. Every item on dearelly.com is chosen with a business casual dress code in mind!

www.dearelly.com

The Secret to Looking Put Together: In 4 Easy Steps

www.dearelly.comLooking put together is easier than you might think. There are a few simple things you can do to polish off the beautiful, strong, hard-working woman you already are! Step into your work with an extra dose of confidence as you put your best foot forward. Tailoring Your Clothes For WorkStep 1: Tailoring your work clothes. Now, if you’ve never had something tailored before this could sound intimidating or unrealistic. BUT, it’s a lot easier and oftentimes, more affordable than you would think. Unless you are getting something custom-made to fit you, the clothes you buy are made to fit anyone, they are not made to fit you. Start with a pair of dress pants. You should be most concerned with how your dress pants are fitting through the widest part of your lower body. For example, if your rear end is the widest part start with a pair of pants that fit you perfectly and comfortably there. Typically, this will leave you with extra room in the waist, ankle (if they are a slim fit) and/or length. Ask a friend or co-worker where they get things tailored, word-of-mouth recommendations are always best in a situation like this. Take your new pants to the tailor so he/she can now fit the rest of the pant to YOU!Ironing your work outfitStep 2: Ironing. This might sound simple or even obvious, but showing up to work in a wrinkled outfit is not a good look. We all suffer from rushing out the door in the morning and that extra 5-10 minutes you could have spent ironing was spent catching some extra zzz’s. Now, raise your hand if you need some alternative ideas to ironing because you’re about to stop reading. If ironing just isn’t for you, try:

  • Steaming. If you’ve never used a steamer your life will be changed, well at least your morning will. Steamers like this one are an investment, but one that will pay off in the long run. If you would rather test this new way of life out first, try something smaller like this.
  • Iron Prep. It’s like food prep Sunday’s except ironing! Now you don’t have to devote hours of your weekend to this, start by getting the wrinkles out of 2-3 outfits a week for those emergency mornings when it’s just NOT going to happen.
  • Wrinkle-free clothing. We live in a beautiful age where wrinkle-free garments exist, take advantage of this gift!
  • Dry Cleaning. If none of the above work, drop a few items off to the dry cleaners and they will take care of it for you.

The best work accessories

Keep it simple, is the golden rule of accessorizing at work. A great way to do this with little effort is finding a sleek and neutral watch that will go with anything. Another bonus to this new accessory is it keeps you from being glued to your phone to “check the time.”Be on time for work

Being late happens, but if it happens so much that your co-workers expect it from you, that is probably not a reputation that will get you far. If you are sluggish in the mornings, try testing a timer while you get ready, it might just bring out the right dose of competitiveness in you that gets you out the door on time!

Hello There!

Welcome to Dear Elly and thank you for stopping by!

This space is for the little girls with a dream who turned into women with goals. A community for the doers, the achievers, the ones who just don’t have it in them to settle. A place to inspire and be inspired by femininity and strength, determination and individuality.

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Today we live in a time when women can be found in any workplace thriving as teachers, inspiring the next generation, climbing the corporate ladder alongside men and women twice her age or blazing her own way as an entrepreneur. There is not just one role or expectation for the millennial woman and we should all be celebrating, supporting, discovering and shedding light on the variety of opportunities and achievements that occur each day.

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I chose the name Dear Elly for this site because I want to hear from you. My content will be guided by your questions about workplace fashion, job searching, resumes and more. I’m excited to begin this journey with you and see how this community grows and evolves with time.

Let’s get to work!