Fashion Forward: Outfit of the Day

Hey all!

Here’s just a quick post for today. Lately I’ve been quite into a look I like to call “urban chic”. This is when you pair a tougher, more urban and cool look with more girly or dainty additions. My outfit inspiration today is an example!

This outfit is really pretty simple and would look great in other variations. The components:

– A muscle tee (I’ve gotta rep my Dodgers!)

– A pair of skinny jeans. I chose black.

– Combat boots

and for the girly accents:

– A long metal, beaded necklace

– A red lip!

This is a great outfit for fall and you can easily make it your own!

Hope you enjoyed!

Fashion Forward: My Fall Picks [Sweater Edition]

Here’s the next edition of my fall fashion picks!

There’s a reason they call it “sweater weather”, and today’s post is entirely dedicated to that namesake. There is nothing like curling up with a great book, a cup of coffee, and a wonderful sweater. To me, this is the epitome of fall.

So, without further ado, here are my fall sweater picks!

1. The Layla Hoodie from Brandy Melville – $37 . This lightweight hoodie is the perfect layering piece for the fall. The stripes are subtle enough to go with almost everything and it just looks SO cozy. This is a great, easy piece to throw over a t-shirt and jeans or throw a leather jacket over for colder weather. Add a scarf and a pair of great boots and you’re set!

2. Kimchi Blue Shaker Cropped Sweater from Urban Outfitters – $49 . A cropped sweater may not seem like the most practical knit for cold weather, but I think this piece has fantastic possibilities. Throw this sweater over your favorite summer maxi dress to immediately transform it for fall. It would also look wonderful over a high waisted skirt or pair of jeans. It’s simple, but cozy: a definite win!

3. Hendrix Yarn Fringe Poncho from Free People – $298 . This is for all my hippies-at-heart out there! My love for ponchos has grown exponentially over the past couple of years and this poncho simply adds to my adoration. This poncho is fit for a rockstar and will make a simple outfit amazing. It makes me want to go on adventures. I would love to live every fall day in this crazy-wonderful piece.

4. Cassette Society Freedom & Glory Long Cardigan from Urban Outfitters – $159 . The maxi sweater is back this season and showing up in more stores than ever. This particular sweater combines the practicality of a cardigan with the twist of the maxi length. It may seem silly, but I also love the pockets on this sweater. For me, pockets on a sweater make it that much more comfy and cozy. This sweater would be a great staple for almost any outfit.

5. Days of Marigold Cardigan from ModCloth – $70 . This sweater has two of my very favorite things: mustard yellow and toggle clasps! Such a combination! Pair those with a hood and a simple, but interesting texture, and you’ve got a winner in my book.

6. Double Breasted Coatigan from ASOS – $84 . Yet another simple and cozy sweater for the collection. This piece is a bit on the longer side and would look great with some patterned leggings, a simple tunic, and some flats. A great sweater can really transform any outfit into a chic look while keeping you comfortable.

7. Cozy Knit Jacket from Anthropologie – $138 . By far the prettiest and most girly piece for this post, I love this sweater for so many reasons. This is the type of piece that can be dressed up or dressed down quite easily. With the right outfit, it would even work for a business or office type of environment. It would look great over a summer dress with some tights and heels, or over a simple blouse with jeans and some boots. The possibilities are truly endless, which is why a piece like this is a must in every wardrobe.

8. Botanical Book Club Cardigan from ModCloth – $58 . I immediately fell in love with the colors and pattern of this sweater. The floral is simple and unobtrusive while carrying what is usually seen in the spring perfectly into the fall season. The silhouette is such that I believe any shape or size could wear this sweater and look fabulous. The open front also lends itself to being worn openly and casually or belted for a more put-together look. I’ll take 10, please!

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I’m really hoping you are enjoying these posts. I love fall fashion more than any other season and these have been a ton of fun for me to create!

Where are your favorite places to shop? Leave a comment and let me know and I will try to use those websites as sources for future posts. Sometimes you never know what’s out there or the possibilities of an article of clothing until you see it through a fresh pair of eyes.

Happy fall, everyone!!

xoxo, Ash

Fashion Forward: My Fall Picks! (Basics Edition)

So, who else is ridiculously excited about fall????

I cannot WAIT for the day when I can pull on some heavy jeans, boots, cardigan, and a scarf and feel the crisp breeze on my face. Fall for me is also another excuse to overload on coffee, so there’s that…

Well, fall is our inspiration for today’s post. Most of the major retailers have already put out their fall lines for this year, and as I’ve been browsing, I’ve seen some returning trends as well as some new ones for this year’s cold weather wardrobe. So, I’ve picked 8 of my favorites for this fall!

DISCLAIMER: I quite understand that many of the items I’m sharing are at a higher price point than many may be willing to spend. However, the main purpose of this post is to give inspiration. Each item is something I would consider a staple wardrobe piece and something similar will likely be easy to find in stores at a better price. So, take a look, see what you like, and you can start a search for your very own individualized version! With this said, I hope you all enjoy! 🙂

(1) Rail Straight Jeans from Madewell – $98 – I love these jeans because they are a bit of a departure from the skinny skinnies we’ve been seeing for so long. They offer a bit more of the “boyfriend” jean feel and I love to have the option of cuffing my jeans to offer a whole different look!

(2) Kara boot from Dromedaris (color: Saddle) – $149 – These boots are my dream boots this fall!! I love the distressed look in this color. The brand, Dromedaris, is also a comfort brand (yup! That’s right, comfortable shoes!!)! I highly recommend checking out the Teal color as well, because I’m quite torn between the two colors.

(3) Leather-trim dress from Madewell – $165 – The circle-skirt/peplum look is obviously staying for the fall. I love this look because it is so flattering on so many different body types. I would go so far as to say that ANYONE could pull this dress off. I love this one in particular because the leather-trimmed collar gives the otherwise girly dress a bit of an edge: LOVE.

(4) Royal Damask Sweatshirt from Forever21 – $17.80 – I’ve seen a LOT of damask print in the collections for fall. Damask happens to be one of my favorite patterns, and gold happens to be my go-to color right now, so this sweater just jumped out at me. While it may not seem like your typical “basic”, a piece like this can be worn in many ways, dressed up, dressed down, and gives a wonderful pop to any outfit!

(5) Turtleneck sweater from H&M – $79.95 – This oversized, super comfy sweater gives a great update to the turtleneck sweater. While a turtleneck can tend to look drab or a bit matronly, this slouchy version would look great with a pair of leggings and boots. Comfy and chic!

(6) Distressed Faux Leather Moto Jacket from Forever21 – $42.80 – The leather jacket may never truly go out of style. I love this more affordable version because of the distressed look without too much excess hardware. You could throw this puppy over almost any outfit to give it a more put-together, yet punky look.

(7) Sleek Asymmetrical D’Orsay Flats from Forever21 – $22.80 – A perfect transition shoe, these flats will look good with just about ANYTHING. They have the sleek look of a pump while also keeping the comfort of something more like a sandal. Plus, the closed toe means you could even wear them with tights for the chilly weather!

(8) Fine Knit Sweater from H&M – $14.95 – Well, what do you know? Another slouchy sweater! This lighter version is the perfect casual top for any day. This would look wonderful with printed jeans or even tucked into some square-hipped trousers!

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Let me know what YOUR picks are for this fall down in the comments below!

What trend do you look forward to buying and wearing for the duration of the season??

Until next time! xoxo

Styled: Fantasy Series Part 4! Royal Victorian

Now for another installment!

Yes, yet another skipped part of this wonderful series!

As we continue to work on these shoots, I feel they are getting better and better. We are really able to find our niche with each shoot and I am really proud to show them to you all. This part of the series is called “Royal Victorian”. Inspired by everything dark, romantic, and royal, we had our very first table set up in this shoot. I think you’ll fall in love with the magical location and romantic look of this shoot just like we did. Oh, and the dress… AMAZE.

ENJOY!!!

We were blessed enough to have this shoot featured on Wedding Chicks! Such an honor. Comment below to let me know what you think of the Fantasy Series! I’ll be posting a sneak peek from our last one soon, so comment to let me know you’d love to see it!

Photography: Kristen Booth

Hair and Makeup: Celeste Styling and Artistry

Props and rentals courtesy of: Etablir Shop

Styled: Fantasy Series Part 3! Secret Garden

I’ve recently realized the depth of how terrible of a blogger I’ve become, and frankly, I’m quite ashamed.

As penance for my extreme lack of participation and showing you all what I have done in the last year and a half or so, I will attempt to play a bit of catch up and show you now!

Many of you know (and may have already seen) that I am a part of a team creating a little something we like to call “The Fantasy Series”. We just shot part 5 of this series a couple of weeks ago, so I will start by catching you all up on this fabulous project! Our fearless photographer, Kristen Booth, is a self-proclaimed fairy tale wedding photographer and this project is really her baby. It truly shows her brand and the ideal bride that her amazing talent would be perfect for. I’ve shown you parts 1 and 2: “Ethereal” and “Queen of the Marine”. Now, I give you our third installment: a magical shoot we called “Secret Garden” that included a pink dress, lace suspenders, and a horse!

Hair and makeup done by the third party in our team: the wonderful and amazing Celeste of Celeste Styling and Artistry. This girl has amazing talent and should be hired by everyone. Go call her! You will NOT be disappointed. Thanks so much also to Brooke and Kirtane, our gorgeous models. We couldn’t have done any of this without your talents!

Anyhow, without further ado, I give you “Secret Garden”, a love story in the spring.