"Never underestimate a girl with a French manicure..."
January 31, 2012
Hello lovely readers!
I hope everyone is having a fantastic week so far! I have a crazy busy week which translates into a quick and kind of random nail post (and my last post for January)! So do you know who spoke the famous lines I used in the title of this post? One of my favorite movie characters of all time, the one & only Elle Woods from Legally Blonde!! (Except she finished the quote by saying "...and a Harvard law degree." While I don't have the law degree I've got the French manicure covered this week!).
So as you can guess, when I went to get my nails done last week, I was in the mood for something classic and simple on my fingernails. Of course the first thing that comes to mymind (and obvi Elle Woods' mind) is a classic French manicure. I love the way a French manicure gives your nails a clean and classy look. I also love that French manicures go with anything you wear!!! What more could you ask for from your nail polish?? :) Here is how myFrench manicure turned out....
I hope everyone is having a fantastic week so far! I have a crazy busy week which translates into a quick and kind of random nail post (and my last post for January)! So do you know who spoke the famous lines I used in the title of this post? One of my favorite movie characters of all time, the one & only Elle Woods from Legally Blonde!! (Except she finished the quote by saying "...and a Harvard law degree." While I don't have the law degree I've got the French manicure covered this week!).
So as you can guess, when I went to get my nails done last week, I was in the mood for something classic and simple on my fingernails. Of course the first thing that comes to mymind (and obvi Elle Woods' mind) is a classic French manicure. I love the way a French manicure gives your nails a clean and classy look. I also love that French manicures go with anything you wear!!! What more could you ask for from your nail polish?? :) Here is how myFrench manicure turned out....
If you want an even MORE natural look, an American manicure is also a great option. An American manicure uses a more neutral beige color instead of the bright white on the tips. I sometimes get this and love it too!
Check out this really cool tutorial I found on Pinterest on how to do your own at-home French manicure:
Source: thebeautydepartment.com via Ashley on Pinterest
In other nail news, OPI’s new Spring/Summer collection comes out in February!! Their newest collection is named after Holland and the colors look gorgeous. I also LOVE the advertisement for it...can I please have this yellow dress? That would be great, k thanks! (ps forgive the bad quality...snapped this from a magazine ad).
It’s going to be a great collection & I can’t wait to use it. My favorites so far are the hot pink called “Kiss Me on My Tulips,” and the two coral/red colors “Red Lights Ahead…Where?” and “Roll in the Hague”!! I'll definitely be trying these soon so keep a look out for that post!
Hope you dolls have a great week & thank you very much for reading!
Xoxo,
Ashley
OOTDs: My Favorite Winter Essentials!
January 27, 2012
Hello dolls!
And one OOTD without my infinity scarf but still wearing my riding boots...
1) Bandolino Shoes Chosen Riding Boots $69.99 on sale
2) Coconuts Rhumba Riding Boot $149.95
3) a.n.a. Aberdeen Riding Boot w/ Buckles $30 on sale (originally $100!!!)
4) Ralph Lauren Sonya Vachetta Riding Boot $119.99 on sale
5) Mrkt Nycole Riding Boot $129.95
6) Frye 'Melissa Button' Boot $327.95
I had been on the hunt for a good infinity scarf for a while & I finally found my black one at the Old Navy Outlet for around $16. The good thing about infinity scarves is you don’t have to worry about how to tie them….all you do is loop them around your neck a couple of times and you’re good to go! I think the key is proportion…since they add so much bulk to your upper body I like to pair them with more form-fitting tops and skinny jeans/pants.
Also don't be afraid to wear an infinity scarf as the spring/summer months approach...just pick one in a lighter material (which I've included a few of in the following collage) and pick a bright/bold print to add a pop of color to your ensemble! Here are a few of my faves that are TDF (to die for!)...
1) Preston & York Metallic Infinity Scarf on sale for $9.80
2) LOFT Colorblock Stripe Infinity Loop Scarf $34.50
3) Express Shimmering Infinity Scarf $29.90
4) Charlotte Russe Digital Zigzag Scarf $9.50
5) Coldwater Creek Pointelle infinity scarf $22.99
6) LOFT Pointelle Stripe Infinity Loop Scarf $34.50
7) Lulu Zigzag Lightweight Infinity Scarf $18
Xoxo,
Even though a lot of the fashion world is turning toward the spring runway, I’m still enjoying some winter fashions. It’s been pretty cool here in Tennessee the past couple of weeks & I thought I would share with you some recent OOTDs with 2 of my favorite cold weather essentials: riding boots & infinity scarves!
|
| Grey & White Striped Top: Gap Outlet Grey Jeans: V. Cristina Riding Boots: Arturo Chiang Infinity Scarf: Old Navy Outlet |
 |
| Green/white striped top: Gap Outlet Jeans: Jessica Simpson Collection Belt: New York & Company Riding Boots: Arturo Chiang Infinity Scarf: Old Navy Outlet |
 |
| Black & gold striped cardigan: Ann Taylor Belt: Ann Taylor Jeans: Nine West Riding Boots: Arturo Chiang |
I absolutely LOVE riding boots. I recently purchased the black pair by Arturo Chiang that I'm wearing in the above pictures. Personally I like a boot that you can pull over your leg instead of zipping. These were perfect for me! Riding boots are a great investment because they go with SO many things…dresses, skirts & pants! As you can see from my OOTD’s I’ve been wearing mine with pants lately just because it’s so cold but as it warms up they will be cute with dresses.
Now is a great time to buy riding boots as many are on sale since spring clothes are coming in stores. Check out some of my favorites:
2) Coconuts Rhumba Riding Boot $149.95
3) a.n.a. Aberdeen Riding Boot w/ Buckles $30 on sale (originally $100!!!)
4) Ralph Lauren Sonya Vachetta Riding Boot $119.99 on sale
5) Mrkt Nycole Riding Boot $129.95
6) Frye 'Melissa Button' Boot $327.95
I had been on the hunt for a good infinity scarf for a while & I finally found my black one at the Old Navy Outlet for around $16. The good thing about infinity scarves is you don’t have to worry about how to tie them….all you do is loop them around your neck a couple of times and you’re good to go! I think the key is proportion…since they add so much bulk to your upper body I like to pair them with more form-fitting tops and skinny jeans/pants.
Also don't be afraid to wear an infinity scarf as the spring/summer months approach...just pick one in a lighter material (which I've included a few of in the following collage) and pick a bright/bold print to add a pop of color to your ensemble! Here are a few of my faves that are TDF (to die for!)...
1) Preston & York Metallic Infinity Scarf on sale for $9.80
2) LOFT Colorblock Stripe Infinity Loop Scarf $34.50
3) Express Shimmering Infinity Scarf $29.90
4) Charlotte Russe Digital Zigzag Scarf $9.50
5) Coldwater Creek Pointelle infinity scarf $22.99
6) LOFT Pointelle Stripe Infinity Loop Scarf $34.50
7) Lulu Zigzag Lightweight Infinity Scarf $18
I also heard that Forever 21 has many different infinity scarves right now in stores for FOUR dollas…holla! You can’t beat that!
So what are some of your favorite cold weather essentials? Leave me a comment & share what yours are! :)
Make sure you check back later this weekend for a nail blog!!!
Merci beaucoup as always for reading!! Have a fabulously fashionable weekend gorgeous!
Xoxo,
Ashley
The Best & Worst Dressed at the Golden Globes
January 18, 2012
Good morning dolls! I hope everyone is having a great week so far!
And finally, the star who I thought was worst dressed was Natalie Portman. She is usually one of my Red Carpet favorites, but I was not feeling this dress by Lanvin. To me it seemed too "prom-y" and not glamorous enough for the Red Carpet. Also the bustle on the side of the dress was not very flattering (I hope this isn't a new trend because I don't like it at all! haha). Definitely my least favorite!
Sunday night was a big evening for fashion when the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards were held in California! I LOVE award season mainly for the sole purpose of checking out who wears what on the Red Carpet (I guess it’s pretty cool to see who wins what award too, lol). So today I thought I would share with you who I thought was best dressed…and my pick for worst dressed!
Best Dressed:
| ||
| In my opinion, the best dressed star of the evening was by far Angelina Jolie. She is the definition of beauty & grace. She was no exception here in this ivory dress by Atelier Versace. I adore the red details in her dress, clutch & lipstick! Image source here  Image source here
 Image source here  Image source here |
And finally, the star who I thought was worst dressed was Natalie Portman. She is usually one of my Red Carpet favorites, but I was not feeling this dress by Lanvin. To me it seemed too "prom-y" and not glamorous enough for the Red Carpet. Also the bustle on the side of the dress was not very flattering (I hope this isn't a new trend because I don't like it at all! haha). Definitely my least favorite!
 |
| Oh Natalie, I never thought you would be on a worst dressed list! |
So who are your picks for the best & worst dressed stars of the Golden Globes? Leave me a comment & tell me what you think!
Thank you so much for reading!!! Have a very stylish & best-dressed list kind of day!
Xoxo,
Ashley
Why I Love Bethenny Frankel’s New Skinnygirl Face & Body Collection!
January 13, 2012
Hello dolls!
Click HERE to check out the entire Skinnygirl Face & Body Collection!!!
One of my guilty pleasures in life is the “Real Housewives” series on Bravo. I have seen all the seasons but one of my absolute FAVES is the RHO New York!!! And from NY comes my absolute FAVORITE housewife of all time: the one and only Bethenny Frankel. She is witty, sassy, smart, and is a VERY successful business woman. If you’re not familiar with her, she has her own line of Skinnygirl Margaritas and has branched out to make other drinks as well. SOOO as one of her biggest fans you can imagine my excitement when I learned she was expanding her empire and venturing into skincare! She released a Skinnygirl Face & Body collection exclusively at Wal-Mart (which is AWESOME because the prices are very reasonable) the day after Christmas. So naturally I had to run out to Wal-Mart to check it out….(::cough:: ….and pose for pictures by the display to post on my blog… ::cough::)
 |
Instead of typing out all the things I love about this line and my favorite products from it, I thought I would actually SHOW you in a video blog (VLOG)...(PS thanks YouTube for this lovely screen shot lol):
*****NOTE: the hacker deleted my YouTube account as well. I will have to re-upload this video to YouTube. Thank you for your patience!!!
*****NOTE: the hacker deleted my YouTube account as well. I will have to re-upload this video to YouTube. Thank you for your patience!!!
Click HERE to check out the entire Skinnygirl Face & Body Collection!!!
Leave me a comment & tell me, have you tried or are you planning on trying Bethenny Frankel’s Skinnygirl Face & Body line??
Thank you SO much loves for reading AND watching! Hope you dolls have a fabulous weekend!!!
Xoxo,
Ashley
This one is for the girls with the Nicki Minaj nails…
January 12, 2012
I just love how OPI always comes out with new collaborations and collections all the time! Around this time last year OPI came out with the Katy Perry collection which I loved, and as you can tell from the title of this post, the newest collaboration is with Nicki Minaj! It was recently released and has some pretty wild & crazy colors that perfectly complement her signature far-out style.
So when I went to get my nails done this week I was SO excited that my nail technician had picked up a few of the NM colors. One of my favorites from the collection is the new PURPLE shatter….appropriately named “Super Bass Shatter”!! I layered it over a hot pink color “That’s Berry Daring” (an oldie from the OPI Brights Collection. If you’re looking for a vibrant pink, this is it!). Then we topped it off with some silver glitter of course!
 |
| Base: That's Berry Daring Top: Super Bass Shatter |
The whole colleciton is pretty fab:
 |
| Image source From left to right: Super Bass Shatter, Metallic 4 Life, Save Me, Fly, Did it on 'Em, and Pink Friday. |
"Fly" and "Pink Friday" would look great under the Super Bass Shatter. I also want to try Metallic 4 Life!!!
So will you be trying any of the Nicki Minaj collection colors? Leave me a comment & let me know what you think!
Thank you SO much for reading and if you like my blog don’t forget to follow me on Facebook by clicking here!!
Now that my nails are ready, I think I will go play Super Bass on repeat….
Xoxo,
Ashley
Reader Q&A: Arm Party Edition
January 11, 2012
Hello dolls! How is your week? I hope everyone is doing great!
I absolutely love when you, my lovely readers, leave me comments on myå blog! It can really start up a fun conversation. On my last post on arm parties (read HERE), one of my dear friends left a comment that has inspired me to do a whole new post to answer her questions!
But are only $3.80!!!! Compared to the high price of a Tiffany’s bangle I say that’s a pretty good deal!
I absolutely love when you, my lovely readers, leave me comments on myå blog! It can really start up a fun conversation. On my last post on arm parties (read HERE), one of my dear friends left a comment that has inspired me to do a whole new post to answer her questions!
So my lovely friend left me a comment which asked 2 questions…
1) my parents got me a diamond tennis bracelet for graduation, and it's off being fitted right now, but do you have any suggestions for ways to pair it with more casual bracelets? i'd love to be able to dress it down occasionally.
2) also, have you seen any cute but still cheap bangles?
To dress down a diamond bracelet, keep in mind CONTRAST & pick bracelets that have a more casual vibe. Here are some cute arm party ideas to dress down a diamond bracelet...
1. GIRLY
Pair your diamond bracelet with a ribbon bracelet + charm bracelets for a girly look! Some cute ones….
 |
| This Betsy Johnson bracelet has is the epitome of girly with ribbons AND a charm. It would look great paired with a gold diamond bracelet! Check it out HERE! |
 |
| This Forever 21 ribbon bracelet is so pretty and would help dress down a diamond bracelet. Find it HERE |
 |
| The heart charm bracelet...a classic that would also help dress down a diamond bracelet! Find it HERE |
2. TOUGH GIRL
Let your diamonds just peak through in the middle of 2 (or 3…or 4…depending on how much of a party you really want to have!) leather bracelets. I LOVE the contrast of diamonds with something as casual as leather.
 |
| Pair this leather bracelet with a diamond bracelet to make it more casual. Check it out HERE |
 |
| I love the metal & leather detail on this cuff. Totally says tough girl, no? Find HERE |
3. HIPPIE CHIC
For a hip, bohemian vibe pair your diamond bracelet with friendship and rope bracelets. For example…
 |
| This black friendship bracelet would be the perfect way to add contrast and dress down a diamond bracelet. Find here |
4. POP OF COLOR (POC…à la Brad Goreski on “Brad Brad World” on Bravo):
Add a pop of color to your arm party by incorporating another casual element: beaded or plastic bright colored bracelets! For example…I love the pairing of turquoise + a silver diamond bracelet and coral + a gold diamond bracelet. Take a look at these…
 |
| This turquoise bracelet from Forever 21 would add a casual element to a diamond bracelet. Love! Find HERE |
 |
| Charlotte Russe Palm Beach Bangle. I love the coral shade! This would be fab to dress down a gold diamond bracelet. Be sure to check it out HERE |
So hopefully those tips help give some ideas on how to dress down a diamond bracelet!
To answer the question of where to find cute but still cheap bangles, I have looked around and have found that my old standby Forever 21 has some great options right now. In fact they have bangles GALORE….look at this picture I snapped in F21 of their bangle bin last week:
They have SO many bangles to choose from…all different textures, colors, & even shapes. My friend also said she liked the look of Tiffany’s bangles and these reminded me of Tiffany’s…
 |
| Similar to a Tiffany's bangle but for only about $4...for THREE! What a great deal |
But are only $3.80!!!! Compared to the high price of a Tiffany’s bangle I say that’s a pretty good deal!
Here is a collage of some of my favorite cheap bangles and the different stores I have found them in:
1) F21 Textured Bangle Set - $4.80
2) F21 Dimpled Bangles- $4.80
3) Liz Claiborne Bracelets-$17.99
4) F21 Solid Bracelet Set-$5.80
5) Color Craze Bangle Bracelet-$10
6) Charlotte Russe Etch & Sketch Bangle Set- $6
7) F21 Night Out Bangle Set-$4.80
8) F21 Curved Bangle Set-$5.80
9) F21 Studded Bangle Set- $8.80
2) F21 Dimpled Bangles- $4.80
3) Liz Claiborne Bracelets-$17.99
4) F21 Solid Bracelet Set-$5.80
5) Color Craze Bangle Bracelet-$10
6) Charlotte Russe Etch & Sketch Bangle Set- $6
7) F21 Night Out Bangle Set-$4.80
8) F21 Curved Bangle Set-$5.80
9) F21 Studded Bangle Set- $8.80
If you ever have any questions or comments leave them in the comment section on any of my posts or send me an email at ashleyspassionforfashion@gmail.com!! It may give me some great ideas for a newpost! I so appreciate you taking the time to read and follow my blog!
Xoxo,
Ashley
How I Like to "Arm Party"!
January 4, 2012
Good evening dolls! I hope you're having a fabulous start to 2012.
And here is a close-up of the "arm party" on my right wrist...
Another variation of the arm party? Adding a watch!!!
ANY color bracelets work for your arm party. I also love wearing brown & gold...
Finally I wanted to leave you with a collage I made of some GREAT bracelets in stores now (at all price points!) that you can mix and match to create your very own arm party!
Thank you for reading! Don't forget to like Ashley's Passion for Fashion on Facebook by clicking HERE!
Xoxo,
Ashley
One of my FAVORITE jewelry looks I have loved for a while is the "arm party" (a phrase coined by the fashion blogger The Man Repeller....visit her site here!) If you're not familiar with this trend, it involves stacking up bracelets...lots and lots of bracelets...and wearing them all at once. Wear as many or as few as you want, mix different textures/colors/widths, wear them on one arm or both...the rules are up to you!
I had been on a hunt for a while to find the perfect bracelets to make my own arm party. I was so excited to find some ADORABLE bracelets at H&M! You really can't beat the price either...most were $3 and the highest (for the bracelets w/ rhinestones) was $8. So without further ado, here is a picture of my OOTD from last week with my arm party and a few pictures of how I arm party...
 |
| Top: H&M Pants: H&M Ballet Flats: Wanted |
And here is a close-up of the "arm party" on my right wrist...
 |
| Here I am wearing 4 different bracelets, all from H&M. |
Sometimes both of my arms want in on the fun so I like to have an arm party on both wrists....
 |
 |
| This arm party also includes 4 bracelets from H&M. |
Another variation of the arm party? Adding a watch!!!
 |
| My Fossil watch likes to join in on the fun so I like to put it right in the middle of the arm party shenanigans! All bracelets from H&M. |
ANY color bracelets work for your arm party. I also love wearing brown & gold...
 |
| Middle rhinestone bracelet from Stein Mart...other 2 bracelets from H&M. I love the look of rhinestones with the leather/rope braclets. |
 |
| 5 H&M bracelets! Don't hestitate to wear as many as you want. I also like the look of bracelets with charms/beads like a few of these have! |
1) Faceted Rhinestone Cord Bracelet by Forever 21 $5.80
2) Studded Wrap Around Bracelet by F21 $7.80
3) Leopard Print Cuff Bracelet by Vince Camuto $98
4) Gold Rope Bracelet by J. Crew $68
5) Braided Leatherette Bracelet by F21 $6.80
6) Vintage Twist Bracelet by Stella & Dot $39
7) Nugget Wrap Bracelet by Stella & Dot $39
8) Crystal Wrap Bracelet by Betsey Johnson $65
9) Simulated Turquoise Bead Bracelet by Lucky Brand $25
10) Cluster Cuff Bracelet by Bar III $68
11) Pyramid Double Wrap Bracelet by Stella & Dot $59
12) Renegade Cluster Bracelet by Stella & Dot $59
13) Embellished Velveteen Bracelet by F21 $12.80
So what do you think of the "arm party"?? Will you be hosting a few of these parties yourself? I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment and let me know!Thank you for reading! Don't forget to like Ashley's Passion for Fashion on Facebook by clicking HERE!
Xoxo,
Ashley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
