Ashley

In the vault

TRANSITIONAL TIMES

September 7, 2017 4 Comments

As excited as I am for the Fall season, I can’t help but feel the urge to get in my last few summer-y looks before I literally do not have the option. With the mindset of creating more “transitional” outfits, I gravitated towards these minimal satin heeled sandals that I’ve been eyeing for months. I know what you’re thinking, “they’re so bright!” True indeed, however, orange hues are very prominent during the autumn and these beauties in particular are absolutely perfect for adding a pop of color to any neutral or denim looks that I tend to gravitate towards as the temperatures begin to drop. Being that these shoes were definitely the focal point of this look, I continued to build from the ground up. I must say that the association of floral prints only being acceptable during the Spring and Summer months, is definitely a thing of the past. Year-round florals have been a trend for the last few seasons and I’m certainly willing to embrace it! I loved the contrast of my tangerine colored footwear, against the cool tones of this dress. Though some may consider it bold, I felt that the two pieces provided a nice balance for each other which stabilized the entire look. For accessories, I decided to do something I haven’t done in a while and that was style this look with a bag. My navy blue monogrammed cross-body was definitely the perfect element needed to complete this ensemble and I was quite pleased with the final result. I love outfits like this because while each piece can work seamlessly together, they can also stand on their own and add a completely different vibe when paired with other items. Whether it be a leather jacket, sneakers, or a funky pair of jeans, I love the versatility of clothing and the endless ways to mix and match. Let me know in the comments below if you are excited for the change in season or if you’re not quite done with Summer yet. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Dress- Zara

Heels- & Other Stories

Bag- Gigi New York

In ASM Shop

DECONSTRUCTED BUTTON-DOWNS

August 31, 2017 1 Comment

I love when classic pieces take on a new life and transform into trends that can create memorable moments within the evolution of style. The deconstructed button-down has done just that and aside from being insanely popular, also displays the more innovative and creative side of the fashion industry. Take a look at the pieces I’ve gathered below and don’t forget to click the images to shop my picks. Until next time!

In the vault

SAFARI CHIC

August 29, 2017 2 Comments

This look is easily in my top 5 blog posts of all time. Why, you may ask– because it came together so unexpectedly and ended up being the most perfect combination! I purchased this top on a separate occasion from the bottom two pieces and was hesitant at first to even leave the store with it. The deconstructed button down shirt is a wildly popular and trendy piece; and while I am a huge fan, I’ve been trying to train myself towards only investing in pieces that I know I will get longevity out of. That being said, I obviously don’t have much self-control because it didn’t take much convincing for me to realize that I “needed” this item. After getting the piece home I immediately started brainstorming outfit ideas and was leaning towards pairing it with what I thought would be the most effortless option…DENIM. For some reason though, I ended up putting the idea aside and continued planning other looks. During another shopping trip a few weeks later, I ended up scoring this amazing mini skirt, heels, and a few other gems. At this point, I’ve honestly lost count of how many minis I actually own but being on the shorter side, I figured I could never have too many (lol). Also, for more seasonal purposes, I thought the khaki fabric made this particular skirt a great transitional piece as we are moving into the Fall. Believe it or not, I was on the hunt for a bag when I came across these gorgeous heels and it only took me about 20 seconds to spot them, try them on, and realize they were on sale before making my purchase and being happily on my way. To be completely honest, I had 3 separate outfits planned for each of these pieces up until the night before my shoot. It was only when I began modeling my new items for my roommate (it’s our ritual, don’t judge lol) that I got the idea to try everything on together and she and I both confirmed that it was “the one.” In life, outside of just fashion and blogging, it always seems like the best outcomes are products of unplanned situations. For me, this was yet another example of why I need to learn to just let go sometimes and stop overthinking everything…however, I am still a work in progress, lol. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Shirt- Topshop

Skirt- Zara

Heels- Aldo

Sunglasses- Celine

In ASM Shop

EMBROIDERED DENIM

August 24, 2017 No Comments

I love embroidered denim because it’s a fun twist on some of the classic pieces that we all know and love. Whether on outerwear, a dress, or your favorite classic skinny jeans, embroidery always seems to take it up a notch and add an eye-catching element to every piece it graces. Check out the items I’ve rounded up below and don’t forget to click the images to shop my picks! Until next time!

In the vault

EMBROIDERED TALES

August 22, 2017 2 Comments

Do you ever feel like certain items were just meant for you? A few weeks ago when I was on one of my regular shopping trips, I came across these embroidered jeans that I thought were absolutely PERFECT in every sense of the word. Unfortunately though, they were sold out in my size and I had no choice but to leave the store feeling slightly defeated and brokenhearted (cue the violins, lol). Flash forward to just last week while browsing around one of my favorite Jersey malls, I once again spotted these beauties and to my surprise they had my size! Without hesitation I ran to the dressing room to make sure the fit was to my liking, made my purchase, and began planning my next blog post. Embroidered denim has been quite popular among many retailers and I personally love the pop of interest it can provide to many of our favorite classic pieces. Because of the striking nature of this garment, I kept the rest of the look fairly minimal. Another item that is currently on trend and a staple when it comes to street-style is the wrap top. I have seen so many versions of this blouse, it’s hard to imagine someone having trouble finding a style that suits their fashion needs. For this look however, I chose to stick with a more basic design in a stark white so as not to compete with the boldness of the jeans. That being said, I still felt like the top added its own chic elements to the overall look with the tie detailing and ruching around the waist. To finish off the look I slipped on my black mules, a bold lip, and was on my way. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love garments that speak for themselves and don’t require additional bells and whistles to appear complete. With the right pairing, you will ALWAYS make a statement; until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- H&M

Jeans- Topshop

Heels- Topshop

In ASM Shop

RUFFLED TOPS

August 10, 2017 No Comments

Shirts and blouses with ruffled detailing are feminine, elegant, trendy, and extremely eye-catching. I love the movement they add to any ensemble as well as the chic interest they provide. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite tops below, so don’t forget to click the images to shop my picks! Until next time!

In the vault

SKORT SEASON

August 8, 2017 2 Comments

Coming from a private school educational background, I never would’ve thought that I would end up in a skort by CHOICE, especially considering all of the memories I have about the years of being confined to a uniform. That said, things change and style evolves so when I came across this raw edged denim piece, I was instantly intrigued. As it is still Summer and showing off bare legs is pretty much an everyday occurrence, I like finding new pieces that can give me more options outside of standard cut-offs or dresses; and this item did just that. Because this skort is a dark wash, the options were endless in terms of what I could pair it with. After much thought, I decided to accentuate the metallic D-ring belt detail by reaching for a champagne colored blouse. For me, this piece was simple enough to keep the overall look sleek while still adding a bit of drama with the ruffled sleeves. Though I was off to a good start, I still felt like this outfit was missing something and my snake print flats provided the extra bit of interest I was looking for. Mules, and other various forms of “slip-on” footwear, have been extremely popular over the last couple of years and I personally loved how this particular pair tied the look together with the color scheme as well as adding another element of texture. To finish off the ensemble, I decided to accessorize with my aviator readers and nothing else. There were so many focal points to this look, I didn’t feel as though a bag would’ve added anything extra. For me, it’s important to show diversity within the outfits I choose to wear so that getting dressed never feels like a mundane chore. Let me know in the comments below what you do to stay excited about your personal style. Until next time!!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- H&M

Skort- Zara

Shoes- Zara

In ASM Shop

T-SHIRT DRESSES

August 3, 2017 No Comments

T-shirt dresses are probably one of the easiest garments to throw on when you’re in a rush or simply don’t feel like putting the energy into styling a complex look. Though simple, these pieces come in a wide range of styles that make it easy to make a statement, while still remaining comfortable and casual. Check out the pieces I’ve rounded up below, and don’t forget to click the images to shop my picks. Until next time!

In the vault

GREEN TEE

August 1, 2017 1 Comment

First of all, I’d like to say I was quite proud of myself for coming up with such a witty title. Secondly, I am still beyond shocked that I actually styled this look AND liked it enough to make a blog post about it. Up until the moment I saw this piece, I really had no interest in the color green. Apart from the occasional olive garment you could catch me rocking during the Fall, all other “green-ish” shades I tend to stay away from. That said, this kelly green dress managed to completely change my opinion in just a few hours. During this particular shopping trip, I managed to walk past this floral tee about three times before I finally gave in and tried it on and to be honest, there wasn’t much to it. I wish I could say that I was completely blown away by this piece but I just saw it as one of those easy, “I have nothing to wear” items. After a bit more browsing, I decided to just get it in hopes that I’d be able to work it into my wardrobe at some point. By the time I got home and began laying out my outfits for this shoot, a light bulb went off in my mind and the look instantly came together. For casual shapeless garments like this, it can be easy to dress them down and let them swallow your frame. However, being the lover of contrast that I am, I chose to elevate this look with a pair of metallic, rose gold heeled sandals. These shoes were absolutely perfect for this outfit and really made the pink and yellow details in the flowers pop. Because I was rocking such a bold print, I didn’t really accessorize much outside of my everyday studs and go-to fringe backpack. Though quite simple, I still feel like this look makes a major statement and I’m definitely happy I decided to purchase this dress. I guess green isn’t so bad after all– until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Dress- Zara

Heels- Topshop

Backpack- Topshop

In ASM Shop

SUMMER KNITS

July 27, 2017 No Comments

As a lover of knitwear, it can sometimes become disheartening knowing that I have to store certain items away until the cooler months. That said, there are TONS of lighter, more Summer appropriate pieces that can hold you over until the weather breaks. Check out some of the thinner knit garments I’ve gathered below, and don’t forget to click the images to shop my picks. Until next time!