Pop of Pink for Valentine's Day

Photos by Loren Ferguson of Elysian Fine Art 

SheIn jacket | SheIn sweater | Frame Denim jeans | Ivanka Trump boots {sold out, similar style here} | St. Nicola 'Elizabeth' handbag ℅ | Nila Anthony furry pom pom | Forever 21 necklace {similar style here - obsessed!} | V19.69 ring ℅ | SheIn brooch | Diane von Furstenberg sunglasses

It's Friday! What are your plans for the long weekend? 

I feel like lately we've had so much on our to-do lists over the weekend, that we haven't had a nice, relaxing weekend in a long time. There is always something to do, somewhere to go, things that need to get done, but this weekend we're definitely going to focus on us and soak up the gorgeous weather today, and the beautiful forecast that's in store for Saturday, as well (unfortunately Sunday and Monday are supposed to rain). 

With Valentine's Day on Sunday, it feels like it's been holiday city around here. From my birthday last month, to our four year anniversary at the beginning of next month, there seems to always be something to celebrate. 

For Valentine's Day we plan to celebrate the night before with dinner out at one of our favorite Italian restaurants. Day of, we'll cook breakfast and spend the day with Safari. I've learned it's more fun to not to get caught up in all the hype and the wallet draining prix fixe only menu's. I don't know about you, but I hate prix fixe menu's, especially on Valentine's Day when they aren't even picking their best item, but instead the one's that'll maximize profit. No, thank you. 

This neutral tone outfit will be perfect for our casual, weekend plans. I love the lacy detailing on the sweater (remember how I was talking about finding cuter, more girly sweaters?) and the weight is perfect. Plus, it's under $30. This coat has gotten hundreds of compliments, and when people hear it's only $54, they like it even more. I wouldn't recommend it for super cold climates since there's only one small clasp in the middle of the jacket, but for more winter friendly climates, like Texas, it's perfect. 

The stone color of my St. Nicola handbag kept with the monochromatic theme of my outfit. St. Nicola is a luxury line of women's handbags, men's footwear & soon to be accessory line, as well. With it's flagship store here in Houston, I've had the pleasure of getting to know the designer/owner, and his fine Italian leather handbags have become a staple in my closet. If you're in the area, be sure to visit their store at River Oaks District - any of their pieces would make great Valentine's gifts. 

Wishing you & yours a very happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Bar Cart

One Kings Lane bar cart | Apothacary jars | Anthropologie pink champagne flutes {similar style here} | Diptyque candle | Minted party decor ℅ (everything seen here part of the Unique Party package) | Sugarwish candy ℅| Polka dot vase {similar style here} | Louis Vuitton book | Diane von Furstenberg book

Anytime I can sneak pink in throughout our house, I jump at the chance. With Valentin'es Day only a few days away, I wanted to spruce up our bar cart and get it ready for the romantic weekend.

I recently purchased these apothecary jars from Amazon, which made the perfect candy jars for the Treats section of the bar cart. When not holding candy, I love to use these for bathroom essentials, such as Q-tips, cotton ball, etc. They also are great for holding stemless fake flowers, and fake lemons to spruce up your kitchen or dining room.

An empty champagne bottle made the perfect balloon holder. I love any kitschy item I can find for the holidays. Like I've said before, I don't like to spend a lot on holiday flare if I don't have to. I purchased the balloon (and a few more not pictured), sparkly heart stir sticks, and the heart flower pots all from the Dollar Store last week.

Minted helped me complete my bar cart (and Valentine's tablescape from last week), with their party ready packages. The package included the table confetti, which I used as coasters, as well as the Treats & Sips notecards, heart stickers, and the pink and white striped paper straws.

No party is complete without a specialty cocktail! Below are the recipes of two of my favorite festive drinks for Valentine's Day.

Fizzy Valentine's Strawberry Cocktail
-Muddle fresh strawberries & basil in a glass
-Add one cup of sparkling water, like the S.Pellegrino above (add flavored sparkling water for an extra kick - I love adding kiwi strawberry, which you can find at your local CVS)
-Add one shot of vodka (you can also skip this part if you're hosting a lunchtime event, or one for the kids)
-Stir
-Top with fresh basil

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail 
-Place a few pomegranate seeds in the base of the champagne flute (these can easily be purchased in the produce section of your local grocery store)
-Add four ounces of champagne (about 3/4 of the glass)
-Top with 1/2 teaspoon of store bought pomegranate juice
-Stir and enjoy

Wondering what to wear for Valentine's Day? Shop my favorite pieces below!

Pattern Mixing + Favorite Houston Brunch Spots

Photos by Loren Ferguson of Elysian Fine Art

J.McLaughlin dress ℅ | Juicy Couture leather jacket {old, similar style here - under $100 and comes in three colors} | Chloe leopard handbag ℅ of Trendlee {similar here & here - fraction of the price}| Nine West wedges | Forever 21 necklace {similar style here}

Happy Tuesday my friends.

J.McLaughlin has been my brand of choice recently. From striped sweaters, to winter white pants and plaid, they have everything, for every climate and every age. My mom and I own several of the same pieces! This chevron print dress is a great piece to throw on everyday. It's the perfect mix of casual, while still being chic, and it's so soft and comfortable. Plus, it doesn't wrinkle which is important when you're wearing something all day long. The wrinkle resistant Catalina Cloth (their trademark material) makes it the perfect outfit to travel with as well. 

This Chloe bag has been one of the most popular of the season, but I couldn't legitimize buying one because of the hefty price tag. Enter Trendlee. Trendlee is a luxury, pre-owned handbag website that offers an array of designer bags, at a fraction of the price. Think Chanel, Hermes, Prada...Use promo code: ASHLEYNSTYLE to receive 5% off your purchase. You can also sell any of your coveted goods with their sister website, Rebagg.

This ensemble was perfect for dining al freso at brunch this past Sunday. I'd been dying to go to Lucille's Restaurant since I moved to Houston. I'm not sure why it took us so long to get there, but when my girlfriend and I were discussing brunch spots, I made sure to sneak it onto the list of front runners to dine at. When we went the next day, I don't think anyone was disappointed. I had Croissant French Toast - it was out of this world and was topped off with fried chicken wings. Among the other dishes delivered to our table were the Crab Beignet Benedict, the Watermelon Salad, and you can't have brunch without someone ordering the Burger. I definitely will be coming back soon. Some of my other favorite Houston brunch spots are Backstreet Cafe, Tiny Boxwoods, Brasserie 19, Empire Cafe, and Hugo's. Next on my list to try is the newly opened, The Dunlavy. 

P.S. I'm sorry about the bombardment of photos for today's post, but it was so hard to choose my favorites, that I decided to just share them all with you. Recently, I've started working with a few local photographers, since Adam's schedule is constantly getting busier and busier. Plus, it frees up our weekends to focus on fun stuff, instead of work! These photos were shot by Loren, of Elysian Fine Art, This was my first time working with Loren, and boy was I impressed. Not only did she move quickly and efficiently, she captured everything I wanted - I think the photos speak for themselves.