Monday Morning Inspiration: From Ashley Nicole Catherine

Hi, everyone! This is Ashley of fashion and lifestyle blog, ashley nicole catherine. I'm so excited Sam asked me to guest post and share some of what inspires me! Sam's blog has become a daily read and I've come to love her "boudoir of the day" features. I got to thinking about what inspires my blog posts and i realized you only have to look as far as my pinterest boards. What did I do before pinterest?? For those who follow ANC, you probably know that my fiance, J, and I have just over a month until our wedding! We are so so excited and I've been sharing wedding details about our big day along the way. I genuinely love all things wedding-related and have found such inspiration through beautiful weddings.

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Because ANC started as a fashion blog, fashion and style still remains a big topic on the blog. Even though I shop for a bargain and mix investment pieces with super affordable pieces, I draw a lot of inspiration from runway shows. My favorite designers/labels include Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Marchesa, Elie Saab, and Jenny Packham. 

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One of the reasons I decided to branch out from just fashion posts on ANC is my interest in interior design. I love beautiful places and spaces and with creating our registries and dreaming about buying a house, I can't get enough of design and decor! I've even been stowing away ideas on my future girl cave board for a feminine room that I'm insisting exists in our dream home. 

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I hope that gives you a little preview into the pretty things that inspire ashley nicole catherine. And a big thank you to Sam for having me!

Granny Chic

With New York, Milan & London Fashion Weeks completed, and with Paris Fashion Week on it's way, there seems to be a continued surge of all-things ladylike and feminine. I am currently loving the reemergence of pastel colors and soft silhouettes this spring, and to see similar vibes in fall collections just makes me plain giddy.  

{Oscar de la Renta Fall 2012}

{Oscar de la Renta Fall 2012}

{Oscar de la Renta Fall 2012}

Tory Burch's Fall 2012 collection kept the ladylike vibe from spring with lots of 50s-inspired silhouettes.    There were lots of layered sweaters, cardigans, and coats to transition into fall.  Tory Burch explained,

“For fall, we were inspired by the idea of a prim girl who’s under the spell of the wrong kind of guy. She’s an innocent, unaware of her own sex appeal.” 

{Tory Burch Fall 2012}

{Tory Burch Fall 2012}

{Tory Burch Fall 2012}

Are you thinking what I am thinking when you see these images? It's time to scour granny's closet!  We'll have to brave those dust mites to find the perfect retro mix of knits, florals, lace, silks and even a shawl for our shoulders.  

{Lyn Devon Fall 2012}

{Rodarte Fall 2012}

Nanny, if you're reading this (which I know you aren't- why won't you get a computer already?), I'll be coming over soon to do some closet shopping. ;)

Inspired by Africa

Hi lovelies!!! Today I am over at The Aestate, posting about African-inspired accessories and clothes from 2012 runways.  Tribal trends were popular in the fall of 2011, and the influence has transitioned quite nicely in to spring 2012.  

I was fortunate enough to get to travel to Africa this past summer to visit a little boy I sponsor through Compassion International.  He is so near and dear to my heart!  We also traveled to a few villages and built clean water wells.   It was an unforgettable experience.

I was so inspired by how happy all the people we met were, despite their dire conditions.

Here I am with one of the sweetest little girls I met, near her home in the slums of Kenya.

The kids even made their own drum set.  They were so resourceful!

Some of the children from the village.  They loved my blonde hair! :)  It was a wonderful experience and reminded me how much I have to be thankful for.  To learn more about sponsoring a child, go visit Compassion International.  There are so many children in need, and it only costs $35 per month!

To see my post about tribal-influenced accessories and clothes, go visit The Aestate!

Looking Forward To Spring: A Pastel Palette

Looking forward to spring, today I am featuring a favorite spring 2012 runway trend - Pastels!!!  Designers gave this spring season a sense of airiness with a range of pastel tones. Before you start envisioning Easter eggs, stick with me here.  I promise you can make this trend chic and pull it off fabulously.  We'll start with the runway inspiration...

Runway Inspiration

{Versus Runway, via Vogue}

{3.1 Phillip Lim Runway}

{DVF Runway, Image via Glitter Guide}

A pastel-inspired wardrobe works whether you are lounging around on a lazy Sunday or attending a black tie affair.  Here are a few of my favorite evening wear and casual pastel looks.

Celebrity Inspiration 

{Via Teen Vogue}

{Emma Stone via Teen Vogue}

{Cameron Diaz}

{Rachel Bilson showing off her pastels... Image via The Examiner}

 I was quite shocked to see so many soft pastels on the runway, especially on NYC runways, where edginess and experimental fashion abound.  But just as sorbet is a cleanser to the palette, I felt that the softer hues debuting for spring cleansed my fashion palette.

{Image Source Unknown- Can Anyone Help?}

{Via Pretaporte Tumblr}

{Atlantic-Pacific}

Lastly, here are my picks for Spring 2012 Pastels...

{To see all links to items displayed above, click here.}

What are your favorite Spring 2012 looks?  Do you like pastels, or do you opt for edgier choices?