Jailbird

I'm in full confession mode, so I'm going to tell you some silly blogger stories regarding this shoot:

1. I wore this outfit on a Thursday to a blogging event. Nahal and I took pictures, but it was getting dark, so only a few turned out. 

2. Therefore, I wore this again on Saturday night for my 5-year-anniversary dinner. Of course we were running late (my fault, as always), so I risked divorce by asking Aaron to take my photo.

3. I could not get the braid right the 2nd time around. I tried it like 8,000 times while I was pumping before leaving the house (sorry if that's TMI). 

4. I got LASIK this week, so I couldn't wear contacts either of these nights. I wore them Thursday night anyway because I'm a rebel like that. And on Saturday night, I basically wandered around blind while Aaron took these photos (because I'm too vain to wear my glasses).

5. I used to teach at a prison and my inmates wanted me to be on a fashion makeover show because they thought my style was so atrocious. I was intentionally dressing in a frumpy manner to deter suitors. HA. 

6. Aaron, I love you and thanks for putting up with me and my photo shoots. And yes, this is a test to see if you actually read my blog. Which I'm pretty sure you do. 

7. This dress is stupidly cheap on Amazon. And it's amazing. Click on the link below to check it out. 

Ok, I'm out! Until next time....

xoxo

Haute Ashbury x Winky Designs

I'm so excited to introduce you Winky Designs, an awesome accessories company. Better yet, for the next week, we can offer our readers a 15% discount when you use the code "Autumn2015"! This is the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on your holiday shopping (and nearly everything on their site is under $50)!

I happened upon Winky Designs while shopping in downtown Las Vegas. They specialize in fashion watches and other accessories. I'm absolutely in love with their signature slap watches (they're the perfect update of the iconic 1980s slap bracelets). Not only are the faces clever and unique, but the interchangeable slap bands come in a wide array of colors. Their iconic slap watches make awesome gifts; they're perfect for teachers, travelers, cat or dog lovers, chefs, etc! I've posted a few of my favorites below, including a few shots of me wearing the iconic dog watch, but hop over to winkydesigns.com to check out their whole collection. 

A closer look. 

Iconic Teacher Slap Watch

Iconic Jetsetter Slap Watch

A sample of their band colors (believe it or not, there are actually more!)

Another Winky favorite is their stackable dainty rings. I snatched up a handful of the rings when I was in Vegas, and despite their incredibly reasonable price, they're excellent quality. The designs are perfectly on trend, and they come in 18K gold, silver, and rose gold. 

I'm totally in love with their envelope clutches, which are super sleek and super affordable!

Black/ Oil Slick Chain Mail Clutch

Rose Gold Snake Skin Clutch

Don't forget to use the code "Autumn2015" for your 15% discount at Winky. Happy shopping!  

Pattern Alchemy

I'm currently having a love affair with maxi dresses, and this one is no exception. They're the first thing I reach for on the weekend when I'm looking for something both comfortable and stylish. I found this Topshop dress at Nordstrom and had to have it. 

The clutch is also Topshop, and the patterns really work well together. My philosophy on animal prints is that they are basically neutrals and go with everything. This clutch is living proof.

I was lucky enough to catch the last of our Indian Summer on this day trip to the wine country, and this dress was perfect for the occasion. If you look closely, you'll see a photobombing kitty in the background who followed us around De La Montanya Winery, so I'm lucky to have caught a shot with this cutie!

The dress and clutch are still in stores and linked below! I also linked similar shoes and accessories. 

Enjoy!
xoxo
Nahal

It's Fall, Y'all!

Funny thing about this shoot: this outfit is so 80s-inspired that I actually bought bubble gum (Root Beer Bubble Yum, as it were) so that I could blow bubbles while taking photos. Sadly I lost my courage, or maybe I'll spin it and say that I was trying to keep it classy. (bwhahahaha)

This past weekend my family and I drove down to Los Olivos to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was a great weekend spent with some really awesome people.  I made a deal with my husband: he could take the 5-hour wine tour with friends while I watched the kids as long as he would take my photos without complaint. I let him off the hook, however, when I discovered that a friend staying in our house has a super nice camera and is a great photographer. I essentially begged said friend to humor me and do the shoot. He was gracious enough to do it, and I think he may have even enjoyed it, in the end. 

It wasn't the optimal time of day, so we had to walk around looking for shady spots. That's one of my favorite parts of blogging--looking at my surroundings and discovering things I wouldn't have otherwise. We found this amazing row of hay fenced in by barbed wire, and we also stumbled upon these horses, who were very curious and came over to check us out. I may or may not have gotten horse snot dripped on me...

Anyhow, I'm loving this mix of denim with my new K-Swiss sneakers (I used to tease my brother relentlessly about his K-Swiss addiction, ha) and my hipster glasses. I recently saw a photo of Gwen Stefani sporting the half topknot hairdo, and I'm loving it because I've been trying to think of creative ways to get my growing bangs out of my face. Thanks, Gwen, for helping a sister out. 

Thanks for reading & hope you're all enjoying the first few glorious weeks of fall! 

Lisa