Stripes on Stripes

I have had both this sweater and skirt in my closet for a good eight months, and I have worn the both plenty of times, but I never realized that together they match perfectly. Lets just say I was more than excited when I discovered this match. It's great finding new items in your closet that you can pair together and the look amazing. Its almost like getting new clothes.

I worked 9-5 today but opted for a longer skirt while there, just to be more business appropriate. But I knew that I wanted to change when I got off into something a little more comfortable and fun for a dinner out with my boyfriend. This outfit did just the trick.

Sweater; Stein Mart. Tank; Forever 21. Skirt; Cotton On. Shoes; Charlotte Russe. Purse; Target.

Black and Brown

I personally love mixing black and brown. It use to be a big fashion no no but I think the colors actually go great together!

What makes the brown bag and black shirt really click though is these amazing Coach and Four heels I picked up yesterday(which I scored for only $20!). Not only are they extremely cute, they are actually very comfortable. I tossed on this teal bandage skirt just to add a pop of color since it is summer after all.

Top & Shoes; Stein Mart. Skirt and Bag: Forever 21.

Curls

I decided to let my natural hair do it's thing today, and man did it feel good! I put on a swipe of red lip stick and I've never felt more confident. I love days like this.

With me being bi-racial my hair is extremely curly and can be a struggle to manage, but sometimes it good to just embrace your natural qualities and run with it. I often straighten my hair because I do like the length and style choices it gives me, and I will even sometime indulge in a sew in, but I also love my natural hair. I have to say though that sometimes (and this not everyone!!) I feel like some people push the natural hair too hard and sometimes those people can come across as if they feel superior to people who choose to chemically process or add weave to their hair. It almost feels as if they are trying to say the are more proud to be black. People who choose to not have natural hair are not putting out a statement that they are not proud to be black, they are simply doing what makes them feel the most beautiful. We should all understand and embrace that.

Top & Purse; Stein Mart. Shorts & Leggings; Forever21. Boots; Charlotte Russe.

Tropical Print With Dorothy Perkins

To say I am obsessed with joggers would be a huge understatement. They are my absolute favorite pant. I have begun to build up quite a collection of them(Maybe sometime in the future I'll do a post featuring all of them). But I have to say these tropical print joggers from Dorothy Perkins(there's a link in the 'Shops I Love' tab above) are one of my favorite!

Dorothy Perkins is one of my favorite stores. Unfortunately there are no stores in the U.S. because it is a U.K. clothing brand, but they do ship internationally!!! I can't lie though, living in the U.S. and ordering from a London based store was a tad bit frightening. What happens if it doesn't fit or they send you the wrong item. With it being in another country I'm sure returns can take forever. But I took the risk anyways, and now have some amazing items from there. If you are considering ordering from there, order your size! Do not go a size up because you think it will be too tight. Everything is extremely true to size. There sizes on the U.S. site run from 2 to 18 in mostly all items. Everything is pretty affordable most of the time if your order is over $50 there is free shipping! I know, free international shipping is amazing. All in all, I would highly recommend Dorothy Perkins, even for us U.S. girls.

Because these pants are so fun and bright, I wanted to kind of tone down the rest of the outfit. I paired it with a plain white tee, a white infinity scarf and white sandals with a hint of neon yellow on the side. Also for a bit of extra fun I grabbed my hot pink purse to bring along. The pink matches really well with the tiny bit of pink in the pants.

Top; Victoria's Secret Pink. Pants; Dorothy Perkins. Purse; Target. Scarf & Sandals; Charlotte Russe.

Blue Kimono

When I saw this kimono at H&M last week I knew I had to have it. Kimonos are such a fun piece and are currently right on trend. I love the length on this one, as well as the gorgeous blue hues. I wasn't sure how I was going to pair it so I tried it on two different ways.

Jeans; American Eagle. Tank: H&M. Shoes & Bag: Target. Bracelets and Necklace; Forever21. Watch: Charming Charlies.
The first way was with a pair of boyfriend jeans, a basic tank top, and sandals. This was a cool casual look that is great for a day of running around and exploring your city. And please lets not forget about this awesome bag. I scored it on clearance from Target for only $25.


Pants & Top; Jennifer Lopez Collection at Kohls. Shoes; Forever21.
The second way I paired it was with these amazing palazzo pants and a white cropped top. These pants are so great and literally match with tons of things I own. And the thing I love about this top is that it isn't too fitted, so that it doesn't hug to any unwanted spots or cause any bugling. I paired this outfit with a basic pair of brown sandals with a chunky heel for a more dressed up look.

Thanks for checking out my post. Have a good day everyone. -Ashley

Super Steals

Yesterday I mentioned that I did some shopping. Well one of the stores I hit up was Charlotte Russe. Everyone knows that they have great deals but man did I hit the jackpot! Pretty much half the store was on sale or had some type of deal.

Charlotte Russe is one of my goto places for shoes. Not only are their shoes fab, but they are always on sale(BOGO and such). The black shoes above, I put on as soon as I bought them (Check out yesterday's post). They are such a fun piece for summer with their pointy toe but still strappy sandal style. And the nude shoes are gorgeous! Right?!? I love that studs are still in, and the color will match tons of stuff in my closet. I scored these shoes for $9.99 a piece. YES, I REPEAT $9.99!

Next up is this super fun purse. There are so many things that make this bag awesome. First off, it's white! White is one of this season's biggest colors. Think all white ensembles. Second, it has two straps for an over the shoulder look or hand held. Third, the pull strand closure is so in. That along with the almost tribal like subtle print makes this a goto festival bag. Not to mention it was only $15.00.

Speaking of tribal like prints, I also picked up this sweater and scarf. The sweater is super light weight, so still perfect for summer, but it gives good coverage(I have to cover my arm tattoos at one of my jobs). And the scarf has a colorful aztec design. I am all about summer scarfs! But the best part of both pieces were their prices. The sweater was only $5.00 and the scarf only $2.99. My grand total for these five items came to right about $45.00. You seriously cant beat that!

Palms

I wore this outfit for my day off from both of my jobs(I took a personal day). I wanted something comfortable but still stylish. That is my goto outline for an outfit. Everyone wants to look fab, but if you have to get things done comfort is key too. These black joggers are amazing. They go with literally everything. I can toss on a blouse for a work wear look or a tee for a more casual look. In this outfit I paired it with a semi sheer cropped tank top, and this adorable palm tree infinity scarf. I started my day off with sandals on, but while shopping I scored these super cute black heels, and for a great price might I add.


Pants, Tank, Scarf; Forever21. Crossbody Purse: Jessica Simpson- Stein Mart. Shoes: Charlotte Russe.

Grams

Instagram has always been a love of mine. It has also been a way for me to showcase my love of fashion. I decided that it was time to transition into a full fledged fashion blog. I had a blog a few years ago, but couldn't really keep up with it. Plus I had a lot of personal distractions. But this time will be different. I am excited to take this journey with whoever chooses to follow.