 Photos by Sarah Knuth A week ago today, I left for Florida with some of my Dottie girls! We headed to Panama City Beach to shoot our Spring look book, and had so much fun doing it! I came along to help with all things hair, and ended up creating more than ten looks throughout our five shoots...and the best part is that despite the fact that we didn't have much down time, it felt much more like fun than work! Our trip back home, however, was another story. Our flight out of Panama City took us to Houston, where we survived a four hour layover. After eating questionable (and expensive!) airport food and warding creepy old men off of those darn Dottie hotties around me, Sarah was kind enough to do a fun little Houston airport shoot with me! It was just as the sun began to set, and jussttttt before our grumpiness got the best of us all. As I've mentioned before, I'm far from a frequent flier. That being said, I've developed my own flight strategy that works every time!  My first necessity is my unflappable resting bitch face. The first time I traveled alone, I made the mistake of traveling with my pillow pet Agnes, and a smile on my face. To my horror, this seemed to invite strangers (both creepy and nice) to not only talk to me, but to overestimate my ability for pointless conversation when I am an anxious traveler. Don't get me wrong, I love me some random conversations, but not in an airport when I'm frantic to just sit down on the flight so that I am sure not to miss it. Trust me, it's easier with your RBF in full effect.
 I also have to travel in comfy clothes. I respect those women in heels traversing the airport, but I sure as hell don't envy them. I chose my light wash destructed skinnies from Dottie for both the trip to and from Florida! They are so comfortable and stretchy, and they hold their shape so well! My chestnut gladiator sandals are from TJ Maxx and they are genuinely the most comfortable sandals I own! They zip in the back so it is easy to get through security, but are tight enough across my foot that I can walk quickly enough to keep up with my model friends and their long legs.  My favorite travel necessity is my Kate Spade carry on bag. This is the bag I use to tote around all of my hair supplies, but it works perfectly as a carry on as well! It has lots of convenient pockets so that I can keep track of my ID, my boarding pass, and most importantly, my Sour Patch Kids. I lose my crap if I can't find something the second I look for it, so a bag like this is a lifesaver!  Though I got to travel with lots of fun girls this time, I usually bring along a book to pass the time. I actually prefer to read in low-light, so airplanes are ideal for me to speed read! I finished a book on the flight to Florida, so I picked Paper Towns up for the trip home! John Green is just too good.  I am a big believer in traveling in light layers, so that you can easily shed or add depending on how your body tends to run. I prefer to wear a cardigan or light jacket over most tops, and for this trip I chose a light weight, neutral option. That way I could throw it together last minute for the trip home! I like to think that one day I'll have it all together, but throwing my outfits together on the run is half the fun.
What must-haves do I need to add for my next trip? Let me know! Love, Ashley
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 I got to meet Mel last week for a quick photo op on my old stomping grounds! Pendleton will always be my little hometown, regardless of the fact that I technically grew up in Anderson. I never actually did my senior pictures in downtown Pendleton (though I did utilize my only other option for a backdrop...Falls Park of course!), so this felt like rewinding four years and doing them all over again. The town feels the same, and it seems like a fair bet that it always will.
 Despite my love of doing just about everyone else's hair, I get so very bored of my own! I prefer it curled, but heat styling too often leads to damaged hair, which results in my curled ends resembling tendrils looking to fight off anyone that ventures near, and this cyclical issue will surely one day prove to be the death of me. For the days that threaten the proximity of my demise by split ends, I rely on buns! Because I loosely braid my hair, breakage is minimal, and the hair ties I prefer are gentle enough to hold all day without gifting me a lovely pin headache! Pretty sure we've all been there and don't care to return... For this look, I did a Dutch fishtail around my head and then wrapped it into a bun and called it a day. I use Spin Pins whenever I do a bun that doesn't involve my hair donut, and if you've never tried them you need to! They look like DNA strands and work like magic. Goody boasts that these pins do the work of 20+ bobby pins, and they are a lifesaver!  I paired this outfit with my chestnut-colored gladiator sandals to keep the look casual and cute. If I were to wear it out at night, I would instead put on a pair of chunky heels and a light bat-wing cardi. Luckily, Pendleton rarely requires one to dress up, which may be one of my favorite things about it.
It is always so refreshing to chat with Mel, and the time we got to spend together taking these pics was more than enough to leave me feeling better than I had in days! Sometimes it takes someone like her to pick you up when you're not even down, and I'm so grateful to have her in my arsenal for the bad days, weeks, months, what have you. Thank you for all you do for me, Mel Carpenter! I am so grateful for you and your admittedly bomb photography skills. Love, Ashley P.S. - I've got an exciting blog on the way all about my work trip to Florida and my airport escapades brought on by traveling with smoking hot models...stay tuned!  I have been using coconut oil on my hair for a little over two years now, and it has made a world of difference! I love deep conditioners and leave-in conditioners as well, but they didn't seem to have any lasting effects on my overall hair health. The price difference is also a huge selling point for why I prefer coconut oil over other hair products, as coconut oil is far less expensive than the conditioners worth buying.
I had previously been using generic coconut oils, usually the Meijer brand, but I just recently got into a local company right out of Broad Ripple, IN! Skinny & Co. is the only completely raw and alkaline coconut oil available today, and the difference this makes is literally tangible. I always had to microwave the generic oil before I spread it through my hair, but Skinny and Co. melts in my hands immediately and doesn't leave little unmelted chunks that never fully wash out...which is a serious miracle because those unmelted chunks used to stay in my hair far after I tried to wash them out! I have seen and read approximately 9 million different methods of using coconut oil to deep condition hair, but none are as simple (my preferred substitute term for "lazy") as what I've made into a weekly routine. Instead of wrapping saran wrap around my head after combing through and blah blah blah, I simply use 2-3 spoonfuls of raw coconut oil (one at a time), rub it in my palms until it's entirely melted, and then run my hands over and through my hair starting at the bottom. I really only use this on my ends, as it can result in making my clean hair look greasy if I put it directly on my roots. I then wrap my hair in a gross bun on top of my head until I shower. It's usually between 10 minutes and a few hours, but the results are the same either way. I then just shower regularly, making sure to focus on rinsing my hair more thoroughly than I usually do and my hair is shinier and softer than any conditioner does! Their coconut oil is not all I've been loving, as their whipped body butter has also completely stolen my heart! It is also 100% organic, and has the most amazing scent to it. It says that it is infused with lavender, but I smell something much more earthy! Momma Holly said she gets lavender from it though so we decided that perhaps my sniffer is off...this is highly probable as I just got over nearly a month of sickness! The body butter feels almost identical to the oil at first, but soaks into my skin within a minute or two. This is definitely a nighttime moisturizer for me, as it is light enough not to bother me but heavy enough to notice the effect in the morning! I only used the body butter twice on my heels, and I've not needed to put any type of moisturizer on them since. I am on my feet 6-11 hours a day, usually six days a week so my dry heels are a constant annoyance to me! They also offer a lip balm in their beauty line that is just as good for my lips as the butter is for the rest of me! I am entirely new to the world of organic beauty products, but this foray into that world has proven nothing but successful so far. Do any of you have any suggestions for other all natural beauty or body products that I should try? What other ways do you suggest I use my newfound love? Let me know! Love, Ashley The maxi trend is a favorite of mine, but is not one which is easily pulled-off. Being five foot two, most maxi's drag the ground unless I wear some Courtney Stodden heels for the insane. As I prefer my ankles unbroken and the bottom of my dresses clean, I have to be very selective in the maxi's I buy. I have had most luck at places like Marshall's, but every once in a while a shorter maxi will cycle into Dottie's inventory, and I will buy every color option available. This mermaid style maxi skirt only came in grey, but I am very glad to have it!  Photos by Sarah Beth Photography
 I kept my eye makeup neutral (Naked palettes as per usual), and my lipstick as well for this look! I used MAC "Velvet Teddy" lipstick under my light pink Smashbox lip gloss (not sure which shade...but I do know its's the lightest one!)
Under my skirt are black sandals, they are sure to make an appearance soon! ~ Love, Ashley  Photos by Sarah Beth PhotographyOne of the many things I love about Indiana is the undeniable buzz in the air once the temperature consistently hits 60. Floridians would be shivering in their snuggies but us Hoosiers are breaking out the shorts and complaining about the heat...and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Though the week looks to be formidably cloudy, this weather, temperature, and humidity level is my absolute favorite. I've decided to usher in Spring with another favorite of mine--rompers!
I can't wait to break out even more of my Spring faves, including another romper or two from Dottie. Okay five, I've purchased five rompers from Dottie Couture since January...I'm not proud of it but I don't regret it either!
I hope you've enjoyed my current Spring go-to outfit and makeup, let me know what you're loving so far this season! Love, Ashley |
AshleyBehind the dainty days is a whole lot of planning. And coffee. Archives
February 2021
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