The Little Black...Cape!

January 21, 2018













 {Outfit Details}
Cape: c/o SheIn (here! Only $40!! SO in love with this classy piece) //  OTK Boots: Target (here, on sale for under $40!!; Definitely a fave of mine this season) // Tank Top: Old Navy (here, absolutely LOVE velvet! Also LOVE this one here) // Skirt: H&M (here, definitely a must-have favorite and only $10 right now!!!)// Gloves: Old, but similar here! // Gold Glitter Clutch: Old Navy (here, love this piece! It's so fun and is $18)

Hi dolls!

I am SO excited to be sharing this look with y'all on the blog! If you follow me over on Instagram (you can by clicking here), you have already seen a little sneak peek of this look. It seriously makes me feel just like Audrey Hepburn every time I wear this cape! 

If you aren't sure about the cape trend, this one is perfect to try because it's only $40. Even though it is inexpensive, the quality is AMAZING! It is thick, soft, and the gold buttons give it a more expensive look. It is feminine in the best ways: I mean what is more feminine than a scalloped hem?! It just looks so girly! I love how well this look came together with my new fave fringe skirt from H&M (it's only $10!) and my OTK boots. The cape is just short enough that it pairs perfectly with tall OTK heeled boots. I topped off my girly look with some black gloves! I totally think Audrey would approve! 😉

You can also "style down" this cape by even pairing it with jeans and boots. I love how versatile it is. Oh, not to mention, it is also the perfect amount of warmth for a milder winter day! 

Thank you SO much for reading, dolls! This week is a busy one for me as I am starting a new job. Keep up with me over on Instagram as I will try to regularly post there this week as much as possible! I hope y'all have a wonderfully blessed week. 

XOXO
Ashley








The ($10!!!!) Leopard Print Dress!

January 7, 2018







{Outfit Details}
Dress: H&M (here, y'all, only $10!!! Available in ALL sizes right now!) // Boots: Target (old, no longer online, but love these here - I have them in taupe and they are great, affordable OTK boots!) // Wristlet: Target (not online but love this one here)




Happy Sunday, dolls!!!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Hubby & I enjoyed some relaxation & spent time with family (and each other!). It is nice to just take it easy & be together.

I'm going to make this a quick post tonight, but I just wanted to share with y'all one of my favorite purchases this season: this purple leopard print dress! I bought this on my H&M haul a couple of months ago, and it has proven to be one of my favorite dresses in my closet. When I saw it in the store, I thought...."oh, it's leopard print...but even better, it's PURPLE leopard print!!" lol. I mean needless to say, I do not have many (i.e. ANY) purple leopard print in my closet. I love that it's a soft shade and in being pastel, it does not cross the line into tacky! This dress is light-weight so would be perfect to layer on a chilly day with a sweater or blazer on top. Since it's a thinner material, I am actually planning on incorporating this into my NP wardrobe & style it with my white coat!!! Oh...and the best part of all??? It is currently on sale for TEN dollars!!! Woohoo! Be sure to click the link in the picture caption or in the widget to shop it above!

Thank you SO incredibly much for reading, dolls! 

XOXO
Ashley

White Sequin Sweater + My Savannah Recommendations

January 4, 2018














{Outfit Details}
Sweater: H&M (here, only $30! Similar here in other colors available) // Jeans: Express (here, absolutely love these! On sale for under $50) // Boots: Ugg (love these boots so much! Found them on Ebay here, apparently no longer available online!) // Wristlet: Old Navy (here, love the pop of sparkle a wristlet provides!) // Ear Muffs: H&M (only $5! Exact ones not online but love these here, here, & here) // White Scarf: H&M here


Hi dolls!

Happy Thursday!! As you may know if you follow me on Instagram (you can by clicking HERE), we took a quick little road trip to Savannah, Georgia, last weekend for New Year's Eve! It is about 5ish hours from Chattanooga, so it's a very doable trip in just a couple of days! We LOVED it so very much & are looking forward to going back one day. Next time, we would like to spend 2 full days there because there is a lot to do! If you keep on reading, I'm going to give y'all just a SHORT run down of some of the things we did and our favorites towards the end of this post!

First comes fashion however, lol. I am so excited to share with y'all one of my looks from our trip. Compared to our weather here in Chattanooga since we have been home, it was much warmer in Savannah on our trip (which I will be honest, I prefer temps in the mid-50s to low-20s lol). I wore my big coat in the morning and in the evening, but during the day/in the sun, I was comfortable to walk around just in this sweater - which, btw, is really warm! I went to my FAVE store last week before our trip (thanks to my family for the gift cards for Christmas!!) and picked up this adorable sequin sweater! I love that it has black sequins on a white sweater because 1) I am in LOVE with white sweaters and you can never have too many! and 2) I am obsessed with anything black & white (from clothing to home decor lol). Oh, and I had my eye on this sweater a few months ago but it was $50 and I just didn't pull the trigger. However, it was ON SALE for only $30 so I knew it had to come along with me on our trip!!!

Funny thing is, I had planned on wearing my black sequin dress (in this post HERE) for NYE night, and wear this white sweater during our day of sightseeing. However, it proved to be SO cold that night AND it was RAINING! So, I decided to just stick with my white sweater that evening with my big coat. It was a good choice as we walked a TON in the cold rain and I was able to stay plenty of warm!

Another way I stayed warm were with my adorable ear muffs! I wish they had my exact pair online but I couldn't find them - however I found VERY affordable and similar ones linked in the widget. Faux fur ear muffs are an excellent way to stay warm while at the same time keeping your hair intact, unlike a beanie! We had the funniest encounter with a lady on our way back from dinner one night when I was wearing these. She said "You must be a Northern girl, too, in those ear muffs and faux fur coat!" lol....I guess faux fur ear muffs are a trend up North?! I definitely took it as a compliment; you Northern girls have style!!!!!

Ok, so without further ado, here is a quick list of some of our fave places we ate/things we did in our quick 2 day trip to Savannah! I have to give a shoutout to all my amazing friends/family/followers who sent us recommendations for our trip!!!!! Thank y'all so much!!!

Savannah Recommendations:

Where To Eat:

1) By far, our absolute FAVORITE restaurant was The Ole Pink House (check out their site & make reservations here).  Seriously this place is not only BEAUTIFUL, but the food is delish! My husband said it was probably his second fave meal he has ever had (the first being this seafood place in Hilton Head lol). The atmosphere is SO romantic!!! It is the perfect place to take your significant other and enjoy a delicious meal!

2) We ate at The Pirate's House (here) on Sunday evening, and my husband LOVED it!!! Ok so I have to preface this with saying that I do not really care for seafood...so, my recommendations aren't super helpful in terms of that lol. But he absolutely loved his meal there!!! It has been around since the 1700's and is REALLY cool inside! There are all sorts of stories that go along with this restaurant (including a secret passageway they unearthed somewhat recently). Apparently it used to be an inn for seafarers back in the 1700's so pirates often frequented this establishment. This is definitely a place to check out if you love seafood and if you enjoy history!

3) For a quick and yummy lunch spot, we tried out Boar's Head Grill & Tavern  (here) on the day we arrived in town. It is right on River Street, and we were lucky to get a table facing the water, so we enjoyed a pretty view while we ate!!! My hubby got a hamburger that was delicious, and I got a salad which I also enjoyed! I definitely recommend for a yummy meal!

Just a tip, we made reservations ahead of time at both The Pirate's House and The Ole Pink House. We tried to eat at the Ole Pink House on NYE but it was already full since we booked our trip so last minute - however we were able to get a reservation for the night before at around 10:00 pm (they took us early though when we arrived before 10). One of our favorite ways to make reservations is through Open Table

What To Do:

1) Take a trolley tour!!! Since we only had 1 full day there, we wanted to make sure we were able to see as much as possible, so we decided to take a trolley tour to cover our bases. We went with Old Savannah Tours and were very happy with our tour! It took almost 2 hours in its entirety, but you also have the option to hop on/hop off with an all-day pass. The driver gives you a history along the way, and even fun movie trivia (I had no clue so many movies besides Forrest Gump were shot in Savannah!!). Not to mention, there are actors/actresses who hop on and off the trolley and give you a first-person history lesson. I seriously loved it!

2) Eat Tutti Fruiti ice cream at the famous Leopold's (here). Seriously this place is a staple to any trip to Savannah. Yes the line we be long, so be prepared to wait a little bit (however, we only had to wait about 20 minutes and it moves pretty fast!). The wait is WELL worth it!! They have been serving up these same flavors since the 1920's. I mean seriously, you can't go wrong!

3) Visit as many of the of the squares/parks as you can (in particular: Forsyth Park and Chippewa Square). We absolutely loved taking a stroll through the squares. We actually walked through a majority of them, and fell in love with the beauty of the Spanish moss on the trees, plus the different fountains/monuments. Each had its own uniqueness and charm. Plus, if you don't know, Chippewa Square is where THE Forrest Gump (aka Tom Hanks) sat on his bench through the entirety of the movie!

4) Stroll down River Street (here) & buy some pralines at River Street Sweets (check them out here)! There are so many fun (aka tacky) stores, and many restaurants along this road!! Not to mention - did you even go to Savannah if you don't try (and come home with a box full) of pralines??? I didn't think so! Trust me, the ones from River Street Sweets are some of the best!

5) Do a honey tasting at the Savannah Bee Company (check them out here). How many times can you do a honey tasting?! Not very often! So, take advantage of this unique opportunity and check out the Savannah Bee Company. We went to the location on River Street, but there is also one on Broughton Street (see #6). It is LITERALLY amazing honey!  This is a great place to pick up a souvenir for yourself or a gift for someone else. We bought THIS raw acacia honeycomb and we are literally OBSESSED. Good thing, we can order another online (seriously going to be doing this! Love it so much!).

6) Shop on Broughton Street (here). This street is where you will also find Leopold's! So, get you some ice cream then take a stroll to shop!! Unfortunately, we ran out of time to REALLY do some shopping. Next time, I want to go to the Paris Market which is located on Broughton Street. But, it's definitely worth doing if you have a long weekend to enjoy!

7) Take a stroll along Jones Street (here). This street has been named one of the most beautiful in North America (read about it here) and it definitely lives up to that! We took the above outfit pics there, and in some of the parks!

Whew, typing this I realized we really did pack in a lot in the day and a half we were there! We even did a few things I didn't mention (for instance, visiting the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist - it was an absolutely breath-taking church. We weren't able to go inside because they were having mass, but the outside was stunning). We stayed at Hotel Indigo in the Historic District with my hubby's hotel points, however next time we both agreed we want to stay at one of their many GORGEOUS bed & breakfasts! I seriously love this charming Southern city, and definitely want to make a return ASAP!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting & reading Ashley's Passion for Fashion, as always! Love y'all!

XOXO
Ashley

2017 Blessings!

January 2, 2018


Happy 2018, dolls!!!

Ok, I’m about to say a cliché statement but – can y’all believe 2017 is over?! This year has literally flown by & has 100% without a doubt been the best of my life! I love doing a reflection blog post every year, if for no other reason than one day when I’m old & gray, to have this to look back on (do y’all think blogs will still be a thing when I’m old & gray?! I sure hope so, lol!). Be sure to read my 2016 reflection post HERE.

So as I was saying, 2017 has been QUITE the year!!! THE most special and important moment of my year was marrying the love of my life on April 22, 2017! We have been married for 8 months and I have to thank the Lord every day for blessing me with KT for my husband. Our wedding day was everything I could have ever dreamed for (in large part thanks to my precious parents who worked so hard to make sure everything was perfect), and our honeymoon was also an absolute blast (thanks to my amazing in-laws), however I have to say that day-to-day life with my hubby has been the best part. I am so thankful that God joined us as life partners because my husband definitely provides the perfect balance in my life and in all the ways I need him. Not to mention, he has been there for me and truly supported me through all of life's moments, no matter how big or small. He cheered me on through school, job searching, and also through blogging. God is so good and I am so thankful.






























Another HUGE moment of my life this year was graduating Family Nurse Practitioner school from Vanderbilt University! I have had the dream in my heart of being a primary care provider since I was a very little girl, and this year, my dream finally came true. Through my journey as a nurse, and then as a NP student, I have learned so many invaluable things that I know I will carry with me in my profession FOREVER. In the process, I have also made LIFELONG friends who I consider more like family. If you follow me over on Instagram (you can by clicking HERE), you know that I have been meeting up with my “nursing family” recently who I worked with as a nurse tech and then as a RN for 3.5 years. We love to catch up over lunch, and it’s crazy how we just pick up right where we left off! I know I have lifelong friends/family in these special ladies!!!!


Soooo, after graduating, I studied day-in and day-out until I took boards on September 26th, 2017. I really do think this day will forever be etched in my mind because it was so monumental-lol! I found out immediately after taking my FNP boards that I passed (yay!!!!!). Seriously that was one of the biggest reliefs of my life (probably close to finding out I passed my RN boards). After that came the task of finding a job. I really did learn throughout this process about God's faithfulness and truly TRUSTING in Him because even though I did not know the exact plan for my life yet, HE did and was working it out on my behalf!!! I am SO thankful to say that I will be starting as a FNP in a family practice this coming January- which was the true desire of my heart!!! I could not be more excited, and I thank the Lord every day for His many blessings.

{Image source here}

Another way I feel the Lord has blessed me this past year is being able to share with y’all more on my blog. As you may know if you have followed my little corner of the blogging world for a while, I started this blog way back in 2011. Through my educational journey and also working as a nurse tech then a RN during school, I unfortunately was not able to blog as much as I wanted. However late in 2016 I decided to start pursuing my passion once again as I feel this blog has been a great outlet for me to share my love for fashion and just my life in general with you all. I have been blessed this year with more opportunities for Ashley's Passion for Fashion, and I look forward to seeing where this year takes me!

Photo shoot with Studio 6 Chatt! See more of this look here!

Hosted a BeYOUtiful Girls Night Out in collab with Goody's alongside the beautiful Brooke of KBStyled (check out her blog HERE and a recap of the event HERE)

Summer styling event with fab'rik! Read about it here

Fall event with fab'rik (read about it here!)

 My first collab with SheIn (Read about this look here)

One of my favorite posts last year! My 29th B-Day Post (Read it HERE)

In 2018, I pray for the Lord's continued guidance in my marriage, relationships with friends & family, career, blog, and just every single aspect of my life. I have learned in 2017 just how important it is to TRULY rely on Him no matter your circumstance and no matter if you understand why you are going through what you are going through. The Lord HAS a perfect plan for your life and we are asked to trust in Him.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I pray that you, my lovely readers, have many many blessings in 2018!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for following along with me. It seriously means the WORLD to me. Here is to a wonderful 2018!!!

XOXO
Ashley
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