Is It Spring Yet?

TheUrbanati — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:51:20 +0000

Alone on the Road

TheUrbanati — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:41:11 +0000

A good portion of my year consists of traveling in support of sales meetings, generally in some pretty whole-in-the-wall areas within the US of A. Last week was one of those trips. I spent a good chunk of my day trying to get out of Philly and into Cleveland, just to take an hour + drive to Ashtabula. Damn right…I said it: Ashtabula. After 3 delays + 2 gate changes in and 1 delay out, I finally made it home. I was exhausted. I was feeling a bit deflated, and I was sore from running around in high heels. I should have known what would have normally been an easy flight in and out would turn into an adventure complete with insults from an old lady about my “lack of nylons.”

This week is different. I’m in New York City for marketing institute and having lived here before, I know the place a wee bit better than Ashtabula. And I know damn well I’m not going to offend by not wearing nylons. Peep the pics:

Cleveland…

Cleveland’s Progressive Field

Upgrade! My view of Times Square in my hotel this week

“You’re a Philly gal?” asked the bartender, followed by a long sigh… “Ahhh the women are feisty there?” I explain to him I’m truly a Staten Island chick, raised in Harrisburg, PA, to which HE says “I knew it! Once a Staten Island chick, always a Staten Island chick. You can’t take the New Yawk outta people!”

New FAVORITE brew: I ❤Brooklyn Lager

More flicks to come!! Tomorrow I’ll post pics from my “no bitchazzness” day, working wardrobe and a few rambles on dining alone, no matter where you are in the world

WFH Style: Pulling a Kris Kross

TheUrbanati — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:31:50 +0000

When it comes to fashion, I’m a bit of a plain Jane. I like the basics… but I love to accessorize to change things up. Most of my wardrobe is simple, classic colors, cuts and patterns. What I’ve learned over the past 27 years of dressing myself is that it’s not WHAT you wear, but HOW you wear it. One of my favorite re-styles of old-goodies is to pull a Kris Kross. Yes, you read that right… I like to wear things backwards every now and then.

Take this relatively simple (yet way to short for my 5’7 frame!) dress. While I normally don’t shop Wet Seal, this was calling my name as I walked past the store about a month ago… “Ashley, buy me!” As soon as the card was swiped and my shopping bags were unloaded into my closet, I couldn’t figure out how to wear this thing without feeling like I’m dressing like a 17-year-old. In the month since I bought this dress, it’s been worn once. Once! With studded black leather booties and a black leather jacket to toughen it up. Cute, but once this bad boy was tossed in the dryer, it was a wrap. And like so many purchases in my teens, I swore off Wet Seal and promptly placed this dress in the back of my closet, to be hidden with all other “accident purchases.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until today. Check it out… simple, but backwards… and while I don’t care if anyone even notices, I think it looks much better this way.

Have any of you ever tried doing this? Any thoughts? As I mentioned above, this is one of my favorite ways to re-style old items. I normally wear sweaters this way, as it’s more interesting! Try out these looks for something new

first image from: This Time Tomorrow ~ second image: To The Manner Born

third image: Angela See Angela Blog ~ fourth image: Venzedits

The Drama’s in the Details

TheUrbanati — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:50:13 +0000

I’ve always been a fan of layering necklaces. (So that’s where my daughter gets it from…) There’s something dramatic about the long-honored trend, but not in a Mardi Gras kind of way. It’s taking the regular ole strands from your jewelry box that may not receive as much play and creating a masterpiece… on your neck!

The best part, for me at least, is that it’s effortless looking. Even if it’s not so effortless to create.

For those of you that struggle (as I know I often do!) to layer, check out the video below. And experiment!

You Tube: How To Layered Jewelry

Here’s what I’m rocking today

WFH Style – Day 1

TheUrbanati — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:31:58 +0000

After being properly admonished for not posting for some time, I’ve decided today that THIS will be the first of a series of posts on working from home and staying somewhat stylish. I promise a few things:

I will not be wearing heels everyday. My life outside the home office does not allow for it.
I will include my lazy-to-the-core, but oh so adorable pup Gabriella.
I may not have much to say daily… but I will post a few pics for your pleasure

As many of you know, I’ve been working from home since November, in an effort to tackle a family issue. While I love working from home, there are a few aspects of it I could do without. I spent the past few years getting fresh to death to roll into the office Monday through Friday, tackling daycare drop-off for my munchkin and cradling coffee on a 45-minute commute into the office. Nowadays, my office is right down the hallway from my closet. My daycare drop-off requires a 15 minute walk to and from Little Diva’s school. Before the home office, I could spend many days bouncing from my desk to a conference room to a co-worker’s desk and back! Now, I spend many days on back to back conference calls, puppy potty runs and the occasional mid-day jog (if my schedule allows).

What’s a girl to do?! Well, that’s where the following blogs have come as inspiration.

http://thehandcraftedlife.blogspot.in/search/label/working%20from%20home

http://fashionista-next-door.com/category/home-office-style

http://considermelovely.com/

Let’s get down to business! Day one includes a slim-fitted Ralph Lauren top, Express net sweater, American Eagle boyfriend jeans and brown tie-up booties. My rating, based on dog-walkability, comfort and ease: 8 out of 10.

If my life were a song…

TheUrbanati — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:53:05 +0000

I’d want it to be Tuca Tuca, the Pink Martini version. Ahhh how I love this group and their sound.

Shoutout to…

TheUrbanati — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:47:05 +0000

What Would Zooey Deschanel Wear

Ahhh how I love your style Zooey Deschanel! I can’t quite figure out who the blogger is, but I LOVE this site!! Great job and please, keep up the inspiring looks!

Santa, Here’s My Christmas List

TheUrbanati — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:37:03 +0000

I’ve been an awful good girl this year… for the most part. Christmas is only a few weeks away; I hope I’m not too late turning in my list! I know the elves know just where to go, but Santa, if you get lost, click the photos to go buy the items

Side Bow Echo Touch Glove

As I mentioned in previous posts, I like to stay warm without looking like the Michelin man. I’d also like to be able to use my (touchscreen) phone! That’s not asking for too much, is it? Santa, hook me up! For just $32, I could be warm, use my digits AND still have a feminine glove.

The gloves are wool/nylon with the “eLink” fabric on the thumbs and forefingers. I take a medium… and not to be picky, but of the 10 colors available, I love the fuchsia!

Also available in terracotta, lagoon blue, dark brown, taupe, black, light olive, blue ultra, grey heather and madder red.

Limited Edition Koons Creme de Corps

Santa, if you’ve ~~stalked~~ read this blog every now and then you know I LOVE me some Kiehl’s Creme de Corps. It is seriously the best thing for dry winter skin since my mama used Johnson & Johnson’s on me as a baby.

In this limited holiday edition, Kiehl’s partnered with American artist (and Central PA born – heeeey!) Jeff Koons to feature his iconic art on their skin-quenching bottles from heaven. Not only are they pretty cool looking, but 100 percent of the proceeds to The Koons Family Institute on International Law and Policy, an initiative of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC.)

Santa, not only would you be helping my skin, you’d be saving the children. Do it for the children.

Donna Karan Alpaca-Blend Cascade Coat

I’ll be honest, I’m stealing the idea for how I want to wear this from some chick spotted walking with Usher about a month ago. The coat is timeless.

It can be worn now, early spring AND fall! Not to mention that it’s chic, it’s ribbed and has a too cool draped collar. I’d dress it up, throw a belt on it, wear it with my army cargos! Santa, hook me up!?!

Hey, even a generous gift card to Neiman Marcus would make my Christmas!

OH! And I almost forgot. If you don’t mind Santa, I’ll take a handsome, intelligent man who knows how to fix stuff under the tree too… I’m just saying

Winter Woes

TheUrbanati — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:23:32 +0000

Not sure if you all got the memo, but it’s officially cold. As a born and raised Northeastern gal, I should be used to this right? Wrong. I’m still trying with every bone in my body to stay warm without looking like I’m trying too hard. Which is, of course, really hard! After all, check out the little diva and how she’s decided to manage:

Extreme weather and I really don’t get along. (silently thanking God I don’t have to take a trip to Minneapolis this January…) I’m forced to make decisions like “Do I really want usage of alllll 10 digits or will mittens suffice?” Or even worse, I have to decide between hat hair or that amazing look I tried out before the wind/snow/sleet hit it. Ahh, decisions, decisions. Here’s what I’m doing so far…

1. Tube scarf – when a regular scarf is just too difficult. 2. Slouchy hats – what’s more “I wanna stay warm but look chill” than this?! 3. Fingerless gloves – because who really wants to commit to having to fingers to like, do stuff with?

Every winter, I tell myself no more coats too. Let me give you a glimpse into my world: last winter I had 2 parkas, one black, one army green; 2 giant puffy coats, one short, one long; 2 peacoats, one black, one tan; 1 über dressy coat I never wore and about 7 leather jackets (3 black, 2 brown, 1 tan, 1 a fashionable teal)… for days that were 50+ degrees. Enough is enough. After the big closet purge of Spring 2011, I cut it all down. But there’s one thing I’m dying to get. Well, make that a few things:

Luckily, I don’t have the closet space for all three. Guess I’m forced to decide what I need versus what I want. Le sigh.

Talk About Commitment: Monochrome Dressing in a Modern Age

TheUrbanati — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:31:24 +0000

Coming into the office one day a week always provides me with a few notes for this blog. I could be having the most out-of-my-mind brain fart for fashion and design ideas… in one walk through the floors of my office, it all changes. This week’s inspiration is one of my favorite project managers. She’s sweet, she’s always cheerful, but most of all, she’s committed to her one-color-a-day outfits. I love it!

Just a heads up, if you want to try her look, be forewarned: you can’t get this right without venturing to the right side of wrong. You’re just one faded color, one dated pair of slacks, one matching eyeshadow away from becoming a mockery. I don’t know how this woman manages to do it every day. Honestly. It seems like it would be such hard work! Today she had on all green, from the shell under her forest green blazer to the blazer itself and matches cigarette pants… even the shoes were a mixture of lime and forest green. Her make-up? Smoky bronze.

All this had me ready to give it a go myself. But first, I have to work out the execution. Just how does one make it through Philly, let alone ANY city or town, in all one color without being harassed, questioned or asked by tourist for a quick photo-op?! In 2008, NY Magazine sat down with a few folks who do it every day (click the photo below for the link to the story).

So just how does someone make this work… by trial and error! Let me tell you folks, Google is a helluva tool. Check out the looks I found below. With these as my guide, I think I’m going to give it a go next week. What’s the worst that could happen?